 |
| direk joven tan, mon confiado, riva quenery as maria clara, nyoy volante as director, vina morales as sisa, ejay falcon as elias and marlo mortel as scriptwriter ferdie damao |
 |
| direk joven tan, mon confiado, nyoy volante, vina morales |
 |
| director joven tan, mon confiado as padre salvi, arnell ignacio as padre damaso |
 |
| nyoy volante as director, vina morales as sisa, ejay falcon as elias |
 |
| vina morales as sisa |
VINA MORALES looks so sexy at the presscon of the historical musical, “Damaso”, but in the movie, she’s actually deglamorized totally in her role as Sisa, the madwoman in Jose Rizal’s immortal classic “Noli Me Tangere”.
“When the role was offered to me, I learned it’s a musical at si Sisa raw ako, so tinanggap ko agad,” she says. “I don’t think any actress would have second thoughts about it as it’s an iconic role. And I get to sing and act at the same time.
"Tapos, ang gaganda pa ng songs composed by Director Joven Tan for Sisa about the love of a mother habang hinahanap niya ang mga nawawala niyang anak na sina Basilio at Crispin. We shot it in the old houses in Taal, Batangas and I’m really proud to be part of this movie with a great message and a very big powerhouse cast. Mapasama lang ako sa kanila is an honor na for me.”
Director Joven Tan says “Damaso” is actually a movie within a movie. This is about a group of filmmakers who want to make a historical movie after the huge success of “Heneral Luna”. In the process, they get to make a movie on Padre Damaso, the notorious priest in “Noli Me Tangere” who turns out to be the real father of Maria Clara.
“Playing the producer is Aiko Melendez,” adds Joven. “Nyoy Volante is the director and Marlo Mortel is the scriptwriter named Ferdie Damaso, kaya naisip nilang gumawa ng movie about Padre Damaso. As they shoot the film, we then show actual scenes from ‘Noli’ to show na kung ano yung mga nangyari noon, actually nangyayari pa rin ngayon sa atin, with Arnell Ignacio as Padre Damaso, Ejay Falcon as Elias, Leo Martinez as Kapitan Tiago, Lou Veloso as Filosopo Tasyo, Ariel Rivera as Kapitan Pablo, Mon Confiado as Padre Salvi, Pinky Amador as Donya Victorina,
"Carmi Martin as Donya Consolacion, Ian de Leon as the Maestro, Noel Comia as Basilio, Ernie Garcia as the leper, Arlene Muhlach as Tiya Isabel, Irma Adlawan as Aiko’s financier, Ketchup Eusebio as Aiko’s assistant, and introducing new Kapamilya stars Jin Macapagal of Bidaman as Crisostomo Ibarra and Riva Quenery as Maria Clara. It’s an impressive ensemble of very talented actors who all deliver in their respective roles.”
Wasn’t it difficult to do a historical movie with period costumes and sets? “Hindi ako nahirapan in that aspect kasi responsibility naman yan ng production designer. Nahirapan ako doon sa pagiging musical niya. I composed 16 new songs for the movie and recording them pa lang, mahirap na.
"But in fairness to all the actors who get to sing in the movie, ang gagaling nila, lalo na si Arnell Ignacio as Padre Damaso. Napakahusay niya at marami siyang gugulatin dito. Hindi si Arnell ang makikita nyo rito kundi yung character talaga ni Padre Damaso.”
So how did Arnell prepare for his role as Damaso? “Actually, nagka-identity crisis nga ako dahil sa pelikulang ito,” he says. “Kasi ang gusto ko talagang gawin, yung role ni Sisa o ni Maria Clara. Kasi sweet ako, e si Padre Damaso, bruha siya, kaya hirap na hirap ako sa pag-portray sa kanya.
"But I really love my role in the movie. Aba, sa tagal ng career ko sa industriya, ngayon lang ako gumanap sa title role. And I’m so happy sa ganda ng songs that Direk Joven composed for Damaso. Ako nga mismo, naiiyak sa ganda ng songs habang kinakanta ko sila.”