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| ALLEN DIZON at MINDANAO standee |
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| allen as a muslim soldier |
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| ALLEN in front of the MINDANAO poster |
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| allen with Juday |
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| allen being interviewed at the solo presscon for MINDANAO with writers jun nardo, dondon sermino, lito manago and moi |
ALLEN DIZON doesn’t mind if a big share of the publicity of “Mindanao” is focused more on his co-star Judy Ann Santos than on him.
“Okay lang naman kasi she won best actress sa Cairo International Filmfest and I’m very happy for her,” he says. “Mas mahaba rin at sympathetic ang role niya as a mother taking care of our sick child habang nasa giyera ako. But I really enjoyed working with Juday as she’s a true professional. Magaling talaga at may rapport kami agad.
"In one scene, nung mamatay ang anak namin at una kaming nagkita, ready na akong umiyak kasi namatay na anak namin, then namatay pa yung best friend kong sundalo sa giyera, si Ketchup Eusebio. But Direk Dante said, bawal umiyak. Hindi puedeng may luhang papatak.
"Tinginan lang kami ni Juday. Let your eyes daw do the talking. And Direk Dante is so happy kasi nakuha namin ang gusto niyang mangyari, nag-match ang acting namin kahit walang dialogue.”
Is it true that he’s not the first choice for the film but the actor chosen by Direk Brillante Mendoza is not available to shoot for ten days straight as he’s doing a soap?
“So I heard, but okay lang naman sa’kin kahit pang-sampung choice pa ako. I’m just happy to be this part of this great movie that got very positive comments sa Busan and Cairo Filmfests. This is actually my third project with Direk Brillante Mendoza. First was the Netflix series, ‘Amo’, then the movie ‘Alpha, The Right to Kill’.
"I think this is one of the best and most important films I’ve ever done as it focuses on the life of our Muslim brothers and tackles the Mindanao problem.”
Did he quickly get used to Mendoza’s directing style that uses no full written script? “I just trusted him. Una, pareho kaming from Pampanga, then, his style of making films, very relaxed. Ayaw niya ng acting style na uma-acting ka, gusto niya relaxed ka lang, spontaneous, natural lang, hindi ka nagpe-perform.
"Madali ko namang nakuha ang style niya. Ayaw niya sa teleserye style of acting na umaarte talaga. Effective naman for me ang style niya kasi lumalabas na totoong tao ang mga character na ginagampanan namin sa movies niya.
"I’m just too proud na he chose me to play the male lead in ‘Mindanao’. Napakaganda ng pelikula and it delivers a good and valid message to the audience about love for your family and for your country na makaka-relate ang lahat ng tao.”
Allen plays the role of Malang Datu Palo, a soldier who acts as a medic in combat. “He stands for all the soldiers who are also husbands and fathers na nagsisilbi sa bayan at nagbubuwis ng mga buhay nila para sa kapayapaan.
"Habang nasa gitna siya ng digmaan, yung wife naman niya, si Judy Ann nga as Saima, nakikipaglaban din kasi may cancer ang anak namin and she’ll do everything to ease our daughter’s pain.”
Allen’s performance in “Mindanao” was actually praised by the Cinema Evaluation Board members who gave it a Grade A. They said he is superb for his low key and very subdued kind of acting. What can he say that he lost in Cairo as best actor?
“Okay lang yun. It’s not the first time na nagpunta ko sa isang international filmfest at natalo ako. But so far, I’ve won nine acting awards na abroad. E, ganun naman talaga. Win some, lose some. You cannot expect to win everytime.
"Pero sa Cairo, parang ako na rin ang nanalo as I was the one who went up the stage to get the trophy for Juday. I was personally congratulated by Hollywood actress Nathalie Emmanuelle na napanood sa ‘Fast and Furious’ and ‘Game of Thrones’. Sa awards naman, it all depends siempre kung sino yung mga nakaupong judges.”
How about in the coming Metro-Manila Filmfest Awards Night? Does he expect to be vindicate and win the best actor trophy this time?
“Naku, hindi ako umaasa kasi marami namang ibang mahuhusay. Kung mananalo, di salamat. But more than winning an award, my prayer is suportahan sana ng local viewers ang movie namin nang kumita naman sa takilya. Imagine, napuri ito nang husto sa ibang bansa. Sana, ang mga sarili naman nating mga kababayan, panoorin din nila ito.”
