SEAN DE GUZMAN & JAKE CUENCA AS FATHER & SON WHO BECOME LOVERS
DIRECTOR JOEL LAMANGAN has had two LGBT themed official entries in the Metro Manila Filmfest, “Rainbow Sunset” and “Isa Pang Bahaghari”, which both won awards.
He now comes up with another such entry, “My Father Myself”, said to be based on a true story. “Pero binago ko ang ending kasi very tragic yung true story,” he tells us at the movie’s grand presscon at Novotel.
The film stars Jake Cuenca and Dimples Romana as a married couple with a daughter, Tiffany Grey. Jake adopts the son of his late best friend, Allan Paule, and treats the boy like his own child, a true member of their family.
The boy grows up to be Sean de Guzman. A big conflict arises when Jake and Sean get sexually attracted to each other.
It turns out Jake had a gay affair before with Sean’s father and the boy saw them kissing.
The problem is Sean has also impregnated Tiffany who is considered to be his sister since they grew up together.
It turns out “tinuhog ni Sean ang mag-ama”, having gone to bed with both of them, and Dimples is so scandalized.
Now, how will they untie all the messy knots in this complicated drama?
Direk Joel is sad that the MTRCB gave the film an R-18 rating. Why? Does it have any objectionable sex scene?
“None, only a kissing scene between Jake and Sean, but no frontal nudity or anything like that,” he says.
“What they don’t like is the theme kasi incestuous daw. Ayaw nila ng kabaklaang movie na serious ang treatment, gusto nila ng kabaklaang movie na comedy, nagpapatawa.
"Inilalaban ko na gawing kahit R-16 man lang pero ayaw nila, so itinuturing ko na lang na malaking karangalan na sa lahat ng entries sa filmfest, kami lang ang R-18.”
As a director, Direk Joel has a long history of his films winning so many awards in the annual filmfest, like the “Mano Po” movies, “Aishite Imasu”, “Bulaklak ng Maynila”, “Death Row”, “Blue Moon”, “Muling Umawit ang Puso”, etc.
Does he think his new movie “My Father Myself” has a chance to win any award come Metro Filmfest Awards Night?
“Lahat ng artista ko rito, puro mahuhusay and I have a feeling na malakas ang laban nila.
"I handpicked Jake Cuenca for the role of the closeted human rights lawyer who had an affair with the peasant leader played by Allan Paule.
"I’ve worked with him before in ‘Lihis’ at alam ko ang capability niya. And he really delivers. Napakahusay niya rito.
"Gayundin naman si Dimples Romana as the understanding wife na pinakasalan si Jake kahit alam niya ang tunay na katuhan nito.
"Si Sean, I was the first director to handle him in ‘Anak ng Macho Dancer’ and ‘Lockdown’ at gumaling siya nang gumaling in every movie we do.
"He won two international best actor awards for a movie we did, ‘Fall Guy’, at dito, napakahusay niya as the adopted son na umibig sa kanyang foster father.”
How about newcomer Tiffany Grey?
“Naku, maraming gugulatin ang batang ito sa role niya as the girl who feels so disappointed nang malaman niyang may affair ang ama niya at ang lalaking nakabuntis sa kanya.
"She might be new pero hindi siya nagpahuli sa mga kasama niyang mas beterano sa kanya. She’s a revelation and definitely, may kinabukasang naghihintay sa kanya sa larangan ng pag-arte.”
Direk Joel is the busiest filmmaker in the era of the pandemic as he has several movies already in the can and awaiting release. The list includes “Walker”, “Madawag ang Landas Patungong Pag-asa”, “Ang Huling Birheng Bakla sa Balat-Lupa”, “Fall Guy”, “Sa Kanto ng Langit at Lupa” and “Oras de Peligro”.
But “My Father Myself” is very near to his heart as the story really happened to someone he knows.