SHOWING this Friday, November 10, is “Japino”, made for Vivamax by acclaimed filmmaker Brillante Mendoza as producer of his Centerstage Productions.
This was filmed on location in Fukuoka and in the winter capital of Sapporo, Japan last January in the middle of the icy winter season.
“Sobrang lamig, nagne-negative zero ang weather,” says Denise Esteban who is one of the four main stars of “Japino”, the others being Vince Rillon, Angela Morena and Ali Asistio.
“I got so excited when they told me I’d be a part of this movie,kasi first time ko po lumabas ng bansa at mag-abroad. Tapos sa Japan pa at makakita ako ng snow for the first time din.”
But she almost didn’t make it because she was detained by the immigration official at our airport.
“Nakatuwaan yata ako kasi noong tinanong kung ano ang gagawin ko sa Japan, akala yata magti-TNT ako roon. Pinatawag ako sa loob ng isang cubicle and I was interviewed for half an hour.
"Kabadong-kabado ako kasi baka maiwan ako ng mga kasama ko at lumipad na ang eruplano namin papuntang Japan nang wala ako. Tiyak na papalitan na ako sa cast.”
She says she was able to answer all the questions the official asked to her.
“Kung anu-ano ang hiningi, hindi lang birth certificate ko kundi pati marriage contract ng parents ko, pati ID ng father ko.
"When they asked me kung anong work ko, sabi ko, artista ako sa Viva. Ano raw movies na ang nagawa ko?
"So I opened the Viva app and showed them my movies. Finally, they let go of me at umabot pa ako sa flight namin ng co-stars ko.”
So what is her role in “Japino”?
“I play Aki, a dancer in a bar in Japan. The movie is about the story of OFW’s who are trying to find a better life there.
"Boyfriend ko rito si Vince Rillon as Taka. Pero meron din akong boyfriend na Japanese guy.
"Vince got me pregnant and I told the Japanese guy na buntis ako but hindi siya ang ama. I decided to abort the baby, pero siempre ayaw ni Vince kaya we had a big fight.”
The movie is directed by Fred Macapagal Cortez, one of the wards of Brillante Mendoza who he trained to direct. So how is it working with them?
“My first movie, ‘Kaliwaan’, was also for Direk Brillante’s Centerstage Productions so kilala ko na sila.
"They’re really very helpful. Before we left for Japan, we all had a workshop muna for us to get to know our characters better and also to learn how to speak a bit of Nihonggo.
"They really guided us kasi it’s no joke to shoot a movie in another country.”
How did the entire shoot go?
“Sobrang lamig but iniligtas kami ng heater nila. I had a great time bonding with Angela Morena kasi kami ang magkasama sa room.
"Kapag shooting break, we go out, kumakain kami sa labas, namamasyal at namimili ng pasalubong para sa families namin dito. We had fun.”
Is there a possibility she might fall for a Japanese guy in real life?
“Puede naman kasi sa experience ko, mababait sila. Yung mga na-meet namin sa shoot, puro magagalang, yuko ng yuko to show respect. At napaka-honest nila roon.
"Mag-iwan ka ng gamit mo, hindi mawawala, pagbalik mo nandoon pa rin. At napakalinis nila, walang mga kalat-kalat sa daan.”
She says she is proud to be part of a film like “Japino” that offers some good insights about the life of Filipino overseas workers abroad.
“Dito sa atin, kapag nagtatrabaho ka sa abroad, akala nila, marami kang pera. But I realized hindi madali ang buhay ng mga kababayan nating nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa.
"Anumang kinikita nila roon, pinaghihirapan nila nang husto. At totoo rin yung feeling na sobrang maho-homesick kasi lahat ng mahal mo sa buhay, malayo sa iyo.
"Lahat yon, ipinapakita rito sa ‘Japino’ so don’t miss it when it start streaming on Vivamax this Friday, November 10.”
