Angeli Bayani wants more support for film industry

Angeli Bayani (Photo by Marjorie Duran)

Fast-rising actress Angeli Bayani, who was nominated as Best Actress at the recently concluded 2013 Asia Pacific Filmfest (the honor went to Zang Ziyi) laments the local cinema’s “severe” lack of support from the powers that be.

Bayani insists that the country could claim a larger piece of the international market if only the industry movers and shakers would stop caring too much about “what happens on the home front,” like “how much they will earn (for a given project) or how famous it will make them.”

She insists, “They seemingly don’t realize that we have serious talent here and it is so sad when a country fails to acknowledge and support its own art & culture; and I’m not just talking about film.”

Adding to this, she opines, “A lot of people care about ratings and box office sales, which of course doesn’t hurt, but it should not be the ultimate goal. It is possible to have a good story and good sales. Why not do both?”

For Bayani, quality film means “one with a good story.”

She notes, “People should remember that without a good story, a film won’t have a leg to stand on. You can put an all-star cast in there and hire a hotshot director but without a good story, it will simply be a waste of time and effort.”

The success of “Ilo Ilo” has shone a bit of international spotlight on Bayani but she would definitely welcome local projects.

“Work is work no matter where you get it,” she says, adding that the important thing “is to have a venue to practice your craft.”

She admits, however, that she is more inclined to accept international film offers.

“I do love working with an international crew because there is so much to be learned from working with different cultures. It’s very good to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. You see things differently. You see yourself differently,” she explains.

Asked to differentiate between local and international productions, Bayani shared:

“First thing, definitely, is their working hours. They stick to a 12-hour working schedule, which is great because, for the cast to the crew, you have time to rest and prepare for the next day. Time is also allotted for research, for immersion, for rehearsals.

“And everything moves like a well-oiled machine. Another thing is, everyone is equal. No one is given special treatment, the atmosphere is collaborative and open. Everyone and anyone can contribute. And no one is in a hurry to run off to some other taping or shoot.”

Bayani likewise refuses the “celebrity” tag, going on to insist that she never aimed for fame. She simply wants to be a working actress.

“If you think that I am in a position where I can claim such a thing (celebrity status), I can only credit it to my body of work and the work ethic that has been passed on to me by my mentors including Irma Adlawan, Ana Valdes-Lim, Dennis Marasigan, Jay Cruz, Filomar Tariao,

Agnes Barredo and last but definitely not least, Herbie Go… I would never have gotten to where I am now were it not for them.”

Is money now an option when accepting roles?

“I hate talking about money,” she retorts. “It’s the last thing that concerns me when offered a project. It’s just a bonus to be paid for doing what I love best. What I do ask about is the story, the role, sometimes I ask about the people I’ll be working with, but that doesn’t really matter to me especially if the story is good.”

Angeli Bayani wants more support for film industry

Source: Mb.com.ph (December 28, 2013 at 12:31PM)

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