Ian Loreños’ ‘Alagwa’ helmed from the heart

Ian Loreños and Jericho Rosales (Photo by Jude Bautista)

“Alagwa’s” formula for success in various film festivals abroad and in the independent film scene in the Philippines is simple – it’s a labor of love for filmmaker Ian Loreños.

Loreños, the recipient of the Best Indie Director and Best Screenwriter Award from the 2013 PMPC Star Awards for Movies, described himself as an instinctive filmmaker. Two reasons for such style: he didn’t study film and his taste honed by all the “alternative films” he has watched.

“I’m not a very technical person hindi naman ako nag-aral ng filmmaking. So everything that I do on the set, on the film, what makes the story, ano po yung mensahe, what makes it beautiful, parang everything comes from the heart po,” he said.

This instinct came to fore in “Alagwa” starring Jericho Rosales. The opus centers on the loving relationship of a father and a son and how human trafficking destroyed it.

Ian lauds film editor Dempster Samarista whose work on “Alagwa” shines.

“Before kami nag-edit kinausap niya ako what’s the main story of the film, ano ang gusto mong iparating, ano ang konspeto? So nagdwell kami sa idea na it’s all about the memory of the father, his love for his son, and then his search for his son, kaya ang nangyari sa kwento po kung mapapansin ninyo talon talon yung sequences niya, hindi po siya linear. That’s what makes it interesting in this movie because for me I realized kung nag-dwell lang ako sa father and son magkakaroon ng grey area yung pelikula. So naging non-linear po and proud naman ako,” Ian said.

The awards that “Alagwa” has received includes the Outstanding Achievement in Acting for its lead actor Jericho Rosales; Best Indie Film Of The Year 2013 from the Third World International Film Festival in Milpitas, California; Best Narrative Feature Film and Outstanding Achievement In Acting (Best Actor) for Jericho Rosales from the 2013 Guam International Film Festival.

Locally, “Alagwa” won for Jericho the Best Actor trophies at both the 2013 Gawad Urian and the 2013 Gawad Tanglaw. The film also won Best Indie Film at the 2013 PMPC Star Awards For Movies.

Also in “Alagwa” are Leo Martinez, Smokey Manaloto, John Manalo, Jeremiah Rosales, Inaki Ting, Garry Lim, Nanette Inventor, Jamieson Lee, EJ Caro and in a very special cameo role, the Malaysian star, Carmen Soo.

Is Ian pressured over his next film project?

“Meron pong pressure kasi po may mga directors na nakakagawa ng two to three films a year. Ako po if I count it parang once a year. So may kaba rin po if I will do better or baka ma-disappoint ko sila,” said he, who is currently doing “Saturday Night Chill,” a late entry to the upcoming Cinema One Originals.

“Alagwa” opens in all SM Cinemas nationwide on Oct. 9.

Ian Loreños’ ‘Alagwa’ helmed from the heart

Source: Mb.com.ph (October 08, 2013 at 01:49PM)

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