Dennis Trillo in ‘Sapi’
History and early records have served as fodder, and its recurrence as a Hollywood movie theme has sustained the idea of demonic possessions as a piece of pop culture, as well as an archetypical storyline of the spook genre – from “The Exorcist” and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” to the “Paranormal Activity” series, and more recently, “The Conjuring.”
Internationally acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza has recently followed suit with his latest film, “Sapi,” his first venture into the horror genre, as he tries to exorcise a rather different kind of evil – the demons of the media industry.
“Sapi,” starring Dennis Trillo, Meryll Soriano and Baron Geisler, tells the story of a news team’s exploitation of an actual demonic possession, in a desperate attempt to up their ratings.
Of the storyline, Mendoza notes, “Media dwells more on controversies rather than in finding the truth.” So perhaps there are scarier things in life than exorcisms, but the noted director knows how to use the scary subject at the center of his film to hash out the social subtext he wants to tell.
This multi-awarded director’s new opus has, in fact, been screened abroad recently at the recently concluded 46th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia held from Oct. 11 to 20 in Spain.
“We are here for the competition; I just had my screening this afternoon. It was well attended and I was really very happy,” Mendoza told ABS-CBN News in a press conference following the screening.
“Sapi” was selected to compete in the Official Fantastic section of the festival.
Warm welcome
Meanwhile, Mendoza described Catalunya as “Masaya, maganda… I was really happily surprised with the warmth of the people, with the energy, and with the passion of the moviegoers. Sobrang masayahing audience sila. Talagang pinapakita nila talaga ’yung pagka-gusto sa cinema. Sana sa Pilipinas suportahan niyo ang pelikula kong ‘Sapi.’”
He wishes to “replicate” this kind of reception “sa Pilipinas ’pag pinalabas sa Nov. 6.”
Mendoza isn’t actually a newcomer in Catalunya, having won the festival’s Best Director and Best Original Soundtrack awards in 2009 for his gruesome film, “Kinatay.”
Several other Pinoy works have also been included in the Spanish film festival, namely, Lawrence Fajardo’s aswang-themed “The Stranger,” and Rico Maria Ilarde’s “Shake, Rattle & Roll” remake “Pridyider” (The Fridge) in the Brigadoon section; and Erik Matti’s action-thriller “On The Job” in the Focus Asia section.
‘Sapi’ grips and scares
Source: Mb.com.ph (October 25, 2013 at 07:29PM)
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