Director Mes de Guzman with 'Ang Kwento ni Mabuti' star Mes de Guzman. (Teddy Pelaez/InterAksyon)
On the same night that “Ang Kwento ni Mabuti” won awards for Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture, director Mes De Guzman happily announced the extension of the film’s theatrical to another full week.
“Yes, we are extended for one week at Gateway and Ali Mall cinemas,” Direk Mes told InterAksyon on Sunday during the CineFilipino awards night. The additional screening schedules have also been posted on the film’s Facebook page.
Direk Mes said “Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti” was one of the scripts he had kept in the backburner for quite sometime. When the script he submitted to CineFilipino got accepted as one of the eight feature film finalists, Mes said he was very fortunate to have Nora Aunor as his lead star.
“Ilang araw bago kami mag-shooting, hindi pa rin kami sigurado kung darating si Ate Guy,” he recalled in his acceptance speech as the superstar who accompanied him onstage smiled. “Pero dumating siya at natapos naman namin ang pelikula.”
In his post-awards interview, Mes admitted that he had to make a few changes to his original script after La Aunor came on board.
“Sa unang script ko talaga, ang bida ay nanay talaga at may mga anak na. Nung nalaman kong si Ate Guy ang bida namin, naisip ko baka hindi na bumagay yung role kasi 60 na naman siya at lola na rin naman talaga. Naisip ko maganda siguro kung yung character ni Mabuti ay maraming apo at may dalawang anak na laging wala,” he admitted.
The changes ultimately turned out for the best as it added more depth to Aunor’s characterization of Mabuti and the circumstances she had to face after finding a bag of money worth P5 million. With the award-winning actress in the lead role, the pacing of the film was also also faster compared to De Guzman’s previous works.
“Naging mas mabilis ang pacing ng ‘Mabuti’ kasi mas maraming nangyari. Naging series of events, ipinakita ko muna pamilya niya, tapos yung mga apo niya and then yung dalawang anak niya na sina Arnold Reyes at Mara Lopez and then yung buhay niya sa probinsiya,” he narrated.
“Nung sumakay siya sa bus para ayusin ang problema niya sa lupa, doon niya nakuha yung pera na hindi niya alam kung saan galing. Nung una pinipilit pa niyang isoli, naisip niya yung kapitan, yung pulitiko at yung military. Pero parang huli, parang ayaw ng kapalaran na isoli niya yung pera. Parang sinasabi na sa iyo yan, gamitin mo sa mabuti, sa mga apo mo.”
Direk Mes accepts the award for Best Film with wife Rhea De Guzman as Unitel president and COO Madonna Tarrayo and TV5 president and CEO Noel C. Lorenzana look on. (Teddy Pelaez/InterAksyon)
Describing “Ang Kwento ni Mabuti” as a “modern fable”, Direk Mes said he’s very happy with how the film has been accepted by the public as it became the official top grosser of the first ever CineFilipino film festival. Up to the festival’s last day of screening Tuesday, just about every screening of the film was sold out.
An independent filmmaker since 2002, Direk Mes has won 12 awards, three of which are for Best Director for the films “Ang Daan Patungong Kalimugtong” and “Diablo”, the New Breed Best Film winner at Cinemalaya 2012.
“Hindi naman ako gumagawa ng pelikula para lang manalo ng awards. Sa akin, ginagawa ko ito kasi ito ang gusto kong gawin. Kung kaya mong ma-sustain ito, eh di ituloy mo lang ng ituloy at yun naman ang ginagawa ko,” he said.
Although his films are known for their deliberate pacing, strong artistic values and their consistent setting at his home province in Nueva Vizcaya, De Guzman said he actually wants to do more commercial projects in the future.
“Halos karamihan ng scripts ko, sa Vizcaya pa rin ang setting. Pero gusto ko ring gumawa ng commercial film, isang action or horror genre movie para makita naman ng tao na hindi lang pa-art ang kayang gawin ni Mes. Kaya din naman pala niyang gumawa ng ibang klaseng pelikula,” he insisted.
He may be on his way towards that goal with his next project “Sitio”, an entry to the upcoming Cinema One Originals film festival scheduled this November.
“Medyo suspense ito at medyo commercial pero hati pa. Medyo may natitira pa ring pa-art at Mes De Guzman style na pamilyar ang mga tao. Okay lang naman yun kasi kahit naman sa ibang bansa, yung mga filmmakers na gumagawa ng commercial films, may sarili pa rin silang style katulad nung ‘Hero’ ni Zhang Yimou. Commercial yung approach pero may puso pa rin yung pelikula,” Direk Mes pointed out.
With extended run of ‘Ang Kwento ni Mabuti’, director Mes de Guzman savors latest triumph
Source: InterAksyon.com (September 26, 2013 at 12:43AM)
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