Eli Razo’s ‘Crossroads’ to Cannes

CEBU, Philippines - As a kid, Eli Razo pounced on every opportunity to be on stage. Early on, he discovered a love for telling stories and entertaining an audience.

When not nurturing his knack for acting, the Cebuano would be hunched over his sketch book, drawing dragons, dinosaurs and castles to his heart’s content. “I think this was the beginning of my director’s side, as I knew what I wanted visually,” says Eli.

Now a registered architect who obtained his degree from the University of San Carlos, Eli’s thirst for performing and fleshing out his vision hasn’t waned one bit.

After starring in several indie films and stage plays – at times writing, producing and directing some of these himself – Eli recently got the biggest surprise of his life when the latest short film he directed titled “Crossroads” was selected at this year’s Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most prestigious film festival. The Short Film Corner or Cannes Court Metrage is primarily a venue for young, aspiring filmmakers to exhibit their work and connect with others in the international film industry.

A five-minute short starring two Cebuana beauties, Binibining Pilipinas 2016 candidate Maria Gigante and model-singer Nicole Blackman, “Crossroads” tackles the brief moments between a bride and her maid-of-honor minutes before the wedding. Shot at Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, the short is without dialogue and relies purely on the wordless interaction between the two female leads.

Maria and Nicole are good friends in real life, so coaxing out screen chemistry between them proved easy for Eli, he reveals.

“It was actually a colleague of mine, Cebuano award-winning director Remton Zuasola, who suggested the idea about two people having an intimate conversation just minutes before going into a commitment,” shares Eli, the first Filipino to nab a full scholarship from the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) in Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City.

“Originally, it was supposed to be the groom and the best man. Somewhere along the way, it shifted to being a bride and maid-of-honor. I preferred to explore that instead because I thought the dynamics of two women would be far more interesting, too me anyway, to show. Also because I am a man, it was nice to hear different women’s opinion on that story.”

The 67th Cannes Film Festival will run from May 11 to 22. If “by some miracle,” Eli finds a sponsor who will shoulder his trip to France in time for the festival, he’ll gladly pack his bags for an experience of a lifetime.

“As an Architecture graduate, I would surely enjoy being in Europe. As a filmmaker, Cannes would make a great first international festival to attend,” says Eli.

Another Filipino film, meanwhile, made it to Cannes’ 2016 Official Short. Titled “Anino,” it was directed by Raymund Gutierrez, who was under the tutelage of Cannes darling, director Brillante Mendoza. For his part,

Mendoza returns this year as a contender in the festival’s main competition section or the Palme d’Or for his latest work, “Ma Rosa” starring Jaclyn Jose, Andi Eigenmann, Felix Roco and Julio Diaz.

Storyteller at heart

In the meantime, Eli hopes to continue making films that echo the Cebuano soul. “I hope to enlighten people by entertaining them through film and theater,” he says.

Among his goals is to eventually work alongside the “greatest professionals in the industry and to efficiently tell truly great stories to a worldwide audience.”

It’s slowly but surely for this artist who has begun to carve his name in the local scene with Best Actor honors at the 2012 Sinulog Film Festival for the entry “Feeling the Faith” and another Best Actor accolade in the 2013 Mindanao Film Festival for the film “Ang Walay Kahumang Adlaw.”

Eli also produced, wrote and directed his second short film, “Leyenda,” for the 2016 Sinulog Short Film Festival where he recieved a Best Director nomination and a Best Picture nomination. The film likewise received the Jury Special Award for Artistic Direction, Best Production Design and Best Packaging and a nomination for Best Musical Score/ Sound Design.

During his training at IAFT, Eli served as the assistant to the senior acting mentor, US Ensemble Studio Theatre member Alex Murphy. Prior to his actor training, he nabbed leading roles in musical theater such as

Tony in “West Side Story” and Lun Tha in “The King and I.”

Eli also co-founded OurHouse, an entertainment production company building smart, original, collaborative, passionate, disciplined and professional theatrical works. He is a full-time member of the Motion Pictures Society of Cebu (MPSC), a collective of Cebu’s film and visual arts professionals whose shared aim is to advance the film industry in the region.

“I hope I do inspire,” says Eli. “To other aspiring filmmakers, try to keep a balance of everything. Be structured yet spontaneous. Be studious yet learn to relax.” (FREEMAN)