Cesar's Conquest

It’s truly a masterpiece – a hallmark interpretation of the human anguish of Filipinos during the American and Japanese Occupations, Aren’t the romantic interludes charming and very Pinoy?

– UNESCO Philippines secretary-general

Preciosa Soliven after viewing Panaghoy sa Suba

It’s too early to say if Cesar Montano has made another "conquest" with his new company CM Films’ P25-million-plus maiden venture, Panaghoy sa Suba, an official entry to the 2004 Metro Film Festival which Cesar himself conceptualized, co-wrote, produced and directed, as well as stars in. But already, through word of mouth, Panaghoy sa Suba (roughly translated in English as "Cry of the River") is making people curious and wonder what’s so special about the project done in straight Cebuano (with English subtitles). Is it as big as, or even bigger than, Cesar’s previous starrers like Rizal, Muro-Ami and Bagong Buwan?

"It’s intended not only for local audiences but also for the international market," was all that Cesar would say.

Panaghoy sa Suba is more than just the story of a river (specifically the Loboc River in Bohol where Cesar’s parents and most of Cesar’s relatives – the Manghilots – hail from).

"It’s about an important chapter in our history," added Cesar, "fiction, all right, but based on historical facts."

It’s Cesar’s fifth directorial job (after War Freak, Alas Dose, Bullet and Mananabas) and his fourth time to join the Metro Manila Filmfest (after Ang Bukas ay Akin, directed by Laurice Guillen, in l989 which won for him his first Best Supporting Actor award; Rizal in l998 and Bagong Buwan in 2001, both directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya).

Panaghoy sa Suba is being endorsed by the UNESCO and that alone, said Cesar, "already makes me feel like a winner."

You intend to show this film abroad, right?

"Right. With English subtitles. The whole film is in Cebuano."

What about the Tagalog-speaking audience?

"Well, magbabasa sila ng English. I don’t underestimate the Filipino audience. Matalino sila. I believe that the Filipino audience today is far different from the Filipino audience in the ’70s or the ’80s. Those who were six-year-old in the ’90s are now into their late teens or early 20s and are already in college."

You are aware of the risks involved in making a movie like this, I presume.

"I am. But I believe that this movie will help educate this generation, and maybe the next, and make them appreciate more not only our history but our languages as well."

Did you say that we have 89 different languages?

"Not only 89 but, I heard, 120 languages. According to Cris (Vertido, who co-wrote the story with Cesar and wrote the screenplay), we have nine major languages."

And how many dialects do we have daw?

"Eighty-nine. That’s aside from the languages."

This movie must have been years in planning.

"I’ve long been planning to do this movie. These past years, I’ve been visiting Bohol and I always linger at the Loboc River. It’s one of Bohol’s tourist spots. It’s beautiful! I thought, ‘With the beauty of this river, it should have a story; it should serve as backdrop of a movie.’ Should I wait for a foreigner to do it? No, I told myself. I should do it. The whole world should see that we have other clean rivers, not only the Pasig River which is polluted, rivers which we should love and preserve. Often, negative news about the Philippines are highlighted abroad. So why don’t we play up the good side of the country, such as our scenic spots?"

You love Bohol so much.

"Oh, yes, I do. That’s why I built a house there. It’s a beautiful place to relax in. If ever, I think I’ll retire in Bohol."

What are your fond memories of Loboc River? Did you swim in it when you were a kid?

"Honestly, I was born and raised in Sta. Ana, Manila. Batang Maynila ako. But since I started going to Bohol in 1979, I kept on going back. I learned how to speak Boholano. I came to love the place so much that I go there every chance I get. Always, I visit the Loboc River. I’m amazed at how the residents have taken good care of the river. Talagang na-preserve nila."

Did you shoot the entire movie in Bohol?

"Yes, the whole movie. It’s a period movie; the setting is from 1942 to 1945, right after Gen. Douglas MacArthur left. It covers part of the Japanese Occupation and the American Occupation."

Pardon my ignorance but the story (fictional but based on historical facts) doesn’t involve Daguhoy, does it?

"No, it doesn’t. Francisco Daguhoy lived in the 18th century, in 1730. His life story is another good material for a movie."

I understand you hand-picked the cast.

"I did. But it was my wife (Sunshine Cruz) who chose Juliana as my leading lady. She’s Filipinang-Filipina and she’s perfect for the role. And she’s a good actress din naman."

Was the ability to speak Visayan a criterion for your choice of actors?

"Oh, yes, it was. ‘Live’ sound kami, so it’s important that my actors speak Visayan (Cebuano, etc.) so their tongues wouldn’t trip when they deliver their lines. Juliana is from Davao; Caridad Sanchez and Suzette Ranillo are from Cebu; Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro are from Bacolod. I even held auditions in Cebu and Bohol, for new, Cebuano-speaking actors. I found two, Ravin Bulado and Ramon Villanueva. Another supporting actor, Warfe Engracia, is a contemporary of Gloria Sevilla in Cebuano movies." (About the only non-Visayan in the cast is Daria Ramirez who, according to Cesar, gives an ‘amazingly impressive’ performance. – RFL)

Is reviving the long-dormant Visayan movie industry one of your objectives? (Flourishing in the ’50s and dominated by Gloria Sevilla and her late husband Mat Ranillo, the Visayan movie industry suffered a slump. Gloria tried to revive it in the late ’60s when she produced Badlis sa Kinabuhi which was nominated in several categories in the FAMAS Awards, winning for Gloria the Best Actress trophy. Then, another slump. In 1973, Annabelle Rama produced a Cebuano movie, entitled Medalyon nga Bulawan, starring Gina Pareno. Nobody else produced another Cebuano movie until now.)

"You’re right. Since in Metro Manila, there are fewer and fewer people who are producing movies, I might as well try to help revive the Visayan movie Industry and, hopefully, in the process encourage other people to follow suit. The Visayan Region (including Mindanao) is a big market, as you can see."

It’s a bit scary, isn’t it?

"Yes, I know. But then...no guts, no glory. In these times, if we stop trying and daring to do things because of fear, what will happen to us? We should dare. There’s a lot of good material for movies, like the Daguhoy Revolt which was the longest in Philippine history; it lasted for more than 80 years, with the Filipino revolutionaries fighting against the Spaniards."

You’ve always been a "gambler" in a way...

"...well, gambler in the sense that I take risks. But I know what I’m getting into. But I’m quite sure this movie has a message for this and the future generations."

What’s the message?

"Kasi the movie is very Filipino and very nationalistic. It will give a good example not only to the moviegoers but to future filmmakers as well. You know, that they shouldn’t be afraid to tackle very Filipino theme and not just copy foreign films. In Hollywood, people watching foreign films look for themes and stories inherent in the place(s) where the movies are coming from, hindi ‘yung kuwento nila na ginagaya natin."

You’re noted for starring in big-budgeted films (Rizal, Muro-Ami, Bagong Buwan, etc.). When you do a movie, does it have to be, you know, "on that level," as big in scope as, if not bigger than, the movies mentioned?

"Panaghoy sa Suba is the first venture of CM Films and I want it to be good...to alert the people to the fact that we are not a one-shot-deal company, that we intend to go on making movies. But we won’t limit our company to producing only ‘big’ movies. We will also do ‘commercial’ but ‘quality’ movies. By February next year, we’ll start shooting our second project."

So you are also making "small" but entertaining movies?

"In some of the movies that we plan to produce, I may star in them or just be the director. I might play just a cameo role or a kontrabida role. I don’t always have to be the bida. Iba-iba ang participation ko."

Speaking of Hollywood... Whatever happened to The Great Raid, supposedly your big Hollywood break?

"What I know is that they’re showing it either in February next year or in May. It’s not true that the movie is going straight to video. Napahiya nga ako, e. You see, I e-mailed Marty Katz (Great Raid producer who also produced Titanic and Four Feathers) if it was true that the movie was being released only in video and he told me, ‘Where did you get that nonsense story?’ I hope I’ll be there when the movie opens (in February) because first week of January, I’m scheduled to go to the States to shoot my scenes for Wrinkles, the Hollywood movie made by Filipinos and starring mostly Filipinos."

So what role are you playing in Wrinkles (in which are starring other Filipino actors like Armida Siguion-Reyna, Liza Lorena and Mila Ocampo as the grandmothers who join a beauty contest; Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez, separately, in cameo roles; and Angel Aquino; with Eric Quizon as assistant director)?

"I’m not sure yet because they’re making some changes in the script. The last I heard, Lou Diamond Philips is not in the cast anymore because he’s busy with other projects, and he might be replaced by Robert Downey, Jr. Ninety percent of the cast is Filipino."

Previous Metro Filmfests have been controversial, like in 2001 when your starrer, Bagong Buwan, lost the Best Picture award to Mano Po 1: My Home. Will history, uh, repeat itself?

"You mean, will the awards be controversial?

Something like that.

"No comment."

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