Erik Matti veers away from politics

MANILA, Philippines — Erik Matti’s action-thriller Buy Bust continues to see the world with the film recently screening at the International Film Festival and Awards Macao (IFFAM). It’s the only Philippine film to do so, under the Flying Daggers section that spotlights the “best in the current international genre filmmaking.” Next stop for Buy Bust: Tokyo, Japan.

The STAR had a one-on-one with the 47-year-old Matti who was one of the featured directors in the third edition of the filmfest that drew the most requests for interviews from the foreign press. Buy Bust producer Dondon Monteverde and star Brandon Vera joined him at the gala screening last Dec. 9 at Macau Tower, with lead star Anne Curtis gracing the Variety Stars: Up Next presscon and closing event last Dec. 14.

Matti, too, was one of three Asian filmmakers (along with Hong Kong’s Mabel Cheung and Indonesia’s Edwin) who were chosen to curate IFFAM’s Director’s Choice strand described as a “non-competitive selection of six classic genre films selected by six well-known directors.” 

Meanwhile, several months after the theatrical release of the film foregrounding the government’s war on drugs, including a North American run, and now that it’s available for streaming on Netflix, the comments as well as questions keep coming for Matti, one of which he candidly admitted he’s had enough of.

Matti also talks about staying away from creative burnout despite making movies year in year out for his film production outfit Reality Entertainment with Dondon Monteverde. As for his next big-screen projects, he’s returning to the horror genre with two of the country’s biggest stars, Sharon Cuneta and Judy Ann Santos (as confirmed by Monteverde).

Buy Bust lead star Anne Curtis (second from right) with Indonesia’s Iqbaal Ramadhan, India’s Zaira Wasim, New Zealand’s Xana Tang and China’s Zheng Kai at the Variety Stars: Up Next presscon — Photos courtesy of IFFAM

Here are excerpts from the exclusive interview:

On his IFFAM participation and why only very few Southeast Asian films were screened:    

“This is the second time. We were here on the first year (in 2016) for another film of ours Seklusyon. I don’t know the reason behind why there’s only few films here from ASEAN but IFFAM is mainly a good mix of genre and relevance on films. So it’s entertainment and relevance. There’s not a lot of genre that’s being made, not in Asia, but in the Philippines. Mostly, it’s either very art house or very, very mainstream, so nothing in between, so maybe that’s the reason, I don’t know.”

On Buy Bust’s international screenings prior to IFFAM:

“We came out in Germany. We showed in Australia. We’re showing in Japan this January. We have a screening for five days in Tokyo, we were picked up there. We showed in Spain, in Sitges. We showed in London also.”

On what audiences are saying about his film:

“Most of the comments I get now are from Netflix, from people who saw it on Netflix. I’ve gotten messages from somebody in the US, somebody from London saying congratulations, enjoyed the film a lot. Of course, we made it in such a way that it’s just pure entertainment. It’s adrenaline. The challenge really of the film is how can you sustain non-stop action where getting tired is a good thing (laughs), that you’re watching it (and feeling) I’m tired but I don’t want to stand up and leave. Because of a lot of times, there’s always these big lulls in the middle, right? Adrenaline movies, they take a break in the middle, but this one, we tried what if there is no break. And you just watch it and feel for everyone.”

On the questions usually asked about the film:

“Alam mo yung sawang-sawa na ako? Yung all the politics of the film (laughs). Tutal Pinoy na rin lang tayong nag-uusap (laughs). I’m just being honest. Sawang-sawa na ako because I mean the whole film comes first as a thrill ride. The relevance, it’s just to date it. We made it in this year and this is what’s happening. But really, it’s a fun movie, it should just be a fun movie. You take it out. If you take out the whole idea that it was made in the Philippines, it can stand as a film in Korea or in the US. The story, right, (about) the corrupt officials, you know, all the killings, it can happen anywhere. (It’s been asked by international press) a lot! A lot of people asked it. Especially we premiered in New York (New York Asian Film Festival as finale) and New York Times has been following the drug war.”

Buy Bust star Brandon Vera with his wife at the IFFAM 2018 opening

On making successive films: 

“Four years ago, I used to be in advertising. I rarely made movies. But I quit advertising. I got tired because as I got older in advertising, the advertising people got younger, and it was getting tougher and tougher to negotiate what you wanted. So, me and my (business) partner Dondon, of course, advertising is good business, but when I said I want to concentrate on films, he also wants to concentrate on films. Advertising takes so much of your time because it’s fast. The projects are done fast, right? So, when we both decided yeah let’s concentrate on movies, I never did any advertising stuff anymore. So, in order for us to survive, I need to make movies all the time. That’s going to be my advertising.”

On not getting creative burnout:

“If I’m not on a movie set, I don’t think of the movie set. That’s our rule, me and Dondon. When I’m home, it’s either I’m playing Toy Blast (laughs) and you just see me shooting the film but actually the films that we’re doing take six to eight months to develop. Like Buy Bust took almost two years to get it off the ground, then we shot it for a year and a half. On The Job (series), the one I’m finishing now, has been with (streaming service) HOOQ for a year and a half before that. We only started  shooting this March and we’re not yet done. It’s not like I’m shooting every day. I don’t do TV tapings. I think that’s gonna burn you out. I’m here in Macao relaxing. I eat. I don’t think of what we’re gonna shoot.”

On returning to the horror film genre:

“We came up with a story that needed somebody like Sharon Cuneta. Of course, we never expected Sharon to say yes. She’s never done horror, at all! And it’s such a really good character that we need somebody iconic, somebody who’s a big star that you’re going to turn into this character. And we decided to just go ahead and do it. I love the horror genre. I’m always doing a horror film every now and then because it’s tough to design a horror movie and it’s such a challenge that you always enjoy if you pull it off.”