Jodi Sta. Maria shares eye-opening ‘immersion’ at Japan nightclub for ‘Midnight Girls’

Jodi Sta. Maria underwent a three-day “immersion” at a real-life omise or hostess bar in Nagoya, Japan, to get a bird’s-eye view of the lives of Filipina entertainers there for her new film “Midnight Girls.”

“We spent three nights at an omise, where we worked. Nobody knew among the Japanese clients who went there who we were or why we were there. The only thing they knew was we were newcomers, mga bago kaming salta, mga bagong ‘babae,’” she shared after the special press screening with co-lead stars Sanya Lopez and Jane Oineza (sans Loisa Andalio, who had just given birth), director Irene Villamor, and other cast members.

“We had to show up and line up. At pipili ang Hapon kung sino sa amin ang gusto niya maka-table. There was a part there where you really had to ‘entertain’ them, kaya lang ang thick talaga ng language barrier. Hindi naman kami pinabayaan ng mga ‘Mama’ namin dun; they assisted us.

Jodi, Sanya and Jane gamely doing a Sexbomb number at the special screening.

Photos courtesy of Lunchbox

“Apart from that, whatever they wanted us to do — like, if they ask you to sing, you sing; if they ask you to dance, you dance — there was one night, as part of our immersion, we had a mini-show, and there was a center stage wherein the four of us had to perform, and it was when we experienced na mga chopsticks sinisingit nila kasi yun ang tip. Due to that immersion, nagpapasalamat din ako dun, dahil one month akong hindi gumastos (for basic needs during the shoot). So, kumita din ako sa Japan,” she added.

Jodi plays the role of Vicky in the film, which takes a look at the lives of Filipinas working in Japan.

The immersion and the entire experience of shooting there made the actress reflect on the bigger reality faced by many overseas Filipino workers.

“The reality of ‘babae’ (how Filipina entertainers are called) working in Japan — maybe if we look at it through a wider lens, it really reflects the economic situation and the need to earn. There’s global demand and personal sacrifice. These factors come into play — they’re the reasons why they leave the Philippines to try their luck abroad,” she said in a separate exclusive interview with The Philippine STAR.

With co-lead stars Jane Oineza and Sanya Lopez during a talk-back session after the special media screening for the film.

She added that her character particularly shows the personal cost of working abroad, especially for mothers.

“It’s not easy because what you give up are your child’s milestones, when you don’t come home for years. There are so many moments that pass that you’re not able to share with your child, moments when you should have been there.”

Aside from its OFW theme, ‘Midnight Girls’ also focuses on sisterhood and the message of women supporting each other.

“I felt it (that they looked up to me as their ate) because I’m also the oldest in the group. And maybe not just in real life, but also in the story, so it’s like reality and the story intertwined,” Jodi said.

“But going back to your question, what you said is right, because now there really are many different themes in the films or series we watch. Of course, there are love stories and romance. And there’s no problem with that, because anything that can entertain us or push us to reflect on our position in life or the realities we have is good. But it’s also good to tackle sisterhood — instead of women being pitted against each other and made to compete — to remind us that we are here to fix each other’s crowns, that we all have space in this world.”

With director Irene Villamor.

Meanwhile, Jodi revealed one of the, if not the most challenging scene for her to shoot and it’s in the trailer — dancing to Sexbomb Dancers’ hit song “Bakit Papa.”

“For me, that was one of the scenes where I felt the most nervous, which I didn’t expect. Normally, I do get nervous every time I step onto the set — it always feels like the first time — but I couldn’t understand what I was feeling when we had to shoot that opening sequence.

“I could really hear my heartbeat pounding. I was extremely nervous, especially in that scene where we had to dance, maybe because it’s not something you do all the time, and I felt like a fish out of water. It was such a different environment, so that was it.

“But then, what helped was the preparation given to us by Miss Joy Cancio (former manager and main choreographer of Sexbomb). Siya mismo yung nag-choreograph sa amin. She was the one who taught us the dance steps.”

“Midnight Girls,” directed by Irene Emma Villamor and produced by TJAV Productions, is opening in Philippine cinemas on May 13.