Makers of Pepe Smith’s last film recall time with their ‘surrogate grandpa’

CEBU, Philippines —  Let’s confuse kids nowadays. That’s how the meme goes.

Many of today’s breed might not fully know who Joey “Pepe” Smith is, might not fully grasp how his passing affects the Filipino music scene. To be fair, the man – with that trademark gangly frame, guttural voice and piercing eyes – was a mystery or at least an interesting fellow, even to those who knew him.

There are some lucky to get close to a real rock star like him. Take Cebuana film producer Bianca Balbuena-Liew and her husband, Malaysian cinematographer-director Bradley Liew.

In 2016, the Liews worked with Smith for “Singing In Graveyards,” which saw the musician in a dual role in his second feature film. It tells the story of Pepe, a 68-year-old impersonator of Filipino rock legend Joey Smith, living alone on the borders of reality, imagination and mysticism. One day, he’s finally given the chance to open for the rock legend’s concert. But he must do something neither of them has done before: write a love song.

Produced by Epicmedia Productions (“Patay Na Si Hesus,” “That Thing Called Tadhana,” “Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis,” “Miss Bulalacao”), “Singing In Graveyards” took three and a half years to develop. It made its world premiere at the 2016 Venice International Film Festival and was part of the first Southeast Asian Film Lab of the Singapore International Film Festival in 2014 where it won the Most Promising Project Award. It was also awarded the Visions Sud Est Production Support Fund from Switzerland in 2015.

When the country awoke to news of Pepe’s passing on Jan. 28, it was a day of loss for many. He was, after all, the Philippines’ closest thing to a rock icon, the man who left the musical high life abroad to shine his light at home until he rested at 71 years old. Smith, who succumbed to cardiac arrest after complaining of chest pain, was laid to rest Sunday, Feb. 3, at the Loyola Heritage Park in Sucat, Parañaque City.

In an interview with The Freeman, the couple shared their first impressions, film set anecdotes and the many lasting thoughts Smith left them, apart from “Rock and roll to the world!”

Why did you choose Pepe Smith for “Singing In Graveyards”? Was the film made around his entire persona?

Bianca: Pepe was my actor in Pepe Diokno’s “Above The Clouds” where Bradley was the behind-the-scenes videographer. It was Bradley’s first time in Manila and while everyone was speaking Tagalog, Pepe spoke to him in English. They formed a bond and he was so amazed that Pyaps [Pepe] has never written a love song having lived a very colorful life. That was the seed of the film. They became very close, always texting each other. He treated Pyaps like his grandfather.

Brad: In 2012, I came to the Philippines for the first time. I met Pepe on the set of “Above The Clouds” and I didn’t know how iconic he was, just that he was a famous musician. We became friends and I noticed that although he was the life of the party and always cracking jokes, he often sat alone, deep in his own thoughts. One day I asked him what his most famous love song was. He told me that he’d never ever written a love song and as long as his music made people happy, there’s no point in writing about love. I thought to myself, ‘Could it be that Pepe had never fallen in love?’ That was the moment of inspiration that set it all off.

Why decide to portray a story that is somehow close to his life? Is it easier to make a film when it is a lot closer to reality?

Brad: At first we wanted to write a story and just cast him as an actor. But as we did more research about him, moments of his life became so inspiring that everything started to revolve around him and fact mixed with fiction. Pretty soon we started writing around him. What would Pepe do? What would he say? How would he react? He became the core of the film. Although many moments of the film were filled with fictional misfortunes, many of these events came true in the last years of his life after the film which really breaks my heart.

How was it working with him?

Bianca: He’s into the material and he’s very talkative. He likes to make jokes and play with his guitar. He is full of life. He gets tired easily because he just suffered a mild stroke before “Singing In Graveyards.” We miss him.

Brad: He was a joy. Extremely professional and had a very strong understanding of what we were trying to do. Once he became comfortable with the camera we were able to get a glimpse into Pepe as a human being, beyond his public persona.

What were your first impressions of him?

Bianca: We thought he’d be a pain in the ass and he won’t show up on sets and that we’d have to put a big contingency budget. But we went with our gut feel that he likes the material and so he’ll dedicate his time. And he did. It was a breeze working with him.

Brad: As the days and the years moved with the writing of the film, we got to know each other better and better. In the end, he became in a way, a surrogate grandpa to me as my own grandpa passed away during the writing of the film. I guess this relationship with him allowed me say the things I wished to have said and treated my own grandfather in his final days.

Your favorite anecdotes of your time working with him?

Bianca: The song in the ending of “Singing In Graveyards” was composed by him while we were shooting. [I’m singing in graveyards, all night long, I’m singing to my friends, they have all been dead and gone. I’m far away from home. Singing in graveyards, been left alone, I’m all alone.]

Brad: It was definitely off set with food! Pepe was an obsessed foodie. Especially with champorado. He would stack these tins of milk powder and packs of instant champorado in his room! Breakfast, lunch, tea time, dinner, midnight snack. It was always around!

Having worked with many talents, is there anyone quite like Pepe Smith?

Bianca: Definitely no one. His talent can never be tamed by physical limitations.

Brad: Pepe is Pepe. He’s a once-in-a-generation kind of artist.

What were the reactions of foreign audiences towards Pepe?

Bianca: They were amazed that he was a real thing. Fans and programmers were asking for his photos at the Venice Film Festival, Malaysia International Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival and Singapore International Film Festival. He was a real star. When they found out about his passing, they grieved online.

Brad: Pepe actually has quite a following overseas. Hardcore music fans from Italy, the US and the UK know him even from his days in Japan as part of ‘Speed, Glue and Shinki’ (one of the pioneers of J-Rock). So when they saw the film, I think they were mesmerized with his charisma and his acting.

After “Singing in Graveyards,” what did Pepe tell you about the work that you guys were able to put together?

Bianca: It was never-ending sincere “Thank yous.” I’d like to think we somehow changed his life.

Brad: It wasn’t about what he said. But maybe about how he felt. It was almost like the process of him playing a version of himself on screen was cathartic in a way to acceptance of his mortality.

After three and a half years of development, what was the entire goal of “Singing in Graveyards”? Will we be seeing the film in screenings again?

Bianca: It’s sold to Cinema One for Philippine territory and Astro Malaysia for Southeast Asian territories. Yes, I hope to have more screenings of the film.

Brad: The goal was always to show Pepe for who he really was. To capture the essence of his soul on screen.

Any projects we should look forward to any time soon?

Bianca: The unfinished docu of Pepe shot in Tokyo has to be done and released soon! Too bad he’s not able to see it anymore. As for our company, we have lots of films to be released in the next years, both local and international. We love collaborations.

Brad: Both Pepe Diokno and myself have an unfinished documentary of Pepe in Japan searching for his old Speed, Glue and Shinki bandmasters. I think we owe it to Pepe to finish it.