Bela Padilla talks about the struggles of Amerisians in “I America”
Isang malaking hamon kay Bela Padilla ang kanyang papel bilang Erica, isang half-Pinay na naghahanap ng kanyang amang Kano sa pelikulang “I America” ni Ivan Andrew Payawal na kalahok sa Cinemalaya 2016.
Is this your first indie movie?
“My first Cinemalaya movie but not my first indie movie. I did a movie “Aso, Daga’t Pusa” under Ely Buendia. It’s one of the episodes sa trilogy ng “Bang,Bang Alley” so one third lang siya ng film, but it was a good experience”, aniya. “I America” is my first full-length indie film”, dugtong niya.
Nag-research ka ba sa kalagayan ng mga Amerisians sa bansa sa pag-tackle mo ng role mo bilang Erika?
“Yes. We asked them. Actually, Direk Ivan helped me in the process. We wanted to make it different but I still based it on the script. Not too ‘aral’. Recently, natatakot kasi ako kapag nag-o-overprepare ako”, pahayag niya.
British ang father mo. Somehow, nakaka-relate ka ba sa kuwento ni Erika bilang isang Amerisian na naghahanap ng kanyang amang Kano sa “I America”?
“My father was divorced from his first wife but my Dad and I are okay. Yes, I can relate and empathize with Erica and her plight somehow. There’s a bit of identity crisis na pinagdadaanan niya because her case is different just like the case of Amerisians that we’ve talked to. If you talk to them kasi, you’ll know that they constantly battle with identity crisis. They’re not quite Pinoy, but since they grew up here in the Philippines, they’re not so American, either. They struggle to find who they really are”, pagbubunyag niya.
Ayon pa kay Bela, nahirapan din siya sa pag-tackle ng role ni Erika.
“I relied on my instinct. Nag-observe ako sa mga nakilala kong Amerisians. Iyong karakter kasi ni Erika, she curses a lot. She also speaks in broken English. Nakatulong kasi na magaling iyong cast na kasama ko at iyong support system namin sa isa’t isa pati na iyong pagiging hands-on ng direktor namin”.
Ano ang na-realize mo sa pagbibigay buhay mo sa papel ni Erika?
“Take time, one day at a time. Ako kasi personally, I take things seriously. It’s good to laugh at your problems and also you must be sensitive sa kung ano ang ginagawa mo sa mga taong nakapaligid sa iyo. Minsan, kailangan nating maging baliw tulad ni Erika pero nasa realidad pa rin”, pagwawakas niya.
Ang “I America” isang dramedy na nagtatampok din kina Matt Evans, Elizabeth Oropesa, Thou Reyes, Joe Vargas, Lui Manansala, Sheena Ramos, Rob Rownd, Kate Bautista, Raflesia Bravo, Rhyzza Kafilas mula sa direksyon ni Ivan Andrew Payawal.
