From chinese traditions to arranged marriages
Master director Chito Roño has worked in nearly every genre – glossy melodramas, sci-fi head trips, political thrillers, vision and special-effects laden fantasies, erotic dramas and even in the polarized category of horror comedies but his illustrious career has been very successful in a film genre that he does best: horror filmmaking.
The maestro (Sukob, Fengshui, Fengshui 2, Tenement 2, The Healing) is back as he treats us to another unforgettable and mind-boggling experience in “The Ghost Bride.”
“Fascinated ako na paglaruan iyong mga paniniwala natin sa mga Chinese traditions pero this time around, gusto kong talakayin iyong arranged marriages with a macabre twist tulad ng “The Ghost Bride.”
He said that his latest masterpiece is more complex than “Fengshui” and “Fengshui 2.”
““Fengshui” is more of a personal choice. “ The Ghost Bride” is more complicated kasi may cultural at traditional burden sa karakter ni Mayen (Kim Chiu). Sa palibot din niya, may mga issue tungkol sa arranged marriages. Tapos lahat sila dumadaan sa hirap na ang concept ng Chinatown at ang pamilyang pino-portray ay hindi marangya, hindi masuwerte at naroon ang kanilang mga struggles sa utang, sa pamumuhay at sa mga malas sa buhay,” he elucidated.
“The Ghost Bride” exposes a myriad of strange practices , both ancient and modern, that continues to affect certain groups of the Filipino-Chinese community, specifically in Manila’s fabled Chinatown district in Binondo.
It also tackles age-old Chinese traditions like arranged marriages, ancestral worship and even beliefs about the ‘ghost month’ phenomenon.
Personally, he said he sees nothing wrong about arranged marriages.
“Pangatlong tao ko na may kilala akong nag-asawa sa arranged marriage pero hindi naman ako nakarinig na nagprotesta o nagreklamo sila. Mga 30 or 35 years na silang mag-asawa pero hindi pa rin sila naghihiwalay . So, I don’t see anything wrong about it. In the end, they wanted it, they agreed sa kanilang partner. Hanggang ngayon, masaya sila at wala naman akong narinig na kontrobersya sa kanila,” he pointed out.
He also gave his piece of mind about the ‘ghost month’ phenomenon.
“Alam mo, mas malala siya sa Undas natin kasi sa kanila, obligado kang maglagay ng food. Sa Pilipino o kahit sa Kristiyano , it’s more of dasal, kandila o bulaklak, pero sa kanila, iba. It’s more of na required ka to give food. Iyon kasi ang concept ng hungry ghosts. Literally, food para hindi sila magutom. Alam mo naman ang mga Chinese, phoa talaga sa kanila ang pagkain. Napakaseryoso sa kanila ng pagkain. Naapektuhan ang tradisyon nila hindi lang ng dasal dasal kundi ng mga alay na prutas at nilutong pagkain,” he said.
“The Ghost Bride” centers on Mayen (Kim Chiu) , a Tsinay who will risk her life in a secret tradition that stems from Chinese culture, upon the advice of mysterious matchmaker, in order to help her family.
She will enter a bizarre and unfamiliar world where she will have to marry the dead in order for others to live.
Aside from Kim Chiu, the movie also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Alice Dixson, Christian Bables, Robert Sena, Ina Raymundo, Beverly Salviejo, Isay Alvarez, Nanding Josef, Mon Confiado, Cacai Bautista, Jerome Ponce, Victor Silayan, Elizabeth Chua, Luz Fernandez, Bea So and a lot more.
Produced by Star Cinema and directed by Chito Roño from the script of Charlson Ong and Cathy Camarillo,“The Ghost Bride” hits cinemas nationwide starting November 1.
