Kondisyon, pang-international dapat ang movie… JAKE, PAYAG IBUYANGYANG ANG MANOY

ni Julie Bonifacio - @Winner | December 9, 2022

As early as now ay mainit nang pinag-uusapan among showbiz kibitzers kung sino ang tatanghaling Best Actor sa nalalapit na 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Isa sa mga top contenders ay ang bida ng My Father, Myself na si Jake Cuenca sa movie directed by Joel Lamangan and produced by 3:16 Media Network and Mentorque Production.

Malaking pressure ito para kay Jake kaya naiintindihan namin when he said sa kanyang solo presscon for My Father, Myself na ayaw niyang mag-expect.

Esplika ni Jake, "To be honest with you, I'm not expecting kasi ilang beses na akong nalagay sa posisyon na akala ko, mananalo ako, hindi ako nanalo. Tapos, isang taon akong na-depressed.

Hahaha! Marami. I don't wanna name names.

"Sabi ko nga, eh, this is an honest version of myself. You just survive, it's the end of the world. Bakit pa ako magkukunwari. Why would I hold my truth anymore?

"Sabi ko, parating ganito ang nangyayari sa akin, 'yung noon, that's why I don't wanna expect.

Kaya nga umiiyak ako nu'ng (first) presscon kasi for me, to be honest, if you hear it from Direk Joel, para purihin ni Direk Joel, para purihin ninyo, that's already so much for me.

"It's been three years na hindi ako satisfied, hindi ako masaya. Kasi, that's the truth, 'di ba? Parang tingin ko, 'yung pandemya, parang there's so many things that were taken away from me.

"Right now, I just wanna take it all back and as an artist, I'm proud of this film. I'm proud of the challenges that I've conquered in this film. I'm proud to be directed by Direk Joel again and I feel I have conquered something in this film.

"Kaya nu'ng sa (My Father, Myself) presscon, pinupuri ako ni Direk Joel, pinupuri ako ng press, para na akong nanalo, to be honest with you. And I'm so grateful with that. Kung hindi man ako manalo sa awards night, 'yun ang panghahawakan ko — 'yung pagpupuri n'yo at 'yung pagpupuri ni Direk Joel."

Pramis ni Jake, 'di na uli siya made-depressed.

"Hindi na. Pagkatapos ng lahat ng pinagdaanan natin I'm not so frightened anymore. Medyo tumapang tayo ru'n because of this pandemic," sabi ni Jake.

Isa sa mga matatalinong artista si Jake sa industriya. So, when asked kung ano ang natutunan niya sa pagganap niya bilang gay sa My Father, Myself, agad niyang ishinare sa amin.

"I think what I've learned from this film is that it's hard to suppress your true self. I think what way, shape or form, it will come out. What way, shape, form, you have to allow yourself to be who you really are, 'di ba?"

Dugtong pa ni Jake, "For one's life, you have to make yourself free. If you are not true to yourself, sinu-suppress natin ang sarili natin and you know, we can't live happily. There's always something lacking, parang ganoon."

Inamin ni Jake na may mga kilala siya na up to now ay 'di pa makapag-out sa kanilang gender preference.

"Saka in this day and age, iba, iba na, eh. Pero what's nice about living in the, 'di ba, ngayong 2022, certainly, mas madali na to come out. Mas madali, more acceptable of who you are today.

Kaya nga nakakatuwa rin, eh, sa likod ng mga nangyayari, more liberal, more free world. So, free

country," lahad niya.

Napaka-daring ni Jake at ng kapwa niya lead star na si Sean de Guzman sa kanilang mga eksena sa My Father, Myself. Puring-puri sila ni Direk Joel on how they execute their very intimate scenes sa movie.

Wala naman kasing arte sa katawan si Jake kung paseksihan lang na mga eksena. Kaya lang, 'di pa niya nagagawa ang frontal nudity sa movie.

Pahayag ni Jake, "It really depends. Wala naman akong limitations. Pero certainly, pipiliin ko 'yung pelikula na gagawin ko 'yun. Like, I'm not gonna do that for some film. Kumbaga, if it is a Hollywood film, yes, 'di ba? Let's do it. But if it's a film that will be going to Cannes, to Venice or the Oscars, let's do it, 'di ba? Why not? But if it is something na, 'Ah, baka...'. Well, baka.

Huwag na, 'di ba?"

Showing on December 25 ang My Father, Myself nationwide.