Carlo Francis Manatad, the man behind the award-winning movie Kun Maupay Man it Panahon, admitted on Tuesday, December 21, that their win in the 74th Locarno Film Festival was only a “bonus.”
“Nakakatuwa pero never naman namin in-expect na parang ‘ay dapat manalo tayo dito’,” he said during the film’s virtual media conference.
Manatad said that finishing the project and having it premiered internationally was a blessing already.
“Kasi parang ever since na ginagawa namin ito, at alam ito nina DJ, nina Madam Charo, ni Rans, at lahat ng nasa group, parang the fact lang na natapos namin yung pelikula, at additional lang na nakapag-premiere kami sa isang A-list festival, as in okay na ako.
“Like, ganoon na yung mode. Parang it’s already out there and we are just blessed that it’s being screened almost wherever around the world,” he said.
Kun Maupay Man it Panahon received the Cinema e Gioventù Prize in the Locarno Film Festival held in Switzerland, and Manatad stressed that earning such recognition defined that they were “doing the right thing.” The award also gave him confidence as a filmmaker and boosted the morale of his staff and cast.
“The fact lang na nakakuha siya ng award, it just says something na we were doing the right thing. And it gives more confidence not just sa akin as a director but also maybe to my cast and crew, that we did something good in a way. It really just boosts our morale in terms of yung mga ginagawa namin.”
The director, also a survivor of Typhoon Yolanda, outlined the story of his movie base on his experience and his co-survivors.
“Simple lang. Parang nag-base ako sa kung ano ang napagdaanan ko at mga napagdaanan ng mga taong nakausap ko noong nangyari ang Yolanda.
“So ganoon lang siya yung basis ng kwento at kung ano yung galaw ng mga characters at sa naratibo ng pelikula ay nanggaling sa mga totoong kwento ng mga tao na nandoon noong nangyari ang bagyo.”
Catch Charo Santos-Concio, Daniel Padilla, and Rans Rifol in Kun Maupay Man it Panahon, an official entry for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, in cinemas nationwide, December 25.
