Having its world premiere on November 11, Vivamax newest original film, Showroom is set to tackle the core of prostitution and how women-empowerment has its sufferings.
In a digital media conference on October 20, Direk Carlo Gallen Obispo, Rob Guinto, and Quinn Carrillo talked about the circumstances and consequences of prostitution, yet how inevitable that women had to go through them.
“Lahat naman siguro tayo ayaw natin magkaroon ng prostitution sa lugar natin. Dahil we know the effects. We know the consequences it might cause to women. Ang nangyayari lang kasi ngayon nagiging inevitable siya because of circumstances na hindi naman binibigayan ng atensyon o action. Kung ano yung mga nagcacause doon sa mga desisyon nila na magprostitute. It’s going to be a very long discussion baka pumunta pa tayo sa education, sa employment, and all. But the thing is, it exists right now,” justified the award-winning director.
Obispo also said that Showroom will feature the humanistic side of these women, their struggles, their dreams, and the reasons why they are doing what they need to do.
“This story, with Showroom, is a very humane kasi yung mga character. We emphasize, we feel with them bakit nila ito kailangang gawin… We don’t judge them. We observe them. We understand them because in the end, they’re still human beings.”
He also discussed the women’s empowerment that can be seen in the movie, “With your question, is it empowering? Yes, because it’s not very easy for them na pagdaanan ‘yung kanilang dapat gawin, but they do it for their loved ones, for something greater other than themselves.
“Yes, it’s struggling. Yes, they’re suffering the consequences of being judge, bumababa ‘yung tingin, yung dignity nila but for something greater. It’s a test for these two female characters kung hanggang saan nila ipupush ‘yung mga sarili nila para sa mga bagay na kailangan nila.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Carrillo, who plays Liezel in the film, said she finds some people being hypocrites about prostitution, and talking about it is like engaging in a debate about religion and state.
“Regarding sa prostitution here in the Philippines, personally, I find some people being hypocrite about it kasi ang hirap mag judge ng tao na ginagawa nila ‘yon kasi we all have different reason and hindi naman po lahat kasing strong natin na hindi ginagawa yon,” said the writer-actress.
She also added, “What if ganon kasi talaga yung nakikita nilang way para kumita ng pera, that’s the only way they know how… Depende po sa tao and hindi ko po alam kung ano ‘yung magagawa natin kasi sobrang conservative pa rin ng bansa natin. Parang pinagdebate mo yung religion and state, mahirap siya ipagclash.
Ms. Guinto, who plays Susan in the movie, hopes that prostitution will soon have a solution because it’s not the women’s fault that they are being pushed to do the work.
“Sana masolusyonan natin lalo na kasi marami naman ibang bagay o paraan na pwede natin gawin na hindi nga lang talaga yung pagbebenta ng laman, maraming way. Pero sabi nga ni Quinn, hindi kasi tayo pare-parehas ng estado ng buhay so baka napipilitan nga lang talaga sila, baka ‘yun lang talaga ‘yung kaya nilang gawin, ‘yun lang ‘yung way nila para mabuhay,” she said.
Showroom tells the story of two real estate agents who sell their bodies to allure clients to buy condo units from them. The film will also feature Kit Thompson, Emilo Garcia, and Alvaro Oteyza.
For early viewing, it will be available on Vivamax plus this November 7, and on Vivamax on November 11 for regular streaming.
