‘Birdshot’ ni John Arcilla lilipad na sa PPP 2017

SIGURADONG isa sa mga pipilahan ng mga manonood sa Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino bukas ang pelikulang “Birdshot” na pinagbibidahan ng magagaling na aktor na sina John Arcilla at Arnold Reyes.

Kaliwa’t kanang papuri na ang natatanggap ng “Birdshot” mula sa TBA Studios (with Globe Studios) at CJ Entertainment na idinirek ng batambatang si Mikhail Red. Bago pa kasi ito isali sa PPP na magsisimula na sa Aug. 16 hanggang 22, ay umikot na ito sa iba’t ibang international film festivals.

Una itong ipinalabas sa 29th Tokyo International Film Festival kung saan ito nagwagi ng Best Picture para sa Asian Future Film Section. Isinali rin ito mga filmfest sa South Korea, Lithuania, Laos, Sweden, Thailand, at Belgium.

Ito rin ang naging opening movie sa 2017 Cinemalaya kung saan umani muli ito ng papuri mula sa mga manonood. Bukod sa nakakabilib na performance nina John Arcilla at Arnold Reyes sa movie, pinalakpakan din ang mga baguhang artistang kasali rito tulad ni Mary Joy Apostol at stage actor na si Ku Aquino.

Ayon kay direk Mikhail, ang kanilang pelikula ay isang “provocative coming of age thriller” tungkol sa isang teenager na mapadpad sa isang lugar na bawal pasukin ng mga tao, ito ang tinatawag na Philippine reservation forest. Magsisimula ang conflict ng istorya nang mabaril ang isang critically endangered at protected Philippine Eagle.

Tutugisin ng mga otoridad kung sino ang nasa likod ng pamamaril sa agila ngunit sa kanilang ginagawang operasyon, may mas matindi at mas nakaka-shock pa pala silang madidiskubre.

“I like stories that are morally ambiguous, ‘yung hindi mo alam who’s good or who’s evil. Ang ‘Birdshot’ is very much like that,” ayon sa direktor. “All the characters are struggling to survive. It creates a story with several layers that leave a lot of gray areas which the audience can explore. When they leave the cinema, we want them to star conversation and talk about what they’ve seen,” aniya pa.

Hirit pa ni direk, “I wanted to make a film that is a bit more ambitious that is done properly where your patience as an artist, where you take care of every details, every tone of color, patch or texture, frame are deliberately design, I knew that to make that happened I need resources, and we look for international funding and we pitch it to TBA and luckily we got support and now it’s here.”

“We’re excited that finally, Filipinos can see ‘Birdshot’. PPP is the perfect occasion for us kasi mas malaki ‘yung audience that can be reached. We’re very happy and honored to be part of this pioneering batch of Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino,” pagmamalaki pa ni direk Mikhail sa “Birdshot” na idi-distribute naman ng Solar Films.

Ayon naman kay Globe Studios head direk Quark Henares, nakipag-partnership sila sa pagpapalabas ng “Birdshot” sa PPP dahil naniniwala sila sa kalidad ng proyekto, “I love this movie. It’s a film that deserves to find its audience. We are ahppy to be co-marketers of ‘Birdshot’ and we are honored to be associated with the film and TBA.”