Mike de Leon: Atom Araullo is not a professional actor!

MARAMI ang nagulat sa mga maaanghang na salitang binitiwan ni Direk Mike de Leon laban sa bida ng pelikula niyang “Citizen Jake” na si Atom Araullo.

Ang tanong ng mga nakabasa sa litanya ng direktor, parte ba ito ng promo ng “Citizen Jake” na kasalukuyang palabas ngayon sa ilang sinehan sa Metro Manila? Napakanega naman kung totoo ito.

Nabanggit ng batikang direktor na sobra siyang disappointed kay Atom bilang tao na ikinagulat ng mga netizens gayung halos lahat naman ng nakapanood ng kanilang pelikula ay puring-puri ang akting ng broadcast journalist dahil sa magandang performance nito.

Pero para kay direk Mike, “But he disappointed me. Not as an actor but as a person.”

Nasulat ito ni direk Mike sa Facebook page ng “Citizen Jake”. Aniya pa, “Atom Araullo is not a professional actor and I only came across his name when I read that he had resigned from his job as a reporter in his former TV network (I don’t watch television).

“And since I never wanted a professional actor for the lead role in Citizen Jake, I thought it’s interesting to work with someone whose work was journalism and who I thought shared my political convictions.

“I have known and worked with outstanding journalists before when I was politically active during the latter years of the Marcos era.

“I only realized later that Atom’s journalism was not exactly the kind of journalism I had in mind.

“It’s not the gritty kind but more of the celebrity-centered schlock that sometimes verges on entertainment, even showbiz.

“Even if Citizen Jake is my most personal film, sometimes I feel it’s a film Atom and myself made together, through thick and thin, through upheaval after upheaval and unfortunately there were many.

“But I hoped that in the end, we would still share the same convictions we started off with. Alas, that was not to be. Sorry if I have to be this blunt but we Filipinos always find excuses and never face issues head on. kaya ganyan tayo.” Hindi rin bilib si direk Mike kay Atom bilang political journalist.

Pero sa isang panayam, sinabi ng broadcast journalist na, “Nabigyan ako ng pambihirang pagkakataon na maging bahagi ng Citizen Jake. Palagay ko ang Citizen Jake is the latest in a series of actions that we need to do and I have no illusion that this is just starting now.

“Yung ating struggle para magkaroon ng mas magandang hinaharap, dekada na yan. Actually daang taon na yan. But we have to keep on punching ika nga. We have to keep on struggling.

“It is a daily decision to do something, to do anything. To use our talents and to use our time and effort to serve the country,” pahayag pa ni Atom sa nasabing interview.

Pahabol pa ni Atom, “Tulad din ng marami sa ating mga kababayan, nararamdaman ko yung frustration, yung kawalan ng pag-asa minsan, nararamdaman ko yung galit, nararamdaman ko yung, ‘Gusto ko na lang umalis ng Pilipinas. Ang hirap mahalin ng Pilipinas.”

Tikom naman ang bibig ni Atom sa mga pinakawalang salita ng direktor. Wala pa ring inilalabas na official statement ang management ni Atom hinggil dito.

Samantala, pinarangalan naman ang dalawang obra ni Atom na Philippine Seas (The Atom Araullo Specials) at Silang Kinalimutan (I Witness) ng Gold Medals sa 2018 US International Film & Video Festival.

Anim na buwan pa lang siya sa GMA ay umani na siya ng maraming parangal at citation mula sa iba’t ibang local at international award giving bodies at festivals.

Ngayong Mayo, sisisirin at dadayuhin naman ni Atom ang iba’t ibang lugar sa bansa para tuklasin ang mga bantang kinakaharap ng mga hari ng karagatan.

‘Wag palampasin ang #SharkLand: The Atom Araullo Specials ngayong May 27, 4:30 p.m. sa GMA.