CHEDENG & APPLE’S HAPPY RUN
Chedeng and Apple went to Italy and impressed Italians, Pinoys and others with their film.
“Si Chedeng at si Apple” was the Philippines’ entry in the recently concluded 2018 Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy.
While the movie didn’t win the Audience Award, which went to Korea’s “1987: When the Day Comes,” the reception for the film was incredible.
“Love the reaction,” said co-director Fatrick Tabada, a Cebuano. “One of the best audiences so far. The Filipino audience is supportive as usual. It was heartwarming (when they went out of the cinema and) you see their smiles. Worth it daw nga they spent their day off watching the film.”
Tabada said the Far East Film Festival is the perfect place for the film to have its international premiere.
“It’s one of the biggest genre film festivals in Europe,” he said.
Tabada co-directed the film with Rae Red of “Birdshot,” which is now streaming on Netflix.
“Si Chedeng at si Apple” was also an entry in the Cinema One Originals last year.
But Chedeng and Apple’s journey will not stop in Italy. Tabada said the film will have its North American premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival. Then the film will be showcased in San Francisco.
“Hopefully many Pinoys get to see it,” said Tabada.
It is a film about two female friends who didn’t live their lives until they were in their 60s. For most of their lives, their real selves were imprisoned by the more acceptable personalities they have to project to the world.
Chedeng, 66, comes out of the closet when her husband dies. She is played by Gloria Diaz. Her best friend Apple, 63, played by Elizabeth Oropesa, kills her live-in partner in a fit of pent-up rage after years of being physically abused. Chedeng helps Apple clean up the mess of death but keeps Apple’s partner’s severed head in a Louis Vuitton bag.
Together, Chedeng, Apple and that Louis Vuitton bag set off in an adventure to find Chedeng’s ex-girlfriend. Guess where they head off to? CEBU!
It makes sense that Cebu will be an important factor in the movie considering that Tabada is a Cebuano. He also wrote Victor Villanueva’s “Patay Na si Hesus,” which premiered in the US last April 6.
Tabada was a local reporter in a Cebu daily before trying his hand at independent films.
“Since I was still in Cebu and even when I was still writing news, I was making short films on the side, joining the Sinulog Film Festival. I always wanted to be a storyteller ever since,” Tabada told SunStar Cebu.
The shift from journalism to screenwriting, he said, was not easy despite both involving writing.
“I have always loved telling stories visually,” continued Tabada. “I wrote my first screenplay in ‘Patay Na si Hesus’ last 2016 and was grateful that it was produced and shown nationwide. That was the start. And I hope it will continue.”
And yes, Tabada already has his hands full.
He has been meeting with big studios—well, not currently since he is still in Italy for “Si Chedeng at si Apple.”
“I really want my second film to be well planned and to have a big budget,” joked Tabada. “But I’m not in a hurry to make my second film. But yes, there are offers. I just don’t want to rush.”
Tabada said he is currently writing a spinoff series for “Die Beautiful,” the 2016 film that won the Audience Choice Award in the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival, and won lead star Paolo Ballesteros numerous acting awards. The series will be called “Born Beautiful.”
Tabada is also writing and directing some online series. /
THE CAST of “Si Chedeng at Si Apple”: Elizabeth Oropesa (left), Gloria Romero and that Louis Vuitton bag. FOTO / KAPAMILYA.COM