Ana Has A Lot To Be Thankful For

The past year has been very good for Ana Capri. She made a lot of movies and two of them are highly-acclaimed works which can give her some acting nominations.

This early, it is predicted that she will be nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Maryo de los ReyesÕ Sa Paraiso ni Efren and as Best Actress for her lead role in Jeffrey JeturianÕs Pila Balde, which already gave her the CineManila International Film Festival Best Actress Award last July.

Which of these two top-rated performances is nearer to her heart? ÒI love both of them and IÕm honored that IÕve been a part of both films,Ó she says. ÒI can identify very well with my role in Pila Balde as a young woman struggling for survival and trying her best to improve her station in life. The difference between us is that she comes from the slums and works as a maruya vendor, while I come from the province, Ynfanta, Quezon, and was already studying in college here in Manila when I joined show business.Ó

How about her role in Sa Paraiso ni Efren?

ÒThatÔs a very physical role, kaya mas nahirapan ako roon,Ó she sighs. ÒThe love scenes with Anton Bernardo, who plays my live-in partner, are so violent. We are shown doing acrobatics in bed and, at one point, nahulog pa kami sa kama, while making love. But the fight scenes are even more brutal. Everytime he hits me, itÕs for real. At inihulog pa niya ako sa hagdan. That scene where he chases me in the street during a quarrel, and I hide in a friendÕs beauty parlor, was so strenuous.Ó

Come next awards-giving season, which starts with the Star Awards for Movies this March 11, AnaÕs prayer is that she may be able to bring home even just one acting trophy.

ÒItÕs difficult to hope for anything at this point, because IÕd be up against veteran actresses like Lorna Tolentino in Luksong Tinik and Elizabeth Oropesa in Bulaklak ng Maynila, whose performances have also won awards. But I wish just even one trophy man sana lang, manalo ako.Ó

She now plays another challenging role in her first movie for the year 2000, Patiga-san, opposite Pampanga governor Lito Lapid.

ÒI play a crusading TV news reporter who steps on the toes of some very powerful people in high places,Ó she says. ÒBecause of this, they had me kidnapped and raped by their henchman, played by Tonton Gutierrez.Ó

For her part as a broadcast journalist, she took Korina Sanchez as her role model.

ÒI watched all her shows and I tried to project myself on the camera the way she does. ItÔs hard, because I have to change even the way I talk, to be credible in the part. But I enjoyed it. This is my first movie with Gov. Lito, who plays a law enforcer who rescues me from my captors. I have scenes na nakikipagbarilan din ako and he taught me how to use a gun in the action scenes. In other words, IÕm not just a mere flower vase na dekorasyon lang in the movie.Ó

How does she react to the current clampdown on bold flicks?

ÒI welcome it. When we are asked to take off all our clothes in front of the camera, do you think we enjoy it? We do it because we have no choice. Now, when they ask me to do this delicate scene, I tell them, why should we do it when we know it will just be censored? And, at least, I now get to do other types of movies, like Patigasan, which is an action-drama. Pero siempre, may sexy scenes pa rin because itÕs needed in the story, like the scene where I was brutally raped by Tonton.Ó

Ana is not turning her back on bold flicks entirely.

ÒI just finished a new sexy movie for Direk Joey Reyes, Toro,Ó she says. ÒI play a live sex show performer whose goal is to get my child back from the couple who adopted him. And IÕm about to start Tuhog with Direk Jeffrey Jeturian, where I play a movie star who plays a rape victim in a true-to-life story we are filming. ItÕs not easy to shake off oneÕs bold image, but the important thing is for you to always exert your best efforts, so theyÕd remember you as a good actress, not just as a bold star.Ó