Direk Chito looks forward to working with Maricel

MANILA, Philippines - “I’m taking a break from drama.”

Thus declares direk Chito Roño as he switches to again “scaring” moviegoers with his latest outing (also by Star Cinema), T2, which reunites him with Maricel Soriano.

His last dramatic movie was Star Cinema’s Caregiver which topbills Sharon Cuneta in the title role.

“Doing drama can be heavy here,” he adds, pointing to his chest. “On the other hand, scary movies have a cathartic effect on people. We all need a little shock every now and then.”

He did that with Feng Shui (starring Kris Aquino) and Sukob (also with Kris and Claudine Barretto), and even with Dahas which was a shocker in every sense because it also frightens people, with Richard Gomez playing a violent man bent on killing Maricel at all costs.

Dahas is among the four Maricel starrers directed by Chito, also including Nasaan ang Puso? and Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.

“I always look forward to working with Maricel,” volunteers Chito. “Through the years and after a few movies, we have developed a symbiotic kind of working relationship. We know each other inside-out.”

Based on his own story and a screenplay by Aloy Adlawan, T2 is the story of engkantos, most of which are culled from Chito’s home province, Samar, and from his staff/crew who have their own engkanto stories.

“Samar seems to be the haven of engkantos,” said Chito whose family hails from Calbayog City. “It’s about time I put on the big screen engkanto stories that I’ve been hearing from old folks since I was a kid.”

In T2 (as in Tenement 2), Maricel plays a Save an Orphan Foundation volunteer who brings an orphan (played by Mica) home, only for Maricel to discover that the girl comes from a family of engkantos.

“Beware,” said Chito, “engkantos are real, as stories by Samareños and from my own staff/crew will attest. They only look like human because they mix with humans. But they are not human, period.”

T2 opens on Easter Sunday.

“After the Lenten break,” says direk Chito, “we need something to break the spell, something that will spring us back to reality.”