MANILA, Philippines - When director Chito Roño set out to find the one who can play the lead role in the forthcoming landmark film, Emir, his check list probably looked like this: 1. Equal parts as singer and actress; 2. Able to show the heart and soul of OFWs abroad; and 3. Possesses fresh but formidable talent.
Many auditions later, he found her: The 17-year-old Frencheska Farr, one of the most promising talents inside the GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) stable.
Ironically, GMA 7’s Are You The Next Big Star? winner didn’t think she would get a callback after her first crack at the role. Frencheska said that after hearing her sing, all Chito asked was for her age and then he sent her home. “I really did not expect anything after that — especially upon learning that even some of the singers-actresses I look up to had auditioned before me,” she said.
Frencheska was obviously wrong —both in gauging her audition and in reading Chito. The director acclaimed for his competence in the entertainment world says, “Magaling siya. Perfect sa kanya yung role kahit baguhan siya. Pinay na Pinay ang dating, may boses at marunong umarte.”
These are no light remarks. Emir, after all, is touted as Chito’s most ambitious project to date. And from someone who has had several critically and commercially successful films under his belt (Private Show, Sukob, The Great American Dream), such praise — especially for a newbie — comes as often as rain visits the Sahara Desert.
In Emir, Frencheska plays Filipina yaya Amelia, who works abroad to help her family. She takes care of the Sheik’s wife who is about to give birth, and later acts as the yaya to the newly-born Ahmed, the Sheik’s eldest son. Amelia sees Ahmed growing up, rearing him and in the process, introducing the boy to the culture, values and language of the Philippines. A war ensues and an evacuation of the royal family is ordered, but it is too late. In the ensuing turmoil, Amelia saves Ahmed and escapes to the desert. They become separated and Amelia is forced to go back to the Philippines, unappreciated for the heroism she had done.
Some of the people involved in Emir have equally good words about Frencheska and her performance. Rolando Atienza, chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, said, “Frencheska is a very intelligent girl. She will be a big star.”
Dulce lauded the young singer-actress, thus: “Napakabait na bata, very patient at walang ere. She’s a sensitive artist, teachable and willing to learn more and a serious one at that. With what I’ve witnessed in her as we worked together in Emir, I can say that she truly is our next big star.”
Executive producer Nestor Jardin said Frencheska was “a joy to work with. She is very professional and cooperative, and finds pleasure in her work. She possesses a natural acting talent that makes her quite believable as Amelia. She also has a pure and powerful singing voice,” said Nestor.
Indeed, Frencheska is meant to go far.