Wenn-er: The making of a box-office director

MANILA, Philippines - It happens all the time throughout his over two decades in showbiz.

Shooting a scene from his latest film, Bekikang starring fast-rising comedian Joey Paras, the brother of director Wenn Deramas commented, “Ikaw yon ah (the character is very much like you).”

The scene shows an effeminate guy being bullied by neighbors.

Wenn admits: Yes, there is a bit of his life in all the movies he makes.

To illustrate: There are some chapters of his mother’s life in his immensely successful Tanging Ina film franchise. During his childhood years, it was an unhappy family life minus a father figure in the house. Like it or not, his Tanging Ina series was a tribute to her mother.

For now, the director is talking about his latest film, Bekikang starring Joey and Tom Rodriguez, one of the stars of the top-rating teleserye My Husband’s Lover.

Yes, the film is again close to him for many reasons.

He explains: “For one, I am beki (gay) myself and the subject is not new to me. For another, I am a father myself (he has an adopted son) and I know what gay fathers go through. They are socially ostracized, they are perceived as not capable of rearing a family. Joey Paras here who plays the title role as Vittorio will turn out to be a highly responsible father while the heterosexual parents (played by Tom and Carla Humphries) find jobs abroad at the expense of their only child.”

Wenn says he couldn’t help digging into his childhood years and re-living them through his films. “This latest film showed how I was maltreated in my early youth, how I fell in love, how I became a parent and it doesn’t stop there.”

There was very little reaction from Wenn when Joey told media men during the presscon that the film was about the director himself.

Meanwhile, Wenn is convinced Joey’s talent is a virtual goldmine waiting to be discovered. “Joey is a thinking actor. I saw him in the theater version of Bona opposite Eugene Domingo and I couldn’t help giving him his first break at least in the mainstream medium. I know he is also doing well in the indie genre.”

Joey was named Best Supporting Actor in the indie film Babagwa opposite the young Alex Medina.

The director who comes from UST’s Teatro Tomasino says working with an actor with a theater background is a blessing.

Joey came from CCP’s Tanghalang Pilipino and was initially honed by veteran director Nonon Padilla.

Points out the director: “Working with a theater actor has many advantages. For one, you can easily size up his capabilities and his range as an actor. You can ask him to try this and that approach and you’d be instantly comfortable with each other using the language of theater — which would be strange to actors without theater backgrounds.”

He admits he has soft spot for stage actors. “You get pure, raw talent in theater. There are lots of talents in there and all they need is a chance to be given another good shot at mainstream films. That’s one of the reasons I always get the services of Eugene Domingo.”

Thus far, he has logged 23 years in showbiz and it has been a long and stable journey towards financial stability.

He has no qualms in describing himself some 23 years ago as “dukha” and “maralita” (poor and indigent) as well as “alipin” (slave). Early in his adult life, he had tried so many odd jobs including that of a waiter in Aristocrat restaurant. “You can say my life is a rags-to-riches story. I was honed by ABS-CBN and accepted all work without a complaint.”

It’s different now as he turned 46.

This year alone, he did four films and two soap operas.

Rues he: “I guess when you are young, you can work to death and not feel it. Now, my brain can only take so much. I can now afford to say no to some job offers. It is a happy problem if you can call it that. I know some people can hardly find work in this highly-competitive industry.”

Considered by many in the industry as a director with a Midas touch (most of his films surpassed the P100M box-office gross with Praybeyt Benjamin raking in a cool P300M), Wenn says he only tries to achieve one thing in all film projects he does. “I always see to it that the objectives of my film are realized. If I am doing comedy, I should succeed in making people laugh. If I do drama, dapat mapaiyak ko mga tao. Kung horror, dapat matakot sila. People pay to be entertained and it’s your obligation to give them what they paid for. It’s as simple as that.”

(Bekikang opens in theaters nationwide on Oct. 23.)