Omedetou, Eugene-san!

Eugene Domingo is unstoppable.

After winning Most Favorite Actress two years ago at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong for Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (titled The Woman In The Septic Tank for the international market) two years ago, she was named Best Actress for the same film at the Pau International Film Festival in France barely a year later. And then last week, she bagged another Best Actress trophy, this time for Barber’s Tales, at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

How dare she beat all those worthies from different parts of the world! Take not just one but three bows, Miss Eugene!

Directed by Jun Lana based on a story by Elmer Gatchalian, Peter Ong Lim, Benedict Meque and Jun himself, Barber’s Tales (which won four awards in the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum last March including Best HAF Project, Technicolor and Arri Awards) is the story of newly-widowed Marilou (Domingo) who inherits the town’s only barbershop from her husband, a business that has been passed by generations of men in her husband’s family. With no other means of support, she musters the courage to run the barbershop. Despite the skills she gained from years of assisting her husband, as a female barber she fails to attract any customers. Nevertheless, things take an unexpected turn when Marilou discovers what she is truly made of in the midst of mockery from men, and the support of an unexpected circle of sisters. Later, she becomes a supporter of rebels.

Unlike at the Asian Film Awards where she stole the show by asking for a kiss from top Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, at the Tokyo event, Eugene “behaved.” From Tokyo, instead of proceeding home to help promote Regal Films’ Status: It’s Complicated, Eugene (and company) proceeded to Abu Dhabi where Barber’s Tales is also in competition. She should be back by now, with still another award (hopefully!).

To Eugene-san, we say, Omedetou!!! (That’s Japanese for Congratulations!!! — yes, with three exclamation points as a nod to Eugene’s three victories in a row.)

Here’s Eugene in an exclusive e-mail interview:

How does it feel the third time around?

“Sobrang happy siyempre! The only difference is that when I compete in international festivals, what I represent is not only myself but my country. I’m proud being a Filipino delegate of whatever film I represent. First and foremost being chosen among hundreds of films in the world is already a winning feeling and to win is definitely a huge accomplishment and I always, ALWAYS give it back to my country. To be able to give pride and honor to the Philippines by being an actress will always be a rewarding feeling and it humbles me to see how filmmakers around the world applaud the Filipino talents.”

Who did you think was your closest rival for the award?

“It’s unfortunate that I had not seen any film in competition because I had to go back home immediately after attending to all the schedules given to me. But direk Jun stayed and watched a few films and the one that gave him the most impact (‘I was blown away,’ he told me) was Red Family from Korea, directed by Lee Ju-Hyong. It won the Audience Choice Award.”
You’re already well-known in the whole of Asia and particularly in Japan because of Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. Di ba Hollywood Japanese actor Yuki Matsuzaki said yes at once when offered to be your leading man in Instant Mommy dahil kilala ka sa Japan? Does that “status” place you at par with the other top Asian actresses in competition at the Tokyo Filmfest?

“Well, I am a fan of Asian Cinema and to be given recognition as a Filipino and as an Asian for the films that I do will always be the realization of my dreams. I dream that someday I would be able to collaborate with other Asian talents. That would be awesome! My experience with Yuki Matsuzaki, proved that there’s no culture/language barrier in being creative.”

Your role in Barber’s Tales is straight drama. Do you think the award vindicated you because many people thought that you are only good  in comedy? Mas lalo ka bang na-challenge because of that?

“My training in theater is not limited to doing just one genre or being typecast in doing just one role. During the first years of my career as professional actress for TV and movies, I was assigned to play different roles which I definitely enjoyed. Most of the parts were comedic. More than proving what I can do in the early parts of my career, I thought I should just be open to different opportunities and to be cool about everything as long as I SURVIVE!

“When direk Jun offered Barber’s Tales to me, I initially turned it down due to conflict of schedule. Then one day, we found ourselves communicating again. He sent me the script. I read it and I told myself, ‘This is an important piece,’ so I really made time for it. There comes a time when an actor’s job is not only to deliver a good performance but also to be an instrument in conveying an important message through his work.”

How was your experience being directed by Jun Lana for the first time? How did you internalize the role?

“I really respect direk Jun ever since the first time we met years ago. I know that, besides being a good teacher, he has a very good training and he is a supporter of theater. I enjoy our encounters. We had a few meetings, always planning a project for the two of us but nothing came out until Barber’s Tales. He said that he had been working on this project for years already and he had been searching for an actress to play Marilou. I am just so thankful to direk Jun for considering me, for waiting for me and for trusting me.”

It was worth the long wait.

“Direk Jun and I worked on the character quietly, relying on just where our emotions would take us. We had a workshop for haircutting with a real barber and then he gave me a background or a diary of the character on the first day of shoot and that’s pretty much what we had. The rest of the shooting days I remember just being there in the moment. Note that we were locked in the mountains of Daraitan, Quezon, for almost three weeks with no cable signal, no Internet, etc. Direk Jun is very patient. He would explain the scene then he lets you do your thing.”

You’re back in comedy in your latest movie, Status: It’s Complicated (a remake of the Ishmael Bernal classic Salawahan). No qualms about doing love/bed scenes with Jake Cuenca and Paulo Avelino?

“Hahahaha, sa edad kong ito! Qualms and hesitations will get me nowhere! And that would be so boring! If you ask me what other personality I would like to have in this lifetime or soon in my real life, it would be Marian David, the character I play in Status: It’s Complicated. She is sexy, lovely and full of confidence, especially and certainty in sex and love.”

Have you ever worked with Bernal? What’s your impression of him?

“Yes, in college. My first indie film and my first experience (actually) acting for the camera was in his film Divide By Two, produced by UP Film Center. I remember I played a maid and my amo was played by Charo Santos. In our scene together, my amo was supposed to scold me while I was sitting on the floor, crying and asking for a day-off! I could not or did not know how to cry cinematically and so direk Ishmael Bernal smoked and puffed his cigarette directly to my eyes until they got watery and almost tearful. Then, he said, ‘ACTION!’ Hahahaha! He was an amazing person. I am glad I was able to work with him a few times. I will forever be a fan of Ishmael Bernal’s works.”

Complicated comes after Tuhog, Instant Mommy and Momzillas. Aren’t you worried about over-exposure?

“No, not at all. Truthfully, I’d be worried if I were jobless!”

Any plan for Christmas? Long vacation maybe?

“For Christmas, I would be joining everybody in watching all the Metro Filmfest entries, especially my entry Kimmy Dora: Ang Kyemeng Prequel. So pila na tayo! Happy holidays in advance!”

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com.)