MANILA, Philippines — The cast of Fox Movies’ first ever Filipino film “Maledicto” admitted that shooting the horror film gave them a real shiver down their spine.
The film’s director, Mark Meily, and lead actor, Tom Rodriguez, recalled meeting what they believed to be a “mysterious” boy.
“’Yung bata sa simbahan na sinasabi dun nagtratrabaho ‘yung lola n’ya. Ang bibong bata, ang daming alam, tapos nalaman na lang nina direk wala palang me kakilala sa kanya dun sa simbahan, ano ‘yun?” Tom said.
“There was this little boy, six or five years old, na nung nag-shooshooting s’ya nung role ng priest, sumisigaw ‘yung bata na ‘Mali ‘yan! Dapat nauna ‘yung Bible bago ‘yung cross,” Meily narrated.
The kid, according to the director, was dictating which candles should be on and was even commenting on Tom’s costume.
The boy told them he was a sacristan and that his grandmother works in the parish.
“A week later, bumalik kami sa same location, when we were shooting there, we were looking for the little boy,” Meily said.
But the parish told them they had no sacristan named Luiz as all their sacristans are adults. They also did not have a parish worker who is a grandmother.
READ: Tom Rodriguez reveals video of alleged ‘mysterious boy’ in ‘Maledicto’ set
In another film location, Meily recalled another spooky incident.
“Ang hirap pabagsakin ng century stands, but when we were especially shooting at the Quezon Institute, out of the blue, ‘yung apat na century stands, bumagsak mag-isa. Kahit malakas ang hangin ‘di bumabagsak ang century stands, pero ito, bumagsak s’ya. And then about half an hour later, ‘yung pintuan sa adjacent room, natanggal dun sa hinge n’ya. So you really feel the negative energy, spirits, while we were shooting.”
According to him, they consulted real exorcists and possession victims before shooting the film.
Miles Ocampo and Inah de Belen, who portray possessed characters in the film, also admitted that they felt scared doing their roles.
“Sa ilang taon ko pong pag-aartista, ito lang po ‘yung pelikulang nagawa ko na pagod ako physically, mentally, spiritually,” confessed Miles.
“Nung una, nag-dadalawang –isip ako kung tatanggapin ko kasi exorcism, hindi ako ganun kasigurado kung magagawa ko ba s’ya.”
She pulled off the possession scenes by having a leap of faith in her skills to do the required acting chops.
“At siguro pareho kami ni Inah na laging may rosary sa harap para sigurado na rin.”
“Just me acting the scene, it’s very, very exhausting talaga,” Inah added. “Talagang ‘yung whole body weight mo, all the you have, kailangan mong i-release.”
To lessen her fear, she kept a rosary on her pocket.
“What I did para mabawasan ‘yung takot ko, I was given a rosary. So when I did the scene, nasa pocket s’ya ng hospital gown.”
Co-produced by Cignal Entertainment and Unitel, and directed by Mark Meily, “Maledicto” delves into demonic possessions and a believer’s test of faith. It will be showing in cinemas nationwide on May 1. — Videos by Kat Leandicho
Related videos: Jasmine Curtis-Smith on playing a nun
Miles Ocampo on playing a possessed teenager
Inah de Belen on portraying a possessed girl