Mamasapano film set to retell SAF 44’s heroism in November

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who is an avowed film aficionado, merely wished then he could venture into producing only one film “before I die” and that would make him tick one box in his bucket list.

Hence in 2019, Topacio announced he would bankroll the production of the real-life Mamasapano case involving 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF), who suffered gruesome death in Maguindanao in 2015.

Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told is Topacio’s commitment to the families of the SAF 44 members who died in the clash. He stood as the legal counsel for the families.

However, the pandemic delayed the filming of Mamasapano. Instead, the Claudine Barretto-Mark Anthony Fernandez reunion film, Deception, became another project that merited the maiden production of Topacio’s Borracho Films. The screen reunion was streamed on Vivamax last January.

More recently, Topacio showed Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told to a test audience in a special screening in Baguio, with Mayor Benjamin Magalong in attendance. In the film, Magalong will be played by Edu Manzano, who has some “uncanny resemblance” with the Baguio City mayor, as joked by Topacio.

Others in the cast of the true-to-life film are Aljur Abrenica, Paolo Gumabao, Rey “PJ” Abellana, Jojo Alejar, Jojo Abellana, Juan Rodrigo, Rez Cortez, Allan Paule, Ritz Azul and Myrtle Sarroza. At the helm is Lester Dimaranan.

Early this year, Mamasapano finished its principal photography and Topacio planned that after the post-production, the film could be released last June. Recently, however, he announced the retelling of the deaths of SAF 44 soldiers, will have its theatrical release in November, before the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2022.

“It has crossed my mind to make Mamasapano part of the filmfest, but it might not be in line with the season because it’s too gruesome,” Topacio admitted. “As the song goes, ‘‘Tis the season to be jolly.’ But the film is a bit depressing. If you watch it, it will make you cry.”

“We are also talking to an international distributor for foreign showing of Mamasapano,” Topacio disclosed. “Running time is an hour, 40 minutes.”

From an early age, Topacio was influenced by his dad, former Cavite senior provincial board member and three-term city councilor Arturo Topacio, Jr., to really love the movies.

“My father used to bring me to all the movies,” Topacio recalled. “Our local films are just as good, if not better, than Hollywood. When I was younger, I watched the films of Erap (Estrada) and Nora Aunor’s Super Gee.”

“I watched Darna of Ate Vi (Vilma Santos). Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang with Lolita Rodriguez even Uhaw na Bulaklak of Alona Alegre. I watched Edgar Mortiz singing onstage with sampaguita leis up to his neck given by his fans,” he added.

A film buff since he was a teenager, Topacio has over 2,000 titles in his collection in his home theater, including the classics and silent films. The Birth of a Nation (1915), films of Akira Kurosawa, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He even has the first films made by Lumiere Studios in France.

“I’m an artist,” Topacio beamed. “I sing. I write. The movies are ways to express yourself. If you want to reach someone’s mind, write a book. If you want to touch someone’s heart, make a movie.”

Topacio was very hands-on with the first two films that he produced. He got the knowledge on what to do from Viva Films big boss Vic del Rosario. In fact, he is meeting with Boss Vic to lay down their distribution plan for Mamasapano.

“I wanted to learn the ropes,” Topacio acknowledged. “From the time the shooting started until pack-up, I was there in every location, every day. Through hell or high waters, sun or rain, dust or soil, cornfield, rice field, grass, cockpit arena, I was there. I learned a lot in making a movie.

“Even the technical aspects were very valuable for me. I initially thought shooting a film was merely easy. You simply have to know the camera angles, shout action, then make the stars act, that’s it,” he continued. “A scene that takes three minutes of screen time took half aday of preparation alone. It’s not easy to make a film. Once you see the final product, it’s very satisfying. I also understood the plight of the movie workers. After the shooting, I readily pay the crew. I focused my attention on the workers, that they get paid right away.”

As a feisty lawyer who handles big and controversial cases, Topacio learned the value of “persistence, endurance, patience” and he applies those things in his everyday life.

Topacio also recently tried his hand at managing talents. His first recruit is erstwhile beauty contestant Heartney Martinez, who will make her film debut in One Dinner a Week. The 20-year-old talent will also appear in a Vivamax-produced project. She signed a two-picture contract with Borracho Films.

Topacio has not given up on his dream project, Thy Kingdom Come: The Pastor Quibuloy Story. In fact, he is meeting with Quibuloy sometime this week. He wants to start the initial talks before a script can be done.

Another project in the wings is The Poor Boy from Lubao about former Pres. Diosdado Macapagal. “That will be a challenging period piece,” said Topacio.