Bituin Escalante’s role in Dustin Celestino’s Cinemalaya 19 entry, Ang Duyan ng Magiting, could be associated to a real public figure. The actress-singer is part of the film’s solid ensemble cast that includes Dolly de Leon, Agot Isidro, Miggy Jimenez, Jojit Lorenzo, Frances Makil-Ignacio, Paolo O’Hara, Joel Saracho and Dylan Ray Talon.
Ang Duyan ng Magiting is described by Cinemalaya as a “a collection of interwoven stories about life and violence in the Philippines, following a college professor, a university chancellor, a social worker, a police chief, two students, two mothers, and a lawyer.”
Bituin is Atty. Emy Gonzales, a lawyer who plays both sides.
“I play a lawyer, who used to be idealistic, but is now more pragmatic. She’s had so many years fighting for all the right things. And realizing doing that has never done anything for her country, she started doing things for herself. And I think ang dami sa atin ganun that we’re so disillusioned, all the decision-making we have only pertains to ourselves,” she told The STAR in an interview.
When asked about her approach to and inspirations for her portrayal, she said, “Kung ano ang binigay ni Dustin, kung ano yung nakikita ko dun sa script… parang ‘pag binasa ko siya, sino ba ang ganun? Sino ba ang dating abogado ng mga aktibista na naging parte ng administration?”
We’re leaving it to the viewer to watch the film and figure it out for themselves. But according to the synopsis, the story follows Jose, a student who informs his mother through a letter that he’s leaving home to discover why people join the underground movement. His decision reaches Michael, the chancellor at his university, who in turn questions Jose’s professor, Victor, if he has anything to do with the student’s decision. Shortly after, news spread that Jose is now missing and rumored to have been killed by the renegade Police chief, Gabriel Ventura. Victor sees this as an opportunity to prove his beliefs about nationalism and patriotism. He plots to murder Gabriel as a means to seek justice for his student.
“Yung mga characters ni Dustin, yung mga dilemma nila, puro grey area na ang sarap i- explore. Parang tunay na buhay siya sumulat,” she said.
It was also Dustin’s record as an award-winning writer — at least three First Prize awards at the Palancas — that became one of the primary reasons why Bituin gave the Utopia (2019) director her “immediate yes.”
So, while the actress, by her admission, is a “politicized animal,” she didn’t join the film because it was aligned with her politics or advocacies.
“It was selfish. It was all so selfish,” she explained why she took part in Ang Duyan ng Magiting, her second Cinemalaya outing after the first Cinemalaya Best Film, Clodualdo del Mundo’s Pepot Artista (2005). “(The reason was) just to sit down and feel how it feels to be working with all these people,” also referring to the cast primarily made up of acting veterans and stage stalwarts.
“Gusto ko yung pedigree ni Dustin, magaling siya sumulat. Gusto kong kasama yung makakatrabaho ko,” Bituin pointed out.
“(I immediately said yes) without seeing the material. It’s a bit scary in that sense. Whether pangit or maganda yung work process, I was looking forward to the work. To even sit in a reading and watch the process of a Frances Makil or even a Dolly de Leon — what it’s like to work with these people. I’ve worked with Frances, Dolly this is my first time. Si Paolo O’Hara, I’ve always been such a fan of his.
“I’ve never sat across from him at a reading and all of a sudden, I have him alone to myself, fleshing out scenes, ang sarap-sarap! Kasi kaming mga actor, reading lang, masaya na kami.
“To the very end, (Ang Duyan ng Magiting) didn’t even have funding, we would get P5,000 and then (get) costume and get props. Ganun siya ka hindi liquid. But the fact that you’re reading the material with the right people, kahit kung hindi kami natuloy, busog kami. Yun yung nangyari sa amin.
“And then you’re blessed with something this real,” she further said of the film, story-wise.
“When you read it, feeling mo, wow pareho ba sa politics ko or whatever, and then you’d realize, uy pare-pareho tayo, pare-pareho ang pinaglalaban natin, it’s all coming from what we believe is real. Kahit magkaiba tayo ng kung sino man mga pinili natin (even though we voted for different people), we all want the same things.”
Bituin, one of the actors who have always been vocal about socio-political views online, acknowledged that this side of her might make people think that she has an agenda for doing Ang Duyan ng Magiting. But she begged to disagree.
“It’s a very honest look but before we decide it has taken sides, watch it first. People who know my politics will say na ah, may agenda, na ito naman yung material na yan. Watch it kasi lahat kami ng gumawa ng pelikulang yan, medyo after hindi ka magpo-point ng fingers sa ibang tao. Ikaw talaga ang kikilatisin (you get to scrutinize yourself), your worldview, where you are morally situated, like wait, am I still on the right direction? You will be able to examine yourself.”
Ahead of the ongoing filmfest’s awards night come Aug. 13, Ang Duyan ng Magiting is already being touted as one of the strong contenders for the top honors. Bituin is grateful for the reviews and comments saying that they’re doing “important work” through the film. She also hopes that when people emerge from the cinemas, lessons are learned.
“I want people to be sober, we are so uncivilized already. Sa totoo lang, kailangan ng sobriety. So, for me, the film is a call for sobriety. Tama yan, ipaglaban mo ang gusto mong ipaglaban pero kailangan natin restraint. We need to count from one to 10 sa bawat kilos natin kasi kung away lang tayo ng away, wala talagang mangyayari sa atin. Kung nakikita lang natin yung sa atin, wala talang mangyayari sa atin.”