Transit, Paul Soriano and all the rage

MANILA, Philippines - While Cinemalaya provided the seed fund of half a million pesos, a counterpart or “about 80 percent” was bankrolled by Paul Soriano, another relatively young director whose bread and butter is directing commercials. Soriano, who himself has made three films released in the past odd numbered years, says of his first film project as producer: “There’s no such thing as a perfect film, but Transit comes pretty close.”

The stars, as they say, seemed to have worked in their favor. Soriano met Espia middle of last year during a Cinemalaya convention where aspiring filmmakers were given a chance to pitch their respective storylines to some 30 prospective producers, a setup that Soriano himself described as “like speed dating.” When Hannah told her proposed story set in Israel, it was only Paul who bit – it turns out, he too had long wanted to be involved in or make a film about Israel.

“Credit must go to Hannah,” Soriano is quick to point out, adding that he helped flesh out the script and narrative with Hannah and another writer, and when the director just out of college said she wanted to join the Cinemalaya competition, Paul offered his all-out support, though admitting “it was a huge risk on my part” but what was important was that the story got to be told and people are given the opportunity to watch it.

Central still is story, he says, because without it the film would hardly stand. Always there should be a marriage between visuals and narrative, because too often has Soriano seen a movie with good visuals but tenuous story, or vice versa. It should all come together, and Soriano’s job as filmmaker or producer is to go and find the stories and facilitate the telling. Not lost in the mix is the Christian viewpoint: “If you believe and serve He will reciprocate,” he says.

Soriano is himself a slow worker when it comes to crafting together films, as it takes him a year and a half to two years to come out with a finished product. Transit, despite its controversial subject, was “embraced by the Israel embassy,” he says, and there are screenings scheduled in the Holy Land in November. The stringent immigration policy still stands, Soriano says, though now authorities are likely to take a second look, what with Transit making the rounds.

Our OFWs are an under-appreciated lot, the director-producer says, having observed the OFWs in Israel sending back home around 95 percent of their salary, keeping only the remaining five percent for their spartan existence.

And when he asked them if their money was being put to good use, the OFWs would reply they’ve done their part, oh yes, the kids are enjoying the new gadgets in the absence of a parent, what is Ceasar’s must be given to Ceasar, and what’s in the iPad must stay in the iPad.

The OFWs’ lives “turn 180 degrees” as they adapt to a new culture, and what thanks do they get? Transit effectively bridges the gap of ingratitude and apathy to the plight of OFWs, whose stories are still central in a country struggling to get its economy ripping and roaring.

Soriano is optimistic that Transit with all its accolades will get a favorable grade when it goes up for review before the Cinema Evaluation Board, which had given his third film “Thelma” an A in 2011. His inspirational film about a female runner from the province also reaped a number of awards, and which saw the director level up.

“People took me seriously afterwards,” he says, adding that his lead star Maja Salvador is getting her due with the film and TV projects she’s been cast in.

In 2007 was his debut film “The Journey Home,” about a truant padre de familia played by Soliman Cruz who wants to return to family after the death of his wife.

“He’s an underrated actor,” Soriano describes Cruz, the protagonist in the quiet Christian indie that also starred the director’s girlfriend Toni Gonzaga. “I’m thankful to Toni for her support in my first film,” he says, adding that was the only film they’ve done together so far, although they’ve collaborated in commercials.

In 2009 was the unheralded, obscure short, “Chasing Manila.”

On the drawing board is his own film about Israel, about an official in President Quezon’s time who helped save some Jews from the Holocaust, “it will be like my Schindler’s list.” The fourth film will be a modern biopic, the subject of which is presently not to be disclosed. In the research and planning stage is one about UFOs in the Philippines, for which he has done some initial field work in Mt. Banahaw.

“My favorite film as a child was ET,” he says. The UFO film will be a fusion of science fiction and folklore, with possible shades of the dark side.

For now, though, he won’t stop doing commercials, “they fuel my dreams.” His outfit Abracadabra on Bantikan Street, Makati finishes two to three ad spots in a month, and you wouldn’t believe the amount of work that goes into even a 30-seconder.

But with Espia’s Transit about to hit the international circuit, some form of rapprochement may be in order between art and commerce. His hat or kippah’s off to Hannah, whose father Mon also won for best music, the old geezer getting his due shortly before a storm with the name of his band blew into the country.       

Paul himself seems to be always on the road to Damascus, or Bantikan, which at least is better than nowhere. That is, however, not Toni’s voice coming out of the whirlwind to occasionally stop him on his tracks.