Alden-Gaza issue: Enragement is engagement

The Alden Richards-Xian Gaza brouhaha has turned into a trial by social media. Enragement is engagement. So, even if content creator Xian apologized for crossing the line, he already got what he wanted. As for Alden, the issue does not diminish his worth as a true gentleman.

Just like many of my colleagues in the biz, I can vouch for how genuinely kind Alden is even when there are no cameras around. His actions speak louder than any Facebook post that maligns him. As one of my fave quote goes: “Be kind to all so even when someone speaks ill of you, nobody will believe it.” That could very well be Alden’s life mantra.

White noise fades, the echoes of kindness remain.

Derek Ramsay celebrates the joys of fatherhood in Disneyland with his adorable daughter, Lily

Derek Ramsay on co-parenting

Derek Ramsay is still on a high after he celebrated the joys of fatherhood in Disneyland with his adorable daughter, Lily, who turned two. They were accompanied by his cool mom and dad. As for co-parenting with Ellen Adarna, Derek said, “We put aside pride and our differences and focus on what’s best for our Lily.”

They are on the right track. The best gift that estranged parents can give their child is to honor the memory of the love that brought them together once-upon-a-time, even if it did not lead to happy-ever-after.

Darryl Yap’s 1st horror film

Director Darryl Yap makes his foray into horror in ‘VHS (Viva Horror Stories),’ which is part of ‘SINE SINDAK: The 7th Cycle.’

VIVA

If you stay stuck in your comfort zone, it can turn into a danger zone. The danger of stagnation. That is something direk Darryl Yap will never allow to happen. So, he makes his foray into horror in VHS (Viva Horror Stories). It’s showing exclusively at SM Cinema as part of “SINE SINDAK: The 7th Cycle” from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. Tickets are priced at P100 only.

The three-in-one horror anthology is top-billed by Sarah Lahbati, Kit Thompson, McCoy de Leon, Ella Cruz, Sachzna Laparan and my amiga, Isay Seña, in a special role. Each episode title is so thought-provoking: “Dasal-Horror of Indifference,” “Spoiled-Horror of Affirmation” and “Hiling-Horror of Standards.” Yet another masterpiece from a filmmaker who has bottomless creative juices.

Here’s my chat with direk Darryl:

What was the toughest part about your foray into horror?

“The toughest part is to keep the humor away. I always tend to gravitate toward the absurd, and it’s quite challenging to resist the temptation to make people laugh when they’re supposed to be terrified. But then I realized that the absurd and the horrifying are actually close relatives. Sometimes, the only difference between a comedy and a horror story is whether you’re the one laughing or the one being laughed at.”

What do you think Filipino audiences are most afraid of, and does VHS play on those fears?

“Filipino audiences are most afraid of being judged, being exposed and being left behind. We’re afraid of ghosts, but we’re more afraid of what our neighbors might say about us. We can survive a haunting, but a scandal is a different story. In the Philippines, even the dead have to worry about their reputation. VHS plays on those fears, but it also asks a more uncomfortable question: What if the thing we’re afraid of isn’t the monster in the room, but the person sitting beside us?”

Has making this film changed your understanding of fear as a storyteller and as a person?

“Definitely. I used to think fear was about the things we couldn’t explain. Now, I think it’s also about the things we understand perfectly well but refuse to confront. As a storyteller, I’ve learned that you don’t always need to invent a monster. Sometimes, you just have to tell the truth and let people recognize themselves. As a person, I still have fears. I’m just less interested in pretending that they’re always supernatural.”

You labeled the three episodes as ‘Horror of Indifference,’ ‘Affirmation’ and ‘Standards.’ Among the three types of horror you named, which is the hardest one to live with?

“‘Affirmation’ is the hardest one to live with. It’s difficult to live just to get the approval of others because you eventually lose the ability to distinguish between what you want and what people want you to want. You become a prisoner who keeps asking the audience if you’re allowed to leave. The irony is that the more desperate you are to be liked by everyone, the less likely you are to become someone worth remembering. And the moment you finally get everyone’s approval, you might discover that the person they approve of isn’t even you.”

After all the controversies you’ve weathered, what could possibly scare Darryl Yap now?

“The only thing that could scare me is the thought of becoming so afraid of controversy that I eventually stop being honest. Controversy doesn’t frighten me as much as irrelevance does, and irrelevance doesn’t necessarily mean people have stopped talking about you. Sometimes, it means you’ve become so predictable that nobody has anything left to say. I’d rather be criticized for saying something than celebrated for saying nothing. Besides, I’ve learned that people can forgive a lot of things, but they rarely forgive someone who gives them nothing to talk about.”