September 28, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Allen Dizon is no stranger to playing very dark roles.
In filmmaker Jay Altarejos’ “Guardia de Honor,” the award-winning actor portrays Eddie Boy, an abusive, trigger-happy policeman who faces a reckoning from those who are “dearest” to him.
Despite the unsettling nature of some of the characters he has played, Allen doesn’t need to agree with their actions to play the role effectively. However, he acknowledges that Eddie Boy might be his darkest and most twisted character yet.
“Gumaganap lang kami bilang artista; nasa director na rin kung ano ang gusto niya ipalabas sa film,” he explained.
When asked how he detaches himself from such intense roles, Allen said he takes a no-frills approach. “Wala akong ritwal, wala akong ginagawa. Pag-pack up, parang yun na ang magic word na, ‘O, kailangan normal na ulit,’” he said.
Laurice and Allen play mother and son in the film that premiered in the Philippines via last month’s Cinemalaya. A local theatrical run is being planned.
He added that if the role still weighs on him after filming, he’ll unwind with a shower or a drink. He also turns to sports and socializing in his hometown. “I destress through playing basketball, tennis, spending time with friends in Pampanga. Ayaw ko mag-stay sa bahay (nadala dala yung bigat),” he shared.
Nevertheless, Allen agreed that there are times when the intensity of the scenes lingers even after filming wraps. “Minsan kahit nasa kotse ka o nasa bahay ka, naaalala mo pa din iyong ginagawa mo,” he shared.
“Kailangan mag-move on ka. Ihiwalay mo yung character mo dun sa totoong ikaw.”
Director Jay Altarejos gives instructions on set to Allen and Teri.
Thankfully, having been in the industry for years now, Allen has learned how to set boundaries between his on-screen roles and who he is in real life.
“Maybe that’s our talent as actors — we’re able to set aside our real lives when we play a character,” he said.
Meanwhile, veteran actress-director Laurice Guillen, who portrays Allen’s mother Mamang Anita in the film, found the story of the family in “Guardia de Honor” as “real and peculiar.”
“It’s the family in a situation that’s dark because it involves crime and guilt,” she said.
According to Laurice, her character’s journey was all about protecting the family’s honor. “For the family to preserve its honor, it has to hide the dishonorable things,” she noted.
The film touches on deep moral conflicts, especially for Laurice, who admitted to being somewhat bothered by certain scenes as a Catholic. However, she clarified that her role was not about endorsing those actions but rather depicting the journey of a mother trying to keep her family intact despite their deep, dark secrets.
She said, “I’m not Mamang Anita at all. I’m very clear about my choices but I was depicting a role and my performance was in the context of what it is in the mind of the director.
“It’s modern in the sense that he (Jay) chose to do it this way. I was dealing more with, as an actress, trying to make clear what is going on in the mind of a mother,” she further explained.
“It’s probably more a Greek tragedy… that she puts an end to the cycle of evil. She was the one that paid for the whole thing.
“I don’t judge the roles I play but as I watched this, I would learn, as a lesson, that it is not the way to do it,” she stressed.
“Guardia de Honor” is loosely based on real events, particularly the viral news in late 2020 about a shooting incident in Tarlac, where a policeman killed a mother and son following a dispute.
Direk Jay said that the movie’s black-and-white treatment was intended to help the audience focus on the story and performances. “In the absence of colors, mas nakaka-focus sa kwento and performance, no matter how subtle it is. Yun ang gusto natin iparating sa treatment na yun,” he said.
He further admitted that given its dark and heavy themes, “Guardia de Honor” was a difficult film to make.
“When I write, I write with urgency,” Jay said. “Meaning, I was able to make it within 10 to 15 days, but I already knew the story.”
“Nung pinapanood ko, mabigat pa rin siya. I’ve seen a lot of abuses from families, people I know. Mahirap gumawa ng ganung pelikula,” the director added, revealing that he had several emotional breakdowns during the production process.
Nevertheless, he was surprised but grateful that the MTRCB rated “Guardia de Honor” R-13. The film held its Philippine premiere last month during the 20th Cinemalaya film festival. A theatrical run is being planned.
On a more personal note, Jay mentioned that part of the film’s inspiration came from his own mother and his observations on the way she protected her children.
“Rightly or wrongly, iba ang pagpo-protekto ng Nanay,” he said.
Looking ahead, the director’s planned next project would somehow draw inspiration from his father, who was the one who introduced him to cinema as a kid.
“He died when I was young because he was a soldier,” the filmmaker shared. “So, whatever images I have of my father, yun ang gusto ko i-kwento. The stories I made because you left early —something like that.”
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