Filipino-Chinese actress Rebecca Chuaunsu won Best Actress for her role in Her Locket at the 2024 Wu Wei Taipei International Film Festival. The prestigious award was presented to her on Sept. 1 during the ceremony held at the Westar Theater in Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan.
Rebecca served as both the producer and lead actress of the film, which was directed by J.E. Tiglao and inspired by her family’s story.
Her Locket follows Jewel Ouyang, a former Chinese actress struggling with dementia. As Jewel unravels her past through an old locket, she confronts her brother in court to reclaim her stolen inheritance. The film explores themes of familial conflict, loss, and the power of forgiveness.
Following its international success, including Rebecca’s Best Actress awards at the 2023 Festival International du Film Transsaharien de Zagora in Morocco and the 2024 Wu Wei Taipei International Film Festival in Taiwan, Her Locket made its Philippine debut at the Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2024.
Tiglao, who co-wrote the film with Maze Miranda, described it as “a restorative story of women who choose not to be silenced.”
During a press conference, Rebecca revealed that the idea for the film had been on her mind for over three decades, inspired by her father’s will.
“This story was inspired by true events when my father wrote his last will and testament. It has been on my mind for 32 years, and during the pandemic, I told myself that if I didn’t produce this story, I wouldn’t live,” Rebecca shared.
“So, during the two pandemic years, I went through 26 diaries of my mother and six diaries of my father and discovered inheritance issues. I knew then that I had to produce this story,” she continued.
Although she initially planned to cast someone else, Rebecca ultimately took on the role of Jewel herself and conducted extensive research on dementia to ensure an authentic portrayal.
“I was scared because I don’t have dementia myself. So, I researched and interviewed many dementia patients, who are my aunties and my older sister. They didn’t know I was researching them,” Rebecca stated.
“It was a very difficult role because I haven’t experienced dementia. When I started interviewing my aunties and older sister, it hit me that maybe it will happen to me one day,” she added.
When asked what she learned from portraying a character with dementia, Rebecca told Manila Standard Entertainment that she gained a greater understanding of people suffering from the condition.
“What I’ve learned is that we need to be more compassionate. We cannot judge people because of their weaknesses or greed. We have to view things from their perspective,” the actress said.
She hoped the film would increase awareness and empathy for those with dementia.
“Well, I hope that after watching the film, there will be more concern for people with dementia because it’s an illness they did not ask for,” Rebecca emphasized.
Produced by Rebecca Chuaunsu Film Production in cooperation with Rebelde Films, Her Locket also stars Elora Españo, Boo Gabunada, Zoey Villamanca, Benedict Cua, and Francis Mata, among others. The film was showcased at the Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2024 from Sept. 4 to 8.
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