After experiencing her first horror film project last December in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry Shake, Rattle, & Roll: Evil Origins, Francine Diaz returns to the big screen with love team partner Seth Fedelin in their romantic comedy project She Who Must Not Be Named which opens this month.
The 22-year-old actress enjoyed their shooting days so much that she wished it had lasted longer.
“Yung experience of doing this movie actually, para siyang kumabaga naging pahinga namin eh. Kasi nung ginagawa namin ito, meron din kaming isang show na ginagawa at the same time. Eh ang bigat din ng story dun. Actually, first rom-com namin ito. And ‘yung sa akin, mas tina-try ko iklian ‘yung mga experiences na gusto ko sabihin. Parang sana nga, mas medyo humaba pa ’yung samahan namin para mas nakabuo kami ng malalim na friendships, siguro mas madaming chika, ganun. And lahat kasi ng nasa pelikulang ito, mapa-artista man o nasa likod ng camera, lahat pinaghirapan ito. Lahat naghirap dito, lahat pinagpuyatan ito, lahat binigay ‘yung 101% nila. And sana ‘pag pinanuod niyo ‘yung She Who Must Not Be Named, sana hindi ‘yung basta kami lang. Sana ma-appreciate niyo ‘yung hirap pagdating sa paggawa ng film,” Francine said during the She Who Must Not Be Named presscon held last April 22 in Quezon City.
READ: FranSeth, proud to join the MMFF for the first time: ‘Hindi lang kami basta nagpakilig!’
With Franseth releasing their romantic genre film ahead of the release dates of other love teams this year, Francine clarifies there is no competition between them and fellow love teams from ABS-CBN like JMFyang and DonBelle.
“Kapatid namin ‘yung mga ‘yun sa sarili naming network, sa aming mother network. At sa ngayon, mahirap gumawa ng pelikula, sa totoo lang. Ang nakikita na kasi halos ng karamihan, ang resulta. Pero ‘yung paghihirap kada eksena — bago pumunta sa set, bago mag-roll — sobrang daming nangyayari in terms of sa itsura, sa lines, sa mararamdaman lalo,” she said.
Francine believes that the industry can hold space for all of them, and encourged moviegoers to support everyone’s hard work.
“Sabi ko nga, it’s summer love. Kasi ngayong summer, mga romantic movies at iba’t ibang genre ng pagka-romantic. We have the rom-com, the best friends to lovers, and meron namang sad na story. And ‘yung para sa akin lang po, actually sa aming dalawa (ni Seth), sana suportahan natin ‘yung mga pelikula na ‘yun. Kung papanuorin din ninyo ‘yung pelikula namin, (sana) ‘yung mga susunod din naman — ‘yung kay JMFyang at saka ‘yung sa Donbelle din — kasi malaking bagay din po ito lalo na sa film (industry) natin, sa sining ng mga Pilipino. Kaya buhayin natin ang sinehan. Suportahan natin ‘yung mga pinaghihirapan din na magagandang pelikula ng mga Pilipino,” she stressed.
READ: Francine Diaz on doing a horror film for the first time: ‘Binigay namin ang lahat namin dito’
Although there is pressure to perform well at the box-office, the She Who Must Not Be Named star is confident that their film is worth watching inside the cinemas.
“There’s a pressure but it’s a good kind of pressure kasi alam naman natin ‘yung estado sa sinehan ‘di ba? Halos lahat nag-aabang na lang na maipalabas sa cellphone or kung saang online streaming platform. Pero merong tatlong pelikula na ipapalabas at galing sa atin, gawa natin. Nakaka-proud po ‘yun ah,” she added.
She Who Must Not Be Named stars Seth Fedelin and Francine Diaz. Also part of the cast are Bobby Andrews, Ruby Ruiz, Raven Rigor, Kych Minemoto, Elijah Alejo, Kaleb Ong, Abdul Raman, Lady Martin, and Bernadette Allyson. Executive Producers are Armie Fernandez, Owen Fernandez, Wilson Tieng. Directed by Christopher Novabos.
She who Must Not Be Named opens in cinemas nationwide starting April 29, Wednesday.