Indulgence

Lost and Found

The Cardigans from Been It (written by Nina Persson and Peter Svensson)
Baby, I was your whore
Who could ask me for more?

I was sitting in the balcony area of theatre 1, I think, of Robinsons Galleria watching my first ever film being previewed, nay! being premiered. I was squirming in my seat, nervously biting my finger nails and tapping my foot in absolute tension. It ended and I couldn't be happier.

Puso 3, a trilogy of 3 short films funded by the GMA Artist Center as a graduation gift to the graduates of the GMA Artist Center acting workshop features short films directed by the workshop instructors -- my Dad Peque Gallaga, theatre legend Xoce Topacio and the young and very talented Rahyan Carlos. Rahyan wrote the two other films -- Siklo and Kulam and directed the latter. My Dad directed Lost and Found which I wrote. I've written tons of stuff for him but here it is, the first film that has both our names on it -- as writer and director. I'm extremely proud of it.

Of course, I was squirming in my seat because the film is the first in the trilogy and it's a comedy and after the first 5 minutes, there was still no laughter erupting from the audience. Did I fail as a writer? Was it only funny to me? What the hell was wrong? These questions disturbed my thoughts and I just wanted to die. But later on, I discovered that it was totally unexpected. Having been directed by my Father, people didn't know whether they were suppose to laugh or not, they felt they had to "respect" the material and were not expecting something completely left of center and off-beat and quirky. Finally, people began to loosen up at the latter part of our film and I relaxed. People liked it a lot and that's important to me.

I also forgot that I was an extra in the film, playing a character in a videoke when we ran out of extras and when I saw my face projected on-screen, enlarged, I just wanted the whole world to swallow me whole! I was so embarrassed. People commented on it and I had no idea how I was suppose to take it. I thanked them but left it at that. I really didn't know what to say and I was just really a quick referral for the character since we forgot to cast it at the start. It wasn't my film, in that regard, it was the graduates' film. I was just there to give them something to say, something to do and something to feel. I wrote this for them and it's their glory.

But I swear, the immense feeling of joy to see my name on that screen -- written by Wanggo Gallaga. Oh my God! I just wanted to stand up and shout "that's me!" It was just absolutely amazing. It was what I've been working so hard for these past 3 years. It's finally happened.

And to finally get to finish something with my Father. We've been wanting to work together for the past 4 years or so and we've done over 7 or 8 story-lines, 3 or 4 of them reaching full script form and it took us this small but very personal project to actual get it done. Wow! I'm both humbled and inspired by this experience.

So guys, if you have time, please go to Robinsons Galleria were they will be showing Puso 3 for a whole week. I don't know if you'll like it but I can promise you this -- it's honest work, it's was worked on with a lot of love and passion and if mine won't move you, I'm pretty sure the other two might make a dent.

posted by wanggo @ 1:20 AM