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Director Derick Cabrido talks about the challenges of making ‘Mallari

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Rhea Manila Santos

<p>Long before he took the helm of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival horror film <em>Mallari</em>, Derick Cabrido said he has always been drawn to the genre.</p><p>“I’ve been a fan ng horror ng matagal na. Sabi ko nga before, lolo at lola ko pa lang is lagi nilang pinapanuod sa bahay ang horror so I think it’s one of the reasons why kung bakit ako nahilig sa horror. Malaking factor din dun sa pelikulang<em> Mallari,</em> sa dami ng linalabas ngayong horror, kapag napanuod niyo kasi hindi lang siya one-sided horror. I think marami siyang levels. From supernatural to serial killer and then at the same time, psychological meron din siya,” he shared. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Qq5X-Lt3C/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=524&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A4695001.900000095%2C%22ls%22%3A4694575%2C%22le%22%3A4694996.8000000715%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="997" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2023/6/28/piolo-pascual-is-excited-to-do-his-first-horror-film-913"><strong>READ: Piolo Pascual is excited to do his first horror film: ‘I got stuck with mga rom-coms’</strong></a></div><p>In the film, the three Mallari characters (all played by Piolo Pascual) live in various timelines and are able to cross paths via their ability to travel back in time through their dreams.</p><p>“Nag-e-enjoy kasi ako mag-shoot ng horror. Siguro it&#x27;s one thing na in-enjoy ko yung work. And then kasi masarap naman katrabaho yung cast and yung staff so dumadali yung work for me. And malaking bagay din yung preparation namin sa pre-production and then the producer, si Brian (Dy) and Mentorque Productions was kumbaga binigay naman sa amin lahat ng kakakilanganin namin. When I said na kailangan ko ito for this particular scene or sa mga ganitong shots, pinagkakaloob naman. Malaking factor kasi yung masaya lang yung set. So that’s one of those things na nagpagaan nung work. Dahil masarap katrabaho yung cast at madali rin sila katrabaho. Light set siya. Good vibes ang isa’t isa eh,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2023/11/27/piolo-pascual-s-mallari-is-first-warner-bros-pictures-ph-film-release-1100"><strong>READ: Piolo Pascual’s ‘Mallari’ is first Warner Bros. Pictures’ PH film release</strong></a></div><p>With a film that has been more than four years in the making, direk Derick said they tried their best to research on the Philippines’ first documented serial killer, Father Severino Mallari.</p><p>“Madugo ang pinagdaanan ng script. As in it took us seven or eight drafts in 2018 so parang four years in the making yung material itself bago namin mailabas. Ang dami kasing butas ng research ng history natin kasi this is 1812 and wala tayong records eh. it’s another reason why we had to go to as far as kumontact from the Vatican and sa Spain. To see if there are court records doon about Severino Mallari. Pero hindi namin makuha, hindi mailabas ng courts. Nasa archbishop lang I think,” he added. </p><p>Working with lead star Piolo Pascual during their first day on the set proved to be the most challenging for the <em>Mallari</em> director.</p><p>“Yung day one ni PJ. Yung day one niya ay shinu-shoot namin ang ending. Day one ending kagad kaya gulatan. Sobrang nagulat si Piolo kasi dun na lang niya nalaman na kukunan na namin yung ending ng day one. Eh wala kaming choice kasi malaking factor yung prep at saka mas mahihirapan yung team kapag hindi namin kinunan ng day one yung ending. Kumbaga, dun lang talaga mag-sa-swak lahat, given na kung anong meron kami. So nung shinoot namin yugn ending niya at tatlong character kaagad siya, at linubog namin siya sa lupa at nilibing, dun siya sobrang challenging siguro,” he recalls. </p><p>When asked what he thinks sets his film apart from the other 2023 MMFF entries, direk Derick said he is especially proud of their multiple timelines and they were woven together in the film.</p><p>“Opinyon ko lang ito, malaking factor yung wala akong alam na pelikula natin na nagawa ng ganun na tatlo ang timeline na tinahi into one. It’s horror movie, it’s a social commentary, and then it’s the overall theme is love. Siguro yun yung isa sa mga laban ng <em>Mallari</em>. It’s everything that we were looking for. Ito yung pelikula na kapag pinanuod mo, lahat ng senses mo gagana. Kasi sinigurado namin yun sa pelikula. It’s also one of the reasons why ganun katagal yung materyal bago namin nailabas. We could’ve turned it into a material na sobrang dali but we want to offer something new na kapag nilabas niyo na, kahit anong mangyari, maaalala ang Mallari,” he explained. </p><p><em>Mallari</em> stars Piolo Pascual, Janella Salvador, JC Santos, Elisse Joson, and Gloria Diaz. Directed by Derick Cabrido and written by Enrico Santos. Produced by Mentorque Productions. Watch the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival entries until January 7, 2024 in cinemas nationwide.</p>

<p>'Mallari' director Derick Cabrido reveals his biggest challenge on the set with lead star Piolo Pascual.</p>

'Mallari' director Derick Cabrido reveals his biggest challenge on the set with lead star Piolo Pascual.

Director Derick Cabrido talks about the challenges of making ‘Mallari’: ‘Sobrang nagulat si Piolo!’

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Director Derick Cabrido talks about the challenges of making ‘Mallari’: ‘Sobrang nagulat si Piolo!’

Rhea Manila Santos

Published Dec 29, 2023 04:04 PM PHT

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MMFF

Derick Cabrido

Piolo Pascual

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