Arzen Rose Dulzura

Sylvia Sanchez unaffected by MMFF awards night controversy: ‘Bahala sila!’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

<p>Even before the issue of the Metro Manila Film Festival awards nominees and awardees came to light, there was already the question of the uneven distribution in the number of cinemas allocated to show the ten competing entries. Sylvia Sanchez, whose company Nathan Studios produced the action flick <em>Topakk,</em> admitted it would be ideal if all films got equal chance to exhibit and be accessible to a wider audience. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DEFSkLryYcn/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A322321.2999999523%2C%22ls%22%3A215275.29999995232%2C%22le%22%3A216507.09999990463%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="802" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" 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></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDtpxHyJLFa/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A300652.2999999523%2C%22ls%22%3A215275.29999995232%2C%22le%22%3A216507.09999990463%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="746" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" 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></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>“Magka-pare-pareho lahat kahit sa Mindanao, equal sa lahat ng sampung pelikula para kung meron mang comparison, i-co-compare man lahat, laban laban kasi pare-pareho. Pero hindi kung hindi pare-pareho ng dami ng theaters, huwag nang ikumpara. And higit sa lahat naman, at the end of the day, business is business. Yun ang iniisip nila. Prerogative nila. Bahala sila.</p><p>&quot;Imbis na mag-dwell ako sa sama ng loob, mag-dwell ako sa negativity, dun na lang ako sa pagtutok ko kung paano ko ipo-promote yung pelikula, kung paano ko aasikasuhin yung mga artista ko na deserving asikasuhin lahat kasi ang gagaling nila. So yun na lang, positive na lang. Kasi naniniwala pa rin ako dun sa word of mouth. Pag maganda ang materyal mo, papanuorin yan kahit anong mangyari,” she told the press before the MMFF Gabi ng Parangal held last December 27 at the Solaire Resort in Parañaque City.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DD7OMrjS12L/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A277772.1999999285%2C%22ls%22%3A215275.29999995232%2C%22le%22%3A216507.09999990463%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" 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></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>The talented actress and producer clarified that she is not interested in stirring up more controversy at the film festival and would rather focus her energies on promoting their first film offering.</p><p>“Explain ko lang kasi baka may lumabas na intriga. Wala talaga. Yung film fest, sama ng loob? Bahala sila diyan (laughs). Basta ako, umaayos kami. Lumaban kami kahit 38 lang ang cinema namin. Lumaban kami. Tapos ngayon nga daw, puno na naman (yung mga sinehan). Kasi nasabik yung mga tao sa action. Kung kulang (yung cinemas) sige, prerogative nila yun. Sila yung may-ari di ba? Wala tayo magawa nun. Hayaan mo na. Eh di laban. May word of mouth naman. Actually kumakalat na maganda sa nadadagdagan. Nakakatuwa,” she added. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEG7zy5yhhi/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A240760.69999992847%2C%22ls%22%3A215275.29999995232%2C%22le%22%3A216507.09999990463%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" 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></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>On top of all the good feedback, Sylvia sai that the biggest compliment is the clamor to add more cinemas showing <em>Topakk</em> as the year ends.</p><p>“Nadagdagan naman kami ng sinehan kahit konti. Nadagdagan kami. The mere fact na nadagdagan kami, ibig sabihin may nagkakagusto at saka dyosko, para sa akin na baguhang producer, ang daming puri, ang daming positive comments. Ang dami talaga. Nakakatuwa yun. So nakaka-inspire yun.</p><p>&quot;Imbis na malungkot ako na parang ay, huwag na ako sumama kasi hindi fair, ah basta bahala kayo basta ang alam ko, pag sumali ako sa Metro Manila Film Festival kailangan maganda materyal ko, kailangan magagaling artista ako, at next time I’ll make sure talaga, ngayon action di ba? Next time alam ko na kung ano labanan, bata. Oh di bata naman tayo next time di ba?” she shared. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DD1UYw9p1Mb/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A216520.59999990463%2C%22ls%22%3A215275.29999995232%2C%22le%22%3A216507.09999990463%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="638" 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></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>During the MMFF awards night, Sylvia admitted that her only goal when it came to awards was to clinch the Best Float from the parade.</p><p>“Ay merong isa! Pinangarap ko talaga yun. Sabi ko talaga sa director ko gusto ko manalo nito. Yung best float (laughs). Yun talaga. Pero yung manalo ng kung anu-ano dito, best picture, best actor, best actress, bahala na yung mga judges. Bahala na ang Diyos kung ano ibibigay niya sa amin. Basta ako, masaya na kami na nakabuo kami ng ganitong klaseng pelikula. At hindi lang naman dito ito, galing naman ito sa ibang bansa. Pinalakpakan, hinangaan ng ibang bansa. Yun pa lang, trophy na ng Nathan Studios yun.</p><p>&quot;Isa lang sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘Direk, gawa tayo ng float at gusto ko manalo ng Best Float!’ Nooon, sumali ako sa Metro Manila Film Festival, ang dami ng tao sa float. Kaya sabi ko balang araw, mag-po-produce ako, gagawa ako ng sarili kong film na kung saka-sakali, pipilitin ko talaga, papangarapin ko na mananalo ako. At sa gabing ito, natupad ko (laughs). Maraming salamat. Best Float talaga gusto ko mapanalo na ako mismo ang nagpagawa. Thank you direk Richard Somes sa napakatalino na nagawa mong float!” she said. </p>

<p>'Topakk' producer Sylvia Sanchez explains why she will always be confident in their project doing well despite the uneven number of theaters showing the MMFF entries.</p>

'Topakk' producer Sylvia Sanchez explains why she will always be confident in their project doing well despite the uneven number of theaters showing the MMFF entries.