BY NESTOR CUARTERO
JUST A THOUGHT: Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. – John Wayne
SHORTER HOURS: If there’s one thing Jake Cuenca is most thankful for in this pandemic time, it is the shortened number of hours during filming.
The TV-movie actor, known for his versatility in both lead and character roles, says shooting under the new normal has afforded more leisure hours for actors and crew.
“There are no more long, extra hours on set. We finish work much earlier than we used to. Everyone cooperates with health protocols, and there’s discipline, too,’’ Jake told us in an online mediacon last week.
SITSIT: The actor topbills “Scorpio,” one half of a twinbill called “Sitsit,” a set of back to back horror stories.
“Sitsit” is about two souls who opt for the easy way out, attracting evil elements that manipulate them.
“Scorpio” tells the story of an old photographer (Dido de la Paz) who drinks a mysterious potion that turns him into young handsome Jake Cuenca.
IVANA’S FIRST: “Aswang” is headlined by Ivana Alawi, cast as a prostitute desperate to escape her abused life.
She, too, turns to the devil to reach her goals.
In Filipino mythology, “sitsit” or “pssst” echoes calling out to a person with an accompanying negative vibe. An omen.
The two horror flicks provide a dark twist to Filipino folklore elements “aswang” and “gayuma.”
STREAMING: “Scorpio” is directed by Ato Bautista, while “Aswang” is directed by Erin Pascual.
Paulo Avelino co-produced “Aswang.”
Catch “Sitsit” on iWant.
