At first glance, one would think “Alapaap” incoherent.
It’s as if film director Fred Cortez is trying to cram everything into your head all at once.
But is he really?
The film follows several filmmaking students as they journey into a remote part of the country eager to capture a tribe of uncivilized people in the raw for their thesis.
Along the way, they dabble in illegal drugs, among other forms of debauchery.
The whole thing will end tragically.
Asked as to what exactly it is that he is trying to convey, Fred explained, “Mainly it’s about how some filmmakers sell lies as truth.”
“But at its most basic, it is simply about the blurring of lines between fantasy and reality,” he added. “It is as such that when you watch the film, you will also feel the confusion, the paranoia of the film characters.”
Note the whole film is actually producer Brillante Mendoza’s idea.
The award-winning filmmaker explained it is his attempt to honor the film of the same title released in the 80s.
Brillante shared, “Para kay Direk Tata Esteban ito at sa kanyang ‘Alapaap.’ Isa si Tata sa mga iniidolo ko and what we did basically is to do a contemporary take on his film.”
Note the original “Alapaap” is about a young writer’s journey into the mystic, propelling his creativity through drugs.
Some of the actors who appeared in the original version including Tanya Gomez and Isadora, were also present and accounted for in Brillante and Fred’s iteration.
Starring Josef Elizalde, Kat Dovey, Angela Morena, Andrea Garcia, Ali Asistio, Chesca Paredes, Alona Navarro, Chad Solano, Luke Selby, “Alapaap” streams on Vivamax, Nov. 18.
