Film director Richard V. Somes is quite proud of his latest effort, “Topakk.”
He said, “Kakaiba ito. I think we were able to set a new benchmark pagdating sa action genre. I think bubuhayin nitong muli ang natutulog na action genre sa bansa. Ang gagaling ng mga actors ko dito. Bilib ako.”
“Kung ang gusto ninyo e kakaibang action, kakaibang kuwento, I want you to watch ‘Topakk.’ You will not be disappointed.”
“Topakk,” which is set to compete at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival, stars Arjo Atayde as a former military operative grappling with PTSD.
Said Somes, “Hindi lang basta action ito. We try to tackle mental health, kung ano ang pinagdadaanan ng taong may PTSD. Nandyan din ang tungkol sa korupsyon, so may social relevance.”
Note that Arjo’s performance in the film already captivated enthusiasts in Cannes; Locarno; and Austin, Texas.
Then there’s Julia Montes who steps into a gritty, action-packed role unlike any she’s done before, earning recognition for her versatility and emotional depth.
Both thanked the MMFF committee for allowing a slot for “Topakk” in the upcoming festival.
“Naikot na namin ang pelikula sa ibang parte ng mundo and I feel na deserve din ng kapwa natin Filipino na mapanood ang pelikula namin and for that I thank the MMFF for giving us a chance,” said Arjo.
“We didn’t expect to be here. We are very blessed to be given the opportunity to be here,” he added.
Julia maintained, “We worked hard on this, as in talagang buwis buhay nga daw e pero para sa amin worth it kasi ang ganda ng kinalabasan. I hope na marami sa ating mga kababayan ang makapanood ng ‘Topakk’ this Christmas.”
To reach out to more audiences, Nathan Studios’ Sylvia Sanchez decided to submit two versions of the film.
One was rated R-16 by the The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), while the other was rated R-18.
“Yung R-16 kasi necessary para makapasok kami sa SM (cinemas). Tapos R-18 doon sa mga hindi SM (cinemas),” Sylvia explained.
Produced by a powerhouse team – Nathan Studios, Fusee, and Strawdogs – “Topakk” opens in cinemas Dec. 25.
