Director Joel Lamangan, Fresh From Giving International Acting Awards To Jackie Woo & Natalie Hart, Now Makes Another Socially Relevant Film, 'Bhoy Intsik'

 DIRECTOR JOEL LAMANGAN was just honored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts with an Ani ng Dangal Award for his movie “Tomodachi (Friend)”, which won the best foreign language film and best musical score awards at the Madrid International Filmfest and the best actor award for Jackie Woo in London. His other movie last year, “Siphayo”, also won the best actress award for Natalie Hart in New York. He has now just finished a new movie, “Bhoy Intsik”, with Raymond “RS” Francisco playing the very challenging title role. It will later be entered in film festivals abroad and we won’t be surprised if RS would also win acting awards for his performance. How did Direk Joel conceive of the project?

“It’s based on the true story of a gangster in Cavite City, where I grew up,” he says. “He’s now dead but during his time, kilalang-kilala siya roon. Matagal ko nang gustong gumawa ng movie sa lugar na kunsaan ako lumaki at I'm happy I was able to shoot ‘Bhoy Intsik’ there in its entirety. Naipakita ko yung buhay ng mga tao roon na nakatira sa isang barangay sa loob ng sementeryo. At naipakita ko rin doon yung tapunan ng basura na malapit lang sa dagat. Ayokong-ayoko roon kasi nakakasira ng environment and I’m glad I was able to show it in the movie.”

How did he get RS Francisco to play the title role? “I’ve worked with him before on TV and nakita ko rin yung work niya sa theater. When his name came up, I thought bagay siya sa role and when we talked to him, I said siya ang gaganap na ‘Bhoy Intsik’, hindi siya makapaniwala. Baka hindi raw niya kaya magbida kasi puro supporting roles lang ang ginagampan niya before. First time ko rin makatrabaho ang co-star niya rito, si Ronwaldo Martin, and at first, kinakabahan ako, but they both turned out to be very good, very professional. The movie is about small time felons in this time of extra-judicial killings, so very timely rin ang pelikulang ito, napapanahon.”