DIRECTOR ROMAN PEREZ JR., known as Vivamax cult director for his hyperkinetic films spiced up with ubiquitous scenes of unabashed sex and unbridled violence, comes up with another sensual and provocative movie.
This is ‘Litsoneras’, which is unique as the whole movie is set inside a “litsunan” where they roast pigs. It will start streaming on July 28.
The film is really so “baboy” as the opening scene alone shows pigs being killed as they are about to be “lechoned”.
Won’t animal rights groups protest against this when the usual disclaimer is that “no animals were harmed in the making of this movie”?
“We consulted Viva’s legal department about this,” says Diek Roman. “Naging maingat kami and they guided us.
"They say that the law says kung yung baboy, pinapakitang killed in a slaughterhouse then being consumed, then it’s okay.
"Ang masama, kung yung hayop basta pinapatay brutally on screen without any reason.”
Where did he get the concept for the movie?
“Actually, si Boss Vic del Rosario ang nag-suggest to come up something like the late Lino Brocka’s ‘Insiang’, which is really a classic,” he says.
“So we came up with this story of a mother and a daughter sharing the same man, with the lechon factory and its store as the setting.”
But that’s the only resemblance.
In “Litsoneras”, the mother, Minerva (Jamilla Obispo), is an OFW in the Middle East who breaks up with her husband, Eloy (Joko Diaz), after she learned that he had an affair with another woman.
She feels so betrayed as it’s her who gave him the capital for their lechon business.
They have a teenage daughter, Elria (Yen Durano), who resents her mom for being an absentee mother.
Minerva then returns home and lives in the litsunan with her estranged husband and their distant daughter.
She hires a new guy, Jonas (Victor Relosa), who turns out to be Minerva’s lover even when they were still abroad.
Soon, the randy Jonas is bedding both mother and daughter, leading to the obligatory Vivamax sex scenes galore.
But naturally, this will anger Eloy when he finds out about it, leading into the scenes of blood and gore.
The ending is particularly gruesome and will surely shock some viewers with its harshness and severe brutality.
The movie is quite well acted by the whole ensemble.
Joko Diaz shows how much he has improved in doing serious dramatic roles after being built up as an action star in 90s.
Jamilla Obispo looks so lovely on screen and sizzles as the OFW who falls for a younger man.
Both Yen and Victor are effective in their respective roles.
Direk Roman saw their potential when he directed them in an episode of the series “Sssshhh!”, titled “Guilt Trip”, with Yen playing a wife who enjoys watching her husband, Victor, doing it in bed with another woman.
“Pareho silang magaling,” adds Direk Roman.
“So when we were casting ‘Litsoneras’, I personally handpicked them and Boss Vic del Rosario approved it, saying, sige let’s give them a big break.
"And they both deliver, both have no qualms when they do nude love scenes and in their dramatic scenes, pareho rin silang mahusay.”
But he has to remind Yen in the scenes that Victor is abusing her.
“Okay naman sana, kaya lang, si Yen, malaking babae siya, so noong una, lumalaban siya kay Victor so I told her, huwag kang lumaban kasi kailangang kaawaan ka ng viewers dito.
"Si Victor, very intense actor at doon sa scene na binubugbog siya ni Joko, nagkagulong-gulong siya sa mga baboy at napapa-poopoo pa yung baboy sa dibdib niya, pero wala siyang reklamo. They’re both real troupers.”
Direk Roman is really the busiest Vivamax director nowadays. He has another film in the can, “Kamadora”, once again with Victor Relosa and Tiffany Grey.
His other projects being lined up are “Palipat-Lipat, Papalit-Palit”, “X Halo-Halo”, “Raphaela” and “Salakab”.
Two of his past films are entries in the coming Asian International Filmfest in Kuching, Malaysia: “Kaluskos” and “Sitio Diablo”. Good luck, here’s wishing you’d bring home the bacon.
