AZI ACOSTA has two new projects with Vivamax.
First is the four-part mini-series “Secret Campus” written anddirected by Joey Reyes.
Her second project is the movie “Call Me Alma”, written by Ricky Lee and directed by Mac Alejandre which was shown as part of the recent Cinemalaya.
"Secret Campus" starts streaming this Sunday, August 27, while "Call Me Alma" on Friday, September 1.
“I’m happy to be given the chance to work again with Direk Joey Reyes kasi the first time I got to work with him, I was a total newcomer and I played a small role in his mini-series ‘An/Na’,” she says.
“Since then, I’ve done a lot of other movies so now, I feel I am more experienced as I play a lead role in ‘Secret Campus’ where I appear in the first episode.”
What is her role in the story?
“I play Myra, an orphan raised by my Aunt Rosita, played by Erlinda Villalobos,” she says.
“Pinalaki niya ako but now, bedridden na siya and she wants me to stop going to school to be her personal caregiver.”
Myra knows she owes a debt of gratitude to her aunt for raising her, but she also has her own plans.
“Gusto ko talagang makatapos ng pag-aaral and then go work abroad.
"Kaso, wala na siyang pampaaral sa akin so I have to earn money on my own. And to finance my studies, I resort to soliciting men sa internet.
"Pinapapunta ko sa bahay namin and I entertain them sa room that is next to my aunt. Hindi niya alam, may milagro palang nangyayari sa room ko.”
She has a regular boyfriend in the story, Rommel, played by Clifford Pusing.
“Siempre, hindi ko pinapaalam sa kanya kung paano ako kumikita para sa pag-aaral ko. But eventually, he will find out about it leading to some sad consequences.”
She says her episode delves into the issue of “utang na loob”.
“Tinatanong nito: porke ba ikaw, pinalaki ng isang tao, kailangang buong buhay mo, ipagkaloob mo na rin sa taong yun bilang pagtanaw ng utang na loob?
"Very Pinoy yan kasi I have met young people who felt na retirement plan sila ng magulang nila.
"Noon, nakitira ako sa isa kong tiyahin at lagi niyang pinamumukha yun sa akin, Hindi ko lang nabaligtad yung niluluto ko, sinampal agad ako.”
Direk Joey Reyes says all the stories in “Secret Campus” are based on real life experiences of students who shared their real life encounters in secret websites on the internet.
He says the fourth episode is about a student from the province who gets a scholarship in Manila and has a hard adjusting to life in a big city. This is Eunice, as played by Angela Morena.
“Tahimik lang si Eunice,” says Angela. “Dahil wala siyang kaibigan sa Manila, she just keeps to herself.
"Kapag kumakain siya, mag-isa lang siya so she eats her baon sa loob ng ladies room. Habang nandun siya sa loob ng isang cubicle, pumasok si Hayley, ang campus queen bee played by Armina Alegre.
"May kasamang lalaki, si Clyde, boyfriend niya played by Victor Relosa, at nag-sex sila.”
The couple realized later that Angela is there and witnessed their sexual rendezvous.
“Dahil dito, na-threaten si Hayley even if I said I’d keep silent about what I saw.
"Para masigurado nilang hindi ako magsasalita, inutusan niya si Victor na kidnapin ako at pina-molest ako sa two guys na bini-video nila para pang-blackmail sa akin.”
But it turns out Angela’s character, Eunice, is not the type who will just take things sitting down.
“Yes, gaganti ako,” says Angela. “They think tatahi-tahimik ako but I will give them a very harsh revenge na hindi na nila malilimutan.”
Going back to Azi, in "Call Me Alma", she plays the title role, a whore who has three regular customers.
These are Mon Confiado as a lawyer who wants him to be her only client, Josef Elizalde who is a premature ejaculator, and Gold Aceron as a teenager obsessed with her.
Also in the cast is Jaclyn Jose as Shiela, Azi's long lost mother.
