For writer-director Richard Somes, it was the innate power and strength of Charlie Dizon that made her the perfect lead for his psychological horror film ‘Near Death.’
An entry to the sixth CineSindak Film Festival, ‘Near Death’ tells the story of Julia (Dizon) who survived an attempt to take her own life. She was then brought to the place of her younger sister Mia (Xyriel Manabat) to help her recover mentally. However, Julia finds herself haunted by mysterious souls urging her to redo her attempt and join them in the afterlife.
‘She’s a powerful and strong actress,’ Somes said of Dizon’s acting prowess when interviewed by reporters during the film’s premiere night.
‘[‘Yung ‘Near Death’], hindi siya ‘yung horror na may jumpscare (‘Near Death’ is not a horror film that focuses on jumpscares). I believe in a horror story, dapat ang bida mo should be tormented and tested – and I think that Charlie is one of the few actresses who could bring that onscreen,’ he continued.
For her part, Dizon said that while doing ‘Near Death’ was physically and mentally exhausting, it was nonetheless fulfilling because she knows how much the film meant to Somes.
‘Ilang beses ko sinabunutan at sinaktan ang sarili ko. Ibang klaseng pagod ito. Noong [nakuha ko ang offer], umoo agad ako. Hindi ko pa nababasa ang script, kinuwento pa lang niya, umoo na ako,’ she said.
(There were a lot of times when I pulled my own hair and hurt myself. The exhaustion I had was different. When I got the offer, I immediately said yes. I hadn’t read the script; Richard Somes only told me about the story, but I said yes right away.)
Life after death
While Somes is known by many as a filmmaker with a straightforward approach to the action genre, he explained that ‘Near Death’ talks about the questions he had about death and what happens after.
‘It’s like coming back to my roots. it is a spiritual journey toward the afterlife. It’s a question of is there life after death and kung meron, ano ang magiging experience mo. I, myself, since childhood, I’ve been asking that. It’s a psychological horror film because it deals with a challenging premise because it deals with what’s happening right now,’ he said.
The writer-director also shared that he grew up as a ‘Catholic boy in church,’ where the topic of suicide has always been taboo. ‘Lahat tayo, may iba’t ibang takot. What I discovered about Filipinos is that they fear sin.’
‘Takot kayong magkamali kasi baka parusahan tayo. It’s a haunting challenge,’ he continued, seemingly noting that many religious people consider suicide as a sinful act. ‘That’s what I’m exploring sa istorya na ‘to. Ayokong mag-preach what is right and wrong.’
(We’re all scared of different things. What I discovered about Filipinos is that they fear sin. We’re all scared of making mistakes because we might get punished. It’s a haunting challenge. That’s what I’m exploring in this story. I don’t want to preach what is right and wrong.)
Staying on the topic, Somes believes that there is life after death. He also hopes that people need to ‘be kind to everyone else’ as a way of taking care of one’s mental heatlh.
‘I really believe that there’s truly life after death, a Supreme Being, and what we fear is not what it seems all along,’ he said. ‘I just want to show what is worth discussing. On a spiritual context, you need to follow the Scripture but on a moral standard, but may mga bagay na kailangan mong gawin (there are things you have to do).’
Joining Dizon and Manabat are RK Bagatsing, Soliman Cruz and Lotlot de Leon.
The sixth CineSindak festival runs from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4 at SM Cinemas. Other films included in the lineup are Kristian Gatto’s ‘Hidden in the Dark,’ Joe Lam’s ‘The Fetus,’ Michael Caissie’s ‘No Tears in Hell,’ David Charbonier and Justin Powell’s ‘Push’ and Luciano Onetti and Nicolas Onetti’s ‘1978.’