Real Life Fiction and the Blurring of Boundaries

Piolo Pascual and Jasmine Curtis-Smith worked about a psychological drama during the pandemic

Reflecting the internal conflicts in an actor’s mind, conveying the sense of isolation felt during the pandemic, and opening doors for challenging psychological dramas in the Philippines are all descriptions of the film. Fiction from real life.

The film follows Paco, a renowned actor (played by real-life celebrity Piolo Pascual) who loses his self-esteem after years of being one of the most famous personalities of his time. When he decides to write, direct and act in his most personal project yet, his on- and off-screen muse Paula (played by Jasmine Curtis-Smith) becomes his crutch as he navigates both the real and fictional worlds.

During a press conference in Quezon City on August 21, Mr. Pascual said this role is a huge responsibility because it is something he has not played before – but also a recognizable responsibility that faces the life and existence of an actor sees.

The R-rated drama thriller, directed by Paul Soriano and shot during the height of the pandemic, also stars Epy Quizon as Paco’s strict but attentive manager, and filmmaker Lav Diaz in a small role as the truth-telling owner of an eclectic pawn shop.

Made at a time when no one knew what would happen the next day, director Mr. Soriano easily strikes a chord for the two actors. Mr. Pascual in particular saw himself in Paco’s character.

The main difference between the actor and the character, however, is that Mr. Pascual has learned to be in harmony with himself. “It’s hard to distinguish who you are, on or off camera. It happens all the time, because of course sometimes you’re too tired and your defenses don’t work. There are a lot of blurry moments, but you have to live with it and deal with it as much as you can because you have no choice but to be the person people expect you to be,” he said.

For Ms. Curtis-Smith, who has been consistently active in film and television for more than a decade, the intriguing script and the opportunity to act alongside Mr. Pascual made the project easy to execute. She described the challenge of Paula’s role as learning to “say no to your reality, but at the same time give it life as if it were not you.”

“I learned from Paula’s journey. When it comes to Paco and discussing her problems and boundaries with him, there are things that apply to me as an actor and that I can also use,” she said.

A PANDEMIC PROJECT
The film makes a case for what can be achieved with limited resources, with much of it set within the interior of a hotel where the characters stay.

“We filmed this for a few weeks during the pandemic. The entire hotel was locked, so we weren’t allowed to leave. It was actually so much fun because everything was limited, so we really had to focus on our characters,” said Mr. Pascual.

He added that despite the small team, everyone was fueled by the excitement of having work in the middle of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Ms. Curtis-Smith took the unique circumstances under which they worked as an opportunity to use method acting, something she has not done before.

“Before I could use different techniques or I didn’t really have to believe I was the character. But with this it was so easy for me to let myself become Paula because it was so close to reality and the proximity allowed us to work so closely with the material,” she said.

That said, none of the actors found the work difficult, with the main challenge being ‘getting used to shooting alone indoors’.

OFFERING DIFFERENT MARKETS
The film is just one of many in the current phase of Mr. Pascual’s career, in which he now has more freedom to take on a variety of challenging roles. Like his character in the film, method acting is his style, but also something to be aware of.

“The best work takes us to another place. I wake up every day wearing a different hat, so there is no choice but to move on,” he said at the press conference. “After I did that Mallari [a time-bending horror film revolving around a serial killer] My director kept telling me that you need to shake this off, do something, go on holiday. The next day I was ready to rehearse for a concert.

From Mrs Curtis-Smith’s side, who jumps off Fiction from real life to the local K-drama adaptation of Descendants of the sun was a welcome change. “I was really forced to stop playing this intense role of an actress and girlfriend, caught up in the emotions and existential issues of a man,” she said.

She is currently starring in the teleserye Asawa ng Asawa Kowhich has been filmed and broadcast for almost a year, making it “easy for her to part from that role.”

“The investment you make as a character is sometimes difficult to shake, because your body doesn’t know it’s not real. You have to consciously stop, put yourself in a mini therapy session and say, ‘You know what, this isn’t you,'” she explained.

Both actors come from playing antagonists in horror films – Mr. Pascual as the titular occult priest in Mallari and Mrs. Curtis-Smith as the deceptive Diwata In my mother’s skin. Now that they’re taking on a psychological drama, they expressed their appreciation for “less mainstream roles.”

“The pandemic has made me hungry for new roles and with the rise of streaming platforms you have different markets to tap into,” Mr Pascual said. “Some of the global access to content today makes it easier for us to choose the right project. You are no longer stuck with one genre, so we can explore different genres.”

Produced by TEN17P, Viva Films and Spring Films and distributed by Black Cap Pictures, it is rated R-16 Fiction from real life opens exclusively at SM Cinemas on August 28. — Bronte H. Lacsamana