Lav Diaz, cast talk about their Venice Film Festival-bound film 'Phantosmia'

One filmmaker who is not a stranger to international film festivals is award-winning writer-director Lav Diaz.

This Venice Film Festival 2024, the multi-talented auteur will be back at the Lido for the eighth time with his latest film, "Phantosmia," which will be having its world premiere under the Out-of-Competition category Fiction section of the festival.

Filmed in black and white, the preferred choice of Diaz in recent years, the movie stars Ronnie Lazaro (Hilarion Zabala), Janine Gutierrez (Reyna), Hazel Orencio (Narda), Paul Jake Paule (Major Lukas), Arjay Babon (Setong), Dong Abay (Marlo), Allen Alzola (Laban), Heart Puyong (Nika), Mitzi Comia (Brando), Vince Macapobre (Michael), Toni Go (Aling), Lhorvie Nuevo (Dr. Valle), and Edrick Alcontado (Nelson).

It is about Hilarion Zabala's (Ronnie Lazaro's) mysterious olfactory problem that has recurred. A counselor/psychiatrist suspects it to be a lingering case of phantosmia, a phantom smell, and possibly caused by trauma, a deep psychological fracture. One recommended radical process to cure the ailment was that Hilarion must go back and deal with the darkest currents of his past life in the military service. Reassigned to the very remote Pulo Penal Colony, he must also confront the horrific realities of his present situation.

The prolific 65-year-old Diaz has already won several awards from the Venice Film Festival – Special Mention Award in 2007 in the Orizzonti category for "Kagandahan sa banwaan ning mga engkanto," Best Film Award in 2008 in the Orizzonti category for "Melancholia," Gold Lion Award in 2016 for Best Film for "Ang Babaeng Humayo," and Best Director Award in 2020 for "Lahi, Hayop (Genus, Pan)" in the Orizzonti section.

Known for his extraordinarily long movies, "Phantosmia" has a running time of 245 minutes or about four hours.

We were able to interview Diaz, Lazaro, Gutierrez and Orencio on the making of the Venice-bound "Phantosmia" and they shared with us the joys and challenges of making the movie, the significance of the film going to Venice, among others. La Biennale di Venezia will be held from August 28 to September 7.

Lav Diaz (Director, Writer)

Where did you shoot the movie and for how long?

We shot the film in the obscure but majestic town of Sampaloc, in the province of Quezon.

People must see and experience Sampaloc, please. It's one of the few places left in the Philippines that still has that true old Pinoy spirit. Yes, novo riches can be felt now, because a number of the inhabitants have had the privilege of having a family member working as a seaman, and they've built faux bourgeoise houses. Yet, there remains that sense of unscathed kalumaan (ancientness), the immaculate attribute of plainness in the way people still live.

Walk along its streets at daybreak and you see the folks lining up in the karenderyas (little eateries) or in their doors eating pansit habhab, the town's traditional food. The tasty and fulfilling Pinoy noodle is usually placed in a palm-size banana leaf and then consumed directly by using the mouth, the way Jimi Hendrix played his Stratocaster.

The river remains pristine, people swim and cool their bodies and heads there any time of the day; during fiesta and other traditional pasinaya (celebrations) and piging (parties), the banks of the river are full of joyful beings in their colorful dresses, the food is for everyone; local bands provide lively music. Walk 15 minutes in any direction and you'll be in the forest and the little lakes.

We made the film for four months and that is including the preparations or preproduction and post-production, which we also did there, in Sampaloc.

What made you decide to film this in black and white?

I always look at cinema in black and white because I was nourished by it when I was growing up; eight movies on weekends, all in high contrast monochrome, laden with scratches and dirt and cuts.

Black and white perpetually assume the role of gunita (memory) to me. It always transports me to the primal seasons and realms of my youth, when I would enter the universes of Chinese kung fu, spaghetti westerns, FPJ cowboy, James Bond, Samurai, and even, bomba films. I shall remain that kid, earnestly in awe of black and white.

What were the challenges you encountered while making this film?

It was both a struggle and a bliss, so to speak. Making cinema carries these contradictions. Troubles would always come without warning and these distractions are not that easy to solve oftentimes.

For instance, when an important role is given to a popular actor, and then, suddenly, he or she quits, without warning, too; it can destroy the whole setup.

In the case of "Phantosmia," the producing company, withdrew its support (the fund!) when the actor quit the week when we were supposed to start shooting, and it was Christmas, you'd feel sad and bad for the film workers. There'd be no Noche Buena for their families.

Good thing, good souls, true, true generous souls, saved the day for us. Paul Soriano, Mark Victor and Bianca Trinidad openly helped us. Salamat!

Why is the Venice Film Festival special to you?

Venice has been like a home; a generous home. They've shown seven of my works in the past years; and now, "Phantosmia."

They've given our country, the Philippines its Golden Lion ("The Woman Who Left") and the Orizzonti Best Picture ("Melancholia").

The festival gives Philippine cinema that space, the chance to be part of the greater community and greater discourse of cinema.

This year, I just want to go fishing there, if ever I will attend; but doing the fishing the ancient way; how we Maguindanaoans go fishing along the banks of the great Alip River of my childhood.

I'll also try to find the mysterious old blues guitarist that I encountered in a dimly lit street near the main port. I walked way past midnight during the time when we premiered "Siglo ng Pagluluwal" ("Century of Birthing") and I felt some primal call via the sweet sad tone of a nylon guitar from what looked like the underbelly of the Lido. And I saw him, the old man, alone, his eyes always closed, not minding me sitting by the dirty pavement near him. By the third song, I left, blinded by my own tears. Venice has got the blues, too.

Janine Gutierrez (Reyna)

Please tell us how significant this movie is for you and going for the first time to the Venice Film Festival.

The story of "Phantosmia" is beautiful because, for me, it shares themes of redemption and persistence. Going to the Venice Film Festival with a Filipino film has always been a personal dream of mine and I've tried my best to work hard and make good choices that will lead me there. I feel so ecstatic to be part of a film that will premiere there.

Tell us how you got the role and your audition process.

It was quite last minute. I had wrapped another film with Direk Lav a few months prior. I worked with Ate Hazel in our series, "Dirty Linen," and I told her how much I wanted to work with her and Direk Lav in their films. I just feel so blessed they gave me a chance. We shot a film in June of last year and then started on "Phantosmia" in December.

Is this your first time working with Lav Diaz? How was it working with Lav? Were you familiar with his work?

Yes, of course, I'm familiar with Direk Lav's work and a fan of his immersive storytelling and how he presents our Filipino issues through the art of cinema. Working with him is exciting because, in my experience, I sign on without really knowing much. So, I discover more about the character each day as the script arrives.

Sobrang saya kasi kami-kaming mga nasa cast, sabay sabay nag aaabang sa mangyayari and we try to guess where the story will head, but Direk Lav's narratives are always unexpected and even better than what we imagined. Parang pamilya sa shoot at masaya kahit ano pang mabigat na tema o eksena ang kinukunan.

What were the challenges of filming this movie?

For me, portraying a role that had to do with a lot of trauma and how this trauma manifests internally and physically. I tried my best to give justice to Reyna.

Tell us about your character and how you relate to her.

Reyna is a girl whose mother sells her body to men around the village. She just yearns to be free and escape. I can relate to her in the sense that there have been times in my life where I felt stuck—not to the extent of Reyna—but the feeling of being trapped, in whatever it may be, is something everyone can relate to.

How are you preparing for your first Venice Film Festival? Is this also your first international festival?

I've been very lucky to have other projects be part of festivals, but this will be the first one that I will be able to attend.

What do you look forward to on this trip to the Venice Film Festival?

I look forward to watching our film! I haven't seen it and I'm excited to see it. I look forward to reuniting with the team, Direk Lav, Ate Hazel and Tito Ronnie! And watching other films. And maybe seeing other actors I look up to!

Ronnie Lazaro (Hilarion Zabala)

Talk about the significance of this project for you and how you got the role.

First of all, this is a Lav Diaz film. Lav is very popular if not famous in the international film circuit. To have played the lead and be part of the Venice Film Festival, representing our country is such an honor.

When you receive an invitation from Lav to be part of his film you don't ask any more questions you just do it.

Will you be going to Venice, and have you been to the festival before? What are you looking forward to in Venice and at the festival?

I have been to several international film festivals because of the films that Lav and I did.

Our last one was in Istanbul in Turkiye with the film "When The Waves Are Gone."

Venice is on my bucket list. Would love to be there.

To be part of an important film by Lav Diaz should be more than enough but the bigger picture is to be able to promote Filipino films in the international market.

Please tell us more about your role and how you can relate to your character.

This is one of the reasons why I love working with Lav.

If others go out on the streets to protest, Lav does it by making films that concern social values and their deterioration, issues about distorted history, and its psychological effects on the nation and its people.

The very long war in Mindanao in the past was terrible. It was insane; it bothered me a lot while growing up in Negros. I feared that the war could spill over my island.

And during this very dark period of Mindanao, Lav was there witnessing the horrific scenes of the brutality of the blood of death.

With this background, the character that Lav painted for me was just right. But he added a feature that eventually will complete the picture. The message Master Sergeant Hilarion Zabala will be suffering from a condition called PHANTOSMIA.

You have worked with Lav Diaz before. Please tell us how it was working with him in this movie.

"Rock'n roll 'tol." This is what Lav would often say after giving us his instructions and directions. And I would still be surprised coming from the many soaps I do on TV how his filming method is: One Angle One Shot No Cut To Cut.

Maybe because he is a vegetarian that's why the set is relaxed. The chosen staff and crew are the same. They also are actors.

What were the challenges of making this film?

We were able to arrange my schedule impeccably traveling back and forth from Manila to Sampaloc, Quezon. Thanks to Hazel Orencio, our producer who made the balancing act of transporting other actors including great theater actors from Tanghalang Pilipino.

What was the best part of making this movie?

Attending the Venice International Film Festival, the opportunity to tell our story and to promote the Philippine film industry.

Hazel Orencio (Narda)

How significant is this project for you?

Like most of our films, creating a new film is always a rollercoaster ride. This project was almost scrapped but thanks to Lav's determined filmmaking spirit, nothing could stop him from filming. And seeing the output being on the list of the Venice Film Festival, I am one proud mom to yet another film that will represent the Philippines in the world cinema.

Will you be going to the festival? What are you looking forward to in the festival and in Venice?

I am most likely to go but let's see if we will be given a travel grant. I am still processing our papers. I look forward to meeting old friends and acquaintances at festivals: critics, programmers, Lav's fans, etc. But mostly, I look forward to how Lav is always received in Venice.

You have worked with Lav Diaz before. How was it working with him in this movie?

It's always the same for the past 13 years that I have worked with him. It's always a magical collaboration. There were lots of setbacks, especially in the beginning and now, here it is, at the Venice Film Festival, no less.

What were the challenges of making this movie?

This project was almost scrapped, leaving me in anxiety last year. It was the Christmas season. My team was looking forward to this project; I didn't know how to tell them that the project would not push through then.

But Lav was just insistent and kept on, his creative juices outpouring. Nothing can break his filmmaking spirit. It was just so infectious that one after the other, help came, actors committed to doing this even if they were on Christmas break, and everything fell into place.

Can you please tell us more about your role and how you can relate to your character?

My role is Narda, the bad mother to Reyna (played by Janine Gutierrez).

How was it working with Janine Gutierrez and Ronnie Lazaro in this movie?

Ronnie has always been one of my favorite Filipino actors. It is a pleasure for me to be able to act with him.

With Janine, I always thought she wouldn't be game to work with us with our different kind of shooting setup: small crew, no shooting tents, no generators, 4-6 working hours only.

Of course, she's one of our nation's top actresses. But she said she was game, as she approached me one time in "Dirty Linen" set (where we worked together), so I thought, sige. Might as well let her try. And she was really game!

No diva demands, she slept well, she blended with my team, she didn't have any assistants. She is very down to earth. And she delivered very well.

So, I have nothing but big respect for Janine as an artist and I am very happy for her as the new addition to Lav Team.

What was the most memorable part of making this movie?

For me, it's the rocky beginning, when I really didn't think the project would still push through. I had to stay strong and look tough even though I cried when no one, especially Lav, was looking.

Just the thought that I have to break the news to my team that the project is off breaks my heart. But may sa engkanto yata si Lav? Because suddenly, things fell into place. Magic. And now, it will premiere in Venice. Now I'm only crying happy tears.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News