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John Lloyd Cruz thankful his new film, ‘Moneyslapper’ will have world premiere at QCinema
After playing police investigator Lt. Hermes Papauran in last year’s three-and-a-half-hour long “Essential Truths of the Lake” by Lav Diaz, John Lloyd Cruz is back to doing another off-beat character, this time for Bor Ocampo’s “Moneyslapper,” which will have its world premiere at the QCinema International Film Festival.
“Madami nang pinagdaanan ang pelikulang ito, nagpapasalamat na lang ako at maipapalabas na (This film has gone through a lot and am just thankful it will be finally shown in theaters),” Cruz told GMA News Online in a recent phone interview.
Based on QCinema’s teaser summary, “Moneyslapper” is the story of Daniel (Cruz), who leaves his hometown Porac in Pampanga province after “a life-changing lottery win.”
Ahead of its premiere, Cruz’s fans have shown excitement in seeing him back on screen in a two-hour long film. A commenter in one of Cruz’s official fan pages wrote: “Idol, mainstream naman!”
Those who’ve followed Cruz’s career path as film actor know he has stopped doing big mainstream film outfits in the last seven years. His last and possibly the closest to a mainstream film was Erik Matti's "Honor Thy Father," where Cruz veered away from being a romantic lead and opted for an anti-hero character.
Since then. the actor has been collaborating with Diaz and other auteurs whose works are more recognized in major festivals in Europe like in Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, Vienna, Rotterdam, among others.
Cruz has done about seven films with Diaz, which most of them holding their Philippine premieres at QCinema. These films also had a minimum of three-and-a-half hours, with the longest running for seven hours.
Which makes "Moneyslapper" is a little different. Besides being shorter in length, the new movie features Cruz's major creative inputs from the development of the script to choosing actors for the film, working closely with Ocampo.
In a separate interview, Ocampo told GMA News Online that their passion project started as early as 2016.
“As what John (Lloyd Cruz) had told you, the making of the film has been a struggle for all of us,” Ocampo said.
He said Diaz was very helpful in the creation of their recent magnum opus. Diaz actually played a significant character in “Moneyslapper: a missionary-preacher that's "a bit edgy," Ocampo said.
“Mikee Dela Cruz, who was my former line producer and who I am still truly grateful for, has worked for Lav as part of his crew in Sine Olivia. So Mikee was instrumental in connecting me with Lav. Eventually, si Direk Lav ang tulay sa collaboration namin ni John (Lav was the bridge between John Lloyd and I),” he added.
Ocampo is known for directing acclaimed films with socio-political themes like “Dayang Asu (Dog Nation)” for Cinema One Originals in 2015 and “Hitboy” for CineFilipino in 2018. For “Dayang Asu,” which he was also credited as scriptwriter, he was awarded best director.
In the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival, his entry “EJK” won Best Short Film.
He told GMA News Online the original script for ‘Moneyslapper’ was given to him by fellow Kapampangan filmmaker Jason Paul Laxamana as early as 2016.
“He gave me the script that he wrote and told me I should be the one to direct it. He also gave me the freedom to expand the concept. He did that because he said his priority at the time was to make commercial films,” Ocampo said.
“I held auditions but no one, even well-known actors, seemed to fit for the character of Daniel. Until John (Cruz) came in, everything fell into place. He had a lot of creative inputs that I appreciate very much and eventually, he suggested a co-scriptwriter to develop the story,” added Ocampo.
Cruz told GMA News Online he immediately agreed to do the film after reading the script, give or take some revisions.
A common friend, writer-editor Erwin Romulo, suggested the Sydney-based Norman “Iwa” Wilwayco, who did two revisions. Wilwayco is known for his groundbreaking novel “Kung Paano Ko Inayos ang Buhok Ko Matapos Ang Mahaba Haba Ring Paglalakbay (How I Fixed My Hair After A Rather Long Journey)” that he adapted in a screenplay of the same title.
In December 2018, the two did a short film, "Magiliw (Gentle: A Carnage By The Land Of The Rising Sun)", "as part of getting-to-know-each-ther process," Ocampo shared.
Everything was put on hold when the Covid-19 pandemic happened, but in early 2022, Ocampo and Cruz decided it’s time to do the film.
“We started shooting in May. There’s still the pandemic and so many restrictions, health protocols, but we forged on,” Ocampo said.
Cruz was responsible for bringing in co-lead stars with big names in the industry like Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Charlie Dizon. Both Cruz and Ocampo felt veteran actor Ronnie Lazaro should also be part of their film.
“Moneyslapper” has a powerhouse cast of acclaimed theater and film actors like Susan Africa, Joel Saracho, Jojit Lorenzo, Mae Paner, May Gosionco, Gaye Angeles, Apollo Abraham, Malou Crisologo, Timothy Castillo, Mai Fanglayan, Adrian Cabido, Rox Lee, Mercedes Cabral and Jay R. Escandor.
Though the film is credited as collaboration between Cruz’s Dumpsite Gallery and Ocampo’s Plan B Productions (a different entity from Brad Pitt's production company of the same name), Cruz said his contribution has been more on the creative side.
Ocampo also acknowledged their “angel funder,” named GQ Patawaran, who "initially didn't want to be acknowledge at all in the film."
Despite finishing the film in 2022, there were still some hurdles that Ocampo and Cruz faced, which they both requested not to mention. It was enough frustration for Ocampo who decided to take a break from the industry and go back to his hometown in Pampanga and take up farming again.
“Mga one-a-and-half years, I took a rest until John called me up, sometime middle of this year. He told me to submit it to QCinema. He was enthusiastic in telling me it’s time to show this to the Filipino audience, no matter what,” he recalled.
"Moneyslapper" was given an R-18 rating by QCinema, which came as a surprise for both of them, but which they both decided to accept.
“Hayaan na natin kung yun ang napagdesisyonan nila. Mahirap naman i-antagonize (yung rating) kasi ginagawa lang naman nila yung trabaho nila. Yun ang nakita nila. Mahirap man gumawa ng pelikula sa sitwasyon natin ngayon. Nag-struggle ang industriya. Kung anuman ang natapos namin (sa Moneyslapper) ang audience na ang mag-de-decide. Kumbaga may sarili na syang buhay. Mahalaga mapanood na sya,” Cruz told GMA News Online.
(Whatever they’ve decided, let them be. It would be difficult if we antagonize the rating because I understand they are just doing their job. That’s what they saw. Though it’s hard to make films these days, in our situation here in the Philippines. The industry is still struggling. Whatever we came up with in ‘Moneyslapper,’ the audience will decide in the end. The film has a life of its own. What’s important is people will have a chance to see it.)
Ocampo said he still hopes the film could be shown in regular theaters nationwide after QCinema.
Produced by Paralaya Studios in cooperation with Plan B and Dumpsite Gallery, “Moneyslapper” is an entry in QCinema’s Asian Next Wave category.
It will have the following screening schedules: Gateway Cineplex 12 on November 9 at 5:20 pm (gala w/ Q&A); Trinoma Cinema 1 on November 11, at 5:10 pm; Shangrila Mall Cinema 3 on November 15 at 6:50 pm; and at Gateway Cineplex 15 on November 17 at 2:25 PM (block screening).
— LA, GMA Integrated News
