She is Elora Españo, known for her remarkable performances in Tandem (2015), Sea Serphant (2017) and GomBurZa (2023). This actress proudly represented our country at the recently concluded Cannes International Film Festival. In our exclusive chat with Elora, she still expresses amazement when recalling her moments on the Cannes Red Carpet.
“Sa totoo lang (To be honest), it was overwhelming and surreal. I had mixed emotions. Siyempre (Of course), super grateful na kasama ako sa pelikula ni (to be part of the film of) Direk Arvin at nakapasok kami sa (we managed to get into) Semaine de la Critique,” she said.
“Grateful din ako sa mga taong tumulong sa akin para makalipad tulad nalamang nila (I am also grateful to the people who helped me to soar, such as) Atty. Joji Alonso, Alfred Vargas, Direk Sonny Calvento, Aktor PH, Meisner Studio Manila at maraming marami pang iba (and many more). At the same time, Cannes experience was also humbling. Kahit nakatungtong ka na dun dahil sa dami ng tao at sa laki ng festival, parang ang liit pa ng ambag ko para sa sining (Even though you’ve stepped into that place because of the crowd and the size of the festival, it seems like my contribution to the arts is still small). It makes me feel I want to give more by telling more stories, sharing my experiences and uplifting more Filipino filmmakers.
“Nandoon kami ng castmate ko na si Ross Pesigan para sa pelikulang Radikals na in competition sa short film category ng (We were there with my castmate Ross Pesigan for the film Radikals, which was in competition in the short film category of) Semaine de la Critique at the Cannes Film Festival,” she added.
From the Cannes red carpet, Elora proudly says that being a bit player was her entry point into the industry.
“Nag-umpisa din ako sa pag BG talent at extra. Ginawa ko ito habang estudyante palang ako sa UP Performing and Theater Arts. May mga na-experience akong power tripping at di magandang pakikitungo sa akin dahil nga unknown naman kasi ako. Kaya na-realize ko na in this industry (I also started as a background talent and extra. I did this while I was still a student at UP Performing and Theater Arts. I experienced power tripping and bad treatment because I was unknown. That’s why I realized that in this industry), always be kind and respectful sa mga tao despite their position or age or status. Ayokong ma-experience ng kapwa ko ang naranasan kong di maganda. Dito ko rin natutunan to always have boundaries especially in showbiz. Akala ng mga tao pati personal life mo ay for public consumption din. Dapat hindi (I don’t want my fellow actors to experience the bad things I went through. This is where I learned to always have boundaries, especially in showbiz. People think that even your personal life is for public consumption, but it shouldn’t be). That is to keep your sanity in this industry. And yes, boundaries din sa ating mga kababaihan kasi meron at meron ka talagang mae-experience na pangbabastos minsan. At importante din for me to always hone your craft na siyang sinasabi ng mentor ko na si Ms. Angeli Bayani. Dahil nag-eexpand ang kaalaman ko, nag-eexpand din ang kamalayan ko bilang tao, mas nagkaka-kumpyansa ako sa sarili ko kaya mas nagkakaroon ako ng creative freedom (Boundaries are also important for us women because we will inevitably experience harassment sometimes. It’s also important for me to always hone my craft, as my mentor, Ms. Angeli Bayani, says. As my knowledge expands, my awareness as a person grows too, and I gain more self-confidence, which gives me greater creative freedom). Just be yourself. ‘Di mo kailangan manggaya ng iba (You don’t need to imitate others). You have your own unique identity and that is enough,” she added.
With close to 10 years of experience in acting, Elora is thankful for all the blessings that have come her way.
“Thank you Lord talaga! For me, it’s a mix of choice and blessing. Kasi minsan may mga bagay na kahit gustong gusto mo ay di talaga para sa ’yo at meron ding mga bagay na kahit di mo pa hinihingi ay binibigay na sa’yo. Nasa sa ’yo na kung paano mo iha-handle ito (Because sometimes there are things that, no matter how much you want them, are not meant for you, and there are also things that are given to you even without asking. It’s up to you how you handle these),” she said.
And given the chance, would this actress be willing to dive into mainstream ‘masa’ projects?
“Why not! It’s a matter of having opportunities naman e. Tsaka para sa akin, pang masa naman ang lahat ng pelikula kung paano lang siya ima-market sa masa nag-kakatalo. Take for example, Kita Kita (Also for me, all movies are for the masses, it just depends on how they are marketed to the masses. Take for example, Kita Kita),” she said.
Elora also reveals the three best actresses on her list with whom she wants to share scenes.
“Nora Aunor. Gusto ko siya ulit maka-work kasi ang saya-saya niya kasama at ang sarap niya magluto ng Bicol Express. Siyempre, isa sa paborito kong pelikula ay ang Bona. This time, gusto ko maka-eksena siya ng mas matagal (I want to work with her again because she’s so fun to be with and she cooks Bicol Express deliciously. Of course, one of my favorite movies is Bona. This time, I want to have longer scenes with her).
“Si Hilda Koronel rin kasi sobrang enamored ako sa kanya sa Insiang, sana magkaroon siya ng comeback at kabilang ako sa comeback na iyon (Hilda Koronel because I was so enamored with her in Insiang, I hope she makes a comeback and I’m part of that comeback).
“Si Vilma Santos kasi gustong-gusto ko siya sa Ekstra, as in nakaka-relate ako ng malala kasi pinagdaanan ko rin yun. Gusto kong matuto mula sa kanilang tatlo, punong puno ng wisdom ‘yun (Vilma Santos because I really liked her in Ekstra, I relate to it so much because I’ve been through that too. I want to learn from these three, they are full of wisdom),” she shared.
