A musical for the times

We ardently hope the forthcoming film Nasaan si Hesus? will show many Pinoys praying as often as they can or as often as needed to help them improve their lives or get extricated from damning circumstances they are caught up in, sometimes up to their necks.

It is hard to understand why so many showbiz idols very freely mouth about how holding on to their faith have led them to fame and so much fortune, yet the narratives they star in and the songs they write and sing are about bitterness, despair, injustice and deaths are caused by the almost total lack of relationship with God. Recent films and TV series have been amorally glamorizing killers and crooks in the guise of artistry.

No characters in film and television narratives these days pray for their lives or for their souls — even when they are threatened with death in varying guises and intensity. All religions have silent and loud prayers for protection, for comfortable lives, and for salvation of the soul — and yet no characters in film and TV narratives are shown praying silently or aloud.

Vic Sotto is not in Nasaan si Hesus? but allow us to share a recent quote from him when asked in a media huddle about how he is handling his sudden unwitting involvement in a supposed forthcoming movie whose director released a teaser naming Sotto for alleged rape of the nymphet actor Pepsi Paloma decades ago.

“Trust in God. With God on your side, you can easily ignore those stress and trials. Tanggal lahat ‘yan (All those things will be removed). Kayang kaya mo ang mga pagsubok (You can handle all these trials) -- whatever it is, as long as you trust God.”

How we wish Sotto would intone those words in a movie. Or Vice Ganda. It could be the best reason any film top-billed by the transgender actor would emerge highest earner at the box office.

Bing Pimentel opus

Nasaan si Hesus? is actually a musical top-billed by Janno Gibbs, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Geneva Cruz, Rachel Alejandro, comedian Marissa Sanchez, The Voice Kids’ Gianni Sarita, Rachel Gabreza, a finalist in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” Season 1. They will be joined by about a dozen more performers from stage, recording and the big screen.

Nasaan si Hesus? began as a stage musical in the 1990s, written and directed by Nestor Torre, featuring songs all written by Bing Pimentel. The widow of Senator Aquilino Pimentel has gained the reputation of being “a natural composer,” all because writing songs seem easy for her though she did not study music at all. She was already composing songs even before she became the girlfriend of a brilliant young man who would eventually become one of the country’s most esteemed legislators and a senate president.

The play’s storyline is also by Mrs. Pimentel and the songs she wrote are for specific characters.

Before Nasaan si Hesus? Mrs. Pimentel, in collaboration with Torre, also came up with the stage musicals Cory, Huwag Pumayag sa Dagdag-Bawas, Pag-ibig sa Bayan and Buhay Isang Awit.

Cory is a biography of President Corazon Aquino, widow of the martyred Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, while Pag-ibig sa Bayan is about Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel. The senator was still around when the musical about his life was staged.

The script for the film is written by Dennis Marasigan who directed the musical when it was presented at the Cultural Center of the Philippines some years ago. The film version will not have exactly the same storyline as the stage musical. It will be shot this January in a village in Cavite built for filming purposes.

The screen narrative follows members of a Filipino community who have their faith and spirituality put to the test amid modern pressures and temptations.

Mrs. Pimentel, who switched her composer hat for that of a producer for the film, recalled at the media conference held at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, recalled that she wrote the songs for the play after the execution of convicted rapist Leo Echegaray in 1999, a time when “everybody was clamoring for the death penalty.”

“Nestor and I created a very simple story — the life of a family in this village, a young lady who finds out she is pregnant, a man cheating on his wife, and vote buying in their community. These are realities that we all experience in life,” Mrs. Pimentel shared.

“Because the teachings about faith are in the songs, it’s not a hard sell. That’s the power of music. If you look at the movie and watch the movie and begin to ask yourself kung nasaan ba si Hesus at kung anong klaseng Kristiyano ako (where is Jesus and what kind of Christian am I?), the movie is already successful.”

Mirror for ourselves

In the film, a family is at the center of the story. Alejandro portrays caring housewife Brenda; Hidalgo plays the philandering husband Roger; and Gabreza delineates the pregnant daughter Cindy.

They are joined by Cruz as the generous nun Sister Remedios, Gibbs as a priest, and Sanchez as selfish store owner Mrs. Varona.

Confided Cruz about her role: “Excited ako because I’ll be reconnecting with who I wanted to be when I was young, and that was to be a singing nun. Kailangan ko balikan ‘yung feeling na ‘yon and paglalaruan ko (I need to go back to that feeling so I can play around with it) from there to create this character... ”

In real life, she has a 10-year-old daughter and a 28-year-old son from two separate relationships.

On the other hand, Marasigan revealed at the media conference: “It was in 2018 when we first started talking about this project. Before we could finish the script, the pandemic hit. ”

Once pandemic restrictions were lifted, they returned to the script and decided to make it more contemporary.

“Talagang nangyayari ang kwento ng pelikula. May eksena rin tungkol sa pandemic. Tungkol sa kasalukuyang panahon ang kwento. (It’s a story that we see in real life. There are even scenes about the pandemic, so it’s really a current story),” Marasigan said.

The film’s musical director is TJ Ramos (who is a man). At the media event, Ramos stressed: “We want the film to appeal to as many Filipinos as possible with a newer sound able to resonate with the Gen Zs of the TikTok era.

Alejandro bared how she was drawn to the script. “It’s very relevant. What left an impact on me reading it is, we should think about our effect on others, to be good Christians. The film is a mirror for us to see ourselves in,” she said.

The interweaving lives of the characters are meant to present a microcosm of the Philippines, summed up Marasigan. “Inaasahan natin na maipalabas itong pelikula bago mag- eleksyon, sa panahon din ng Lenten season, para matulungan tayong mag-isip tungkol sa kalagayan ng Pilipinas (We hope to show the film before the elections, also in time for the Lenten season, to help us reflect on the current state of the Philippines.)”