When writing his final Film Studies project at UP Diliman, Cebu-born writer-director Fatrick Tabada chose to write in his mother tongue.
“Sabi ko, ‘If I have to make my first film screenplay, it needs to be in Bisaya,” Tabada said in an episode of Rolling Stone Philippines’ YouTube series, Greatest Hits.
That screenplay went on to become the 2016 film Patay Na Si Hesus, directed by Victor Villanueva. The iconic road trip dark comedy starring Jaclyn Jose and Cebuano actors Chai Fonacier, Vincent Viado, and Melde Montañez. In the film, we follow food vendor Iyay (Jose) in Cebu City, who suddenly learns of the death of her estranged husband, Hesus, in Dumaguete. Iyay quickly rounds up her dysfunctional family to make the trek to pay their last respects.
Tabada said the team approached Jaclyn Jose to star in the movie before she won Best Actress at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival for Ma’Rosa. “Si Jaclyn, hindi siya marunong mag-Bisaya,” said the filmmaker. “So before shooting, I think meron kaming weekly Cebuano lessons with Miss Jaclyn.”
To also help explain away any problems in Jose’s Cebuano, Tabada recalled tweaking her character’s backstory to include that she had originally been from Manila, but had relocated to the Visayan province.
“Parang method [actor] siya,” said Tabada. “Hindi siya nagbasa ng script prior… binabasa lang niya ‘yong script mismo on the day of shooting.”
In Rolling Stone Philippines’Greatest Hits, Tabada breaks down five of his biggest projects as a writer and director and reflects on the trajectory of his career today. You can watch it now exclusively on our YouTube channel.
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