Philippine experience inspired British director Sean Ellis to make ‘Metro Manila’

“I went to the Philippines on holiday in 2007 and I witnessed an armored truck with two guys having an argument by it—the two armored truck drivers,” he said. “And it ended with one of them kicking the truck and one drove off.”

Ellis said the scene stuck in his mind and spiralled into a story about an armored truck driver  blackmailed into robbing the company he works for.

The film is United Kingdom's official entry to this year's Oscars and could be pitted against two other entries with Filipino sensibilities: "Iloilo" and "Transit" submitted by Singapore and the Philippines, respectively.

Early this year, 'Metro Manila' won the audience prize at the Sundance Film Festival, which according to Ellis was an honor and at the same time a testament that the film really connected with audiences.

Read the review of Metro Manila here.

When asked if he had thoughts of winning while making the film, Ellis answered he didn't.

"I don’t think you concentrate on the byproduct of what happens. I think you just concentrate on the film itself and just hope that you can make the best film that you can do at the time," he explained.

"I try not to have any expectations. It's just an honor to be the UK submission," he added.

Rough ride to the top

But amid the recognition that Ellis is enjoying for his work, making "Metro Manila" didn't really go smoothly at first.

Ellis said it was tough getting financiers interested in a film in Tagalog—which he pushed for even if it meant a limited budget for the film.

"I was given that idea in the Philippines, so it really felt to me that I need to come back to the Philippines and make that idea happen here, because I felt that was being faithful to the original idea that way. And to be authentic to the Philippines, I wanted it to be in Tagalog so it had a sort of realism and authentic feel to the movie," he said.

Ellis also gamely demonstrated a few Tagalog phrases he learned while shooting the movie.
"'Di ba? At salamat po," he quipped during the interview.

'Life-changing'

Lead actor Jake Macapagal took on the role of Oscar Ramirez, a security guard working in the city who originally hails from the Banaue Rice Terraces.

As Oscar, he is faced with the dilemma of making ends meet in the bustling city of Metro Manila—and soon enough, gets entangled in illegal activities.

Macapagal, who once performed on the popular stage musical "Miss Saigon," said the role had a profound impact on his life.

"Simula nung pagtanggap ko ng role na ito, hanggang ngayon nagbago ang buhay ko," he said, adding that he never expected to work with a top-caliber director.

"I think for a foreigner, it's very rich. Maganda yung texture na nakikita nila sa bansa natin. It is something na hindi nila nakikita sa Western films, so they're very curious," Macapagal explained.

"Metro Manila" will premiere in local cinemas on October 9. — Andrei Medina/VC, GMA News