Carlo J. Caparas in talks to direct film about EDSA
STEPHANIE DYCHIU
08/20/2009 | 10:01 PM
As the petition to block his National Artist award hurtled furiously to the Supreme Court last Wednesday, “Massacre King" Carlo J. Caparas bared another plot twist.
In an exclusive interview with GMANews.TV, Caparas revealed he was in talks with prominent figures of the EDSA movement to do a movie called “EDSA, The Untold Story".
Carlo J. Caparas says he wants to show a side of the EDSA story that most people do not know. Photo by Joe Galvez, GMANews.TV
“Ang kausap ko si Chris Carrion at si Boy Saycon," Caparas said. Chris Carrion and Boy Saycon are co-founders of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation.
The Spirit of EDSA Foundation was formed in 1986 by people who were at the frontlines of the EDSA revolution. The group organizes official EDSA-related events, such as those scheduled to take place Friday, the 26th death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino.
According to Caparas, negotiations for “EDSA, The Untold Story" began two years ago. “Noong una, gusto nilang ipagawa sa akin komiks. Pinagusapan na mas magandang i-pelikula pagkatapos ng komiks. Sabi ko, pumili na lang kayo kung komiks o pelikula, at napagkasunduan nila siguro pelikula."
With the passing of former President Cory Aquino still fresh in the public’s mind, Caparas said, “Kailangan pag-usapan ng komisyon ‘yun, ng mga pamilya, ng mga involved na tao doon. Sa akin, honored ako na ako ang napili."
And what would be the untold stories of “EDSA, The Untold Story"?
Maski hindi na ka-EDSA-EDSA, ginagawa pa rin nila na EDSA ang sitwasyon
“’Pag may nakausap ka ngayon, lalo na member ng RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement), meron pa silang alam sa EDSA na hindi alam ng publiko. Ang composition ng mga tao sa likod ng pangyayari sa EDSA, yun ang magandang i-tackle. Yung mga vital role na ginampanan ng mga tao, ng isang family, sa EDSA. Hindi lang yung bumaliktad si Pangulong FVR at si Senator Enrile, sila Gringo (Honasan). Meron pa."
Caparas said the one question he wants the movie to pose is, “Nakatulong ba ang EDSA o nakasama sa tao?" Which EDSA are you referring to? he was asked.
“EDSA 1 and EDSA 2. After EDSA 1, maski sino na lang na komentarista, member ng media, puwede nang sumigaw at murahin ang mga presidente. Ang ibig kong sabihin, abuse natin of democracy. Lahat ng grievances, imbes na pag-usapan sa mesa . . . kamukha ngayon, sa National Artist, [sa halip na] magkaunawaan ang NCCA at CCP, dadalhin na ng CCP sa kalye, at doon na sila mag-iingay. Parang nakita nila ang bisa ng EDSA noon, na araw-araw, maski hindi na ka-EDSA-EDSA, ginagawa pa rin nila na EDSA ang sitwasyon."
In a separate phone interview with GMANews.TV, Boy Saycon said he hoped the Spirit of EDSA Foundation would not be dragged into the National Artist controversy. “In good faith, we believed in Carlo’s capability to produce the [movie] for us long before this controversy. It does not change our position."
Saycon explained that two years ago, the idea came up to produce an “institutional film" to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1986 People Power revolution on February 2011. The plan was to show the film in schools, so those below age twenty-five could have an appreciation for the revolution that took place before they were born. Events that fueled the EDSA uprising even before the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, such as the First Quarter Storm and the gagging of the media, would be made part of the story.
The main focus would be EDSA 1.“Si Carlo ang kinausap namin diyan dahil madali niyang ma-interpret ang gusto namin na mas makataong interpretasyon. We have to reach out to the majority, not only to the elite," he said.
Saycon said they talked to Caparas as members of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation, not as officials of the EDSA People Power Commission, thus making the movie a private project. (The EDSA People Power Commission is a unit under the Office of the President tasked with promoting the memory of EDSA. It was born out of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation. Saycon is part of the EDSA People Power Commission, while Carrion is its current chairman. The Commission works closely with the Spirit of EDSA Foundation, which Saycon and Carrion co-founded with several others.)
“The making of the film is under abeyance because of the [production] cost," Saycon said. “We have to present it to our board first."
In a phone call to GMANews.TV, Chris Carrion said plans for the movie still need to be taken up with the boards of both the Spirit of EDSA Foundation and the EDSA People Power Commission. Things are not yet set in stone.
If and when “EDSA, The Untold Story" does happen, Caparas said he was not worried about how critics would react.
“‘Pag inintindi mo yun, hindi ka makakatuloy-tuloy. 'Yung mga taong ayaw sa 'yo, never na makumbinse mo pa yan na pumanig sa 'yo. Ang pinaka-best niyan, kung ayaw niyo, ‘wag niyong panoorin. Critics will remain critics. Kaya nga tinawag na critics 'yan e. Pupuna lang sila nang pupuna," he said. - With additional reporting by Aie B. See, GMANews.TV
In an exclusive interview with GMANews.TV, Caparas revealed he was in talks with prominent figures of the EDSA movement to do a movie called “EDSA, The Untold Story".
“Ang kausap ko si Chris Carrion at si Boy Saycon," Caparas said. Chris Carrion and Boy Saycon are co-founders of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation.
The Spirit of EDSA Foundation was formed in 1986 by people who were at the frontlines of the EDSA revolution. The group organizes official EDSA-related events, such as those scheduled to take place Friday, the 26th death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino.
According to Caparas, negotiations for “EDSA, The Untold Story" began two years ago. “Noong una, gusto nilang ipagawa sa akin komiks. Pinagusapan na mas magandang i-pelikula pagkatapos ng komiks. Sabi ko, pumili na lang kayo kung komiks o pelikula, at napagkasunduan nila siguro pelikula."
With the passing of former President Cory Aquino still fresh in the public’s mind, Caparas said, “Kailangan pag-usapan ng komisyon ‘yun, ng mga pamilya, ng mga involved na tao doon. Sa akin, honored ako na ako ang napili."
And what would be the untold stories of “EDSA, The Untold Story"?
Maski hindi na ka-EDSA-EDSA, ginagawa pa rin nila na EDSA ang sitwasyon“’Pag may nakausap ka ngayon, lalo na member ng RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement), meron pa silang alam sa EDSA na hindi alam ng publiko. Ang composition ng mga tao sa likod ng pangyayari sa EDSA, yun ang magandang i-tackle. Yung mga vital role na ginampanan ng mga tao, ng isang family, sa EDSA. Hindi lang yung bumaliktad si Pangulong FVR at si Senator Enrile, sila Gringo (Honasan). Meron pa."
Caparas said the one question he wants the movie to pose is, “Nakatulong ba ang EDSA o nakasama sa tao?" Which EDSA are you referring to? he was asked.
“EDSA 1 and EDSA 2. After EDSA 1, maski sino na lang na komentarista, member ng media, puwede nang sumigaw at murahin ang mga presidente. Ang ibig kong sabihin, abuse natin of democracy. Lahat ng grievances, imbes na pag-usapan sa mesa . . . kamukha ngayon, sa National Artist, [sa halip na] magkaunawaan ang NCCA at CCP, dadalhin na ng CCP sa kalye, at doon na sila mag-iingay. Parang nakita nila ang bisa ng EDSA noon, na araw-araw, maski hindi na ka-EDSA-EDSA, ginagawa pa rin nila na EDSA ang sitwasyon."
In a separate phone interview with GMANews.TV, Boy Saycon said he hoped the Spirit of EDSA Foundation would not be dragged into the National Artist controversy. “In good faith, we believed in Carlo’s capability to produce the [movie] for us long before this controversy. It does not change our position."
Saycon explained that two years ago, the idea came up to produce an “institutional film" to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1986 People Power revolution on February 2011. The plan was to show the film in schools, so those below age twenty-five could have an appreciation for the revolution that took place before they were born. Events that fueled the EDSA uprising even before the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, such as the First Quarter Storm and the gagging of the media, would be made part of the story.
The main focus would be EDSA 1.“Si Carlo ang kinausap namin diyan dahil madali niyang ma-interpret ang gusto namin na mas makataong interpretasyon. We have to reach out to the majority, not only to the elite," he said.
Saycon said they talked to Caparas as members of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation, not as officials of the EDSA People Power Commission, thus making the movie a private project. (The EDSA People Power Commission is a unit under the Office of the President tasked with promoting the memory of EDSA. It was born out of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation. Saycon is part of the EDSA People Power Commission, while Carrion is its current chairman. The Commission works closely with the Spirit of EDSA Foundation, which Saycon and Carrion co-founded with several others.)
“The making of the film is under abeyance because of the [production] cost," Saycon said. “We have to present it to our board first."
In a phone call to GMANews.TV, Chris Carrion said plans for the movie still need to be taken up with the boards of both the Spirit of EDSA Foundation and the EDSA People Power Commission. Things are not yet set in stone.
If and when “EDSA, The Untold Story" does happen, Caparas said he was not worried about how critics would react.
“‘Pag inintindi mo yun, hindi ka makakatuloy-tuloy. 'Yung mga taong ayaw sa 'yo, never na makumbinse mo pa yan na pumanig sa 'yo. Ang pinaka-best niyan, kung ayaw niyo, ‘wag niyong panoorin. Critics will remain critics. Kaya nga tinawag na critics 'yan e. Pupuna lang sila nang pupuna," he said. - With additional reporting by Aie B. See, GMANews.TV
