Murphy St. Claire Red: Ang Misis ni Meyor

Brave indie flick that tackles obscure paradoxes in Pinoy realpolitik.

In the midst of strings of controversies and scandals affecting contemporary local politics, producers of the independent political drama movie “Ang Misis ni Meyor” (The Mayor’s Wife) finally clinched the film’s Philippine Premiere that will set off its long-awaited theatrical exhibition, December 11, 2013, 9:00 in the evening, at SM Megamall Cinema 9.

''Ang Misis ni Meyor'' (international title: “The Corruption of Melba'') is a political drama on how corruption rears its ugly head in a small town, portrays the story of a farmer's wife whose husband is murdered. She then marries into a political icon from a wealthy family whose son becomes the town mayor.

Theater and international movie actress Marife Necesito who produced the film and plays the title role averred that she headed the production of the film “to usher in for hitherto known talents in the indie film industry the breaks they long deserve”, adding that, “artistic collaborations such as this make the better of indie film workers to show off their competence as actors, writers and directors.”

Necesito wears under her name the stature of sharing the screen with Hollywood movie stars Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal in world-famous Swedish director Lukas Moodysson’s “Mammoth”. In several other foreign films, her first-rate acting prowess made waves along with her exotic Asian look. Her dark brown complexion, she acknowledges, has been her passport to landing roles in foreign films.

"Ang Misis ni Meyor" main actors : Joe Gruta, Dante Balois and Siegfried Sepulveda, Marco Morales, Roeder Camañag, Andre Tiangco and Angelina Kanapi.

Yet despite the esteem she gets from bigwigs in the international motion picture community, she admits that she went into film production so that she’d get to portray the roles that have eluded her thus far in the local scene.

Confirming Necesito’s reproach, “Ang Misis ni Meyor” writer and director Archie Del Mundo stated, “In spite of her body of work, she still doesn’t win the roles that she deserves. Marife deserves to be noticed by a bigger audience. She’s a good actress. It’s about time for her to bag a meaty role like this.”

MARIFE Necesito in "Ang Misis ni Meyor"

Hence the film, not departing from the detestable realities that infest the local film industry where stuck brilliant yet underrated filmmakers like the creative team led by Necesito, took the shape of a hard-hitting drama that attempts to show to the international community how politics in a small community corrupts and breeds greater corruption among families that make up political dynasties.

Del Mundo who made his directorial debut via 'Taksikab', a gay indie film, says the vintage Lino Brocka film ''Gumapang Ka sa Lusak'' served as his inspiration in making the film. ''‘Ang Misis ni Meyor’ has unique Asian sensibilities that hopefully will sit well with international audiences. The stereotypical Asian scenario consists of scenes depicting poverty and homosexuality”, he states further, adding, “These are, after all, standards in social consciousness films that make a dent in the international scene.”

"Ang Misis ni Meyor" writer and director Archie Del Mundo

Necesito relates how she surpassed the main challenge for her is juggling her off-screen role as the film’s producer and her onscreen role as the lead actress who finally gets to inhabit the life of a complex woman; a former activist who marries a small-town politician to avenge the death of her farmer-husband. “In the film, my character undergoes a transformation. She started poor, but suddenly becomes rich,” she said.

“I wanted to focus on my character, but I also had to tackle the big and small problems of a neophyte producer. Especially since we have huge scenes in the movie like political rallies and lavish parties,” Necesito relates, “I had to physically sit down with my team to tackle technical requirements and draw the intricate plan the film entails. These and all other factors I got distracted with such as unexpected additional costs make me feel that the obviously wanting performance I have put forward for the role falls all too short of what I could really exert.”

Others in "Ang Misis ni Meyor" cast are Joem Bascon, Julio Diaz, Maria Isabel Lopez, and Issa Litton.

Asked if her baptism of fire in “Ang Misis ni Meyor” made her more sympathetic to other producers, Necesito quips, “Not really. Instead I’ve become more sensitive to the plight of the small workers in the industry. I feel guilty that we have to work long hours, but that’s one of the realities of making an indie film.”

But being a true actor who she believes as the embodiment of a people's culture and therefore the mouthpiece of our soul as a nation, Necesito persevered through to the final completion of the film. Now, as the film gears for regular run in theaters starting December 18 of this year onwards, she comes into the conclusion that producing a film is certainly no walk in the park.

Veteran actress Angie Ferro, Necesito’s mentor and is cast in the film as the dominant matriarch of the political family the lead character has married into.

Veteran actress Angie Ferro, Necesito’s mentor and is cast in the film as the dominant matriarch of the political family the lead character has married into, have nothing but good words about Necesito. “I first noticed Marife when she was in high school, when she attended one of my acting workshops,” says Ferro. “As early as then, I already felt that she was a serious artist who was really interested in the craft. She’s an intelligent actor.”

Main actors in the film include Maria Isabel Lopez, Joe Gruta, Dante Balois and Siegfried Sepulveda, Marco Morales, Roeder Camañag, Andre Tiangco and Angelina Kanapi. Others in the cast are Joem Bascon, Julio Diaz, and Issa Litton.

“Ang Misis ni Meyor” was produced by Eightfold Path Cinema and GMAC Foundation, Inc.

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