More than just a beauty

MANILA, Philippines -  Liza Diño is back in the country as her independent film In Nomine Matris competes at the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) under its New Wave category. 

The US-based beauty queen-turned-actress portrays a dance protégé in the film set amid the backdrop of the “beautifully loud and endlessly moving world of dance,” with Flamenco and Philippine indigenous dances taking the spotlight. Metro Manila, with its congested freeways and bustling streets, joins in the rhythm of the lives revolving around the central character.

In Nomine Matris is helmed by the Filipino-American filmmaker Will Fredo, who also directed Liza in the indie Compound, which won her an acting award at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York last year.

“My name’s character is Mara Bonifacio Advento. She’s a young dance protégé who aspires to land the principal role in the Flamenco-Filipiniana dance production In Nomine Matris,” Liza described her role in the film that was shot here last year. “She’s driven, passionate and ambitious. She will do everything to make her dream and that of her mother’s come true. Actually, the role is a lot closer to home than what I expected it to be. Mara came from a broken family. My parents are also separated. There are scenes wherein I was able to draw raw emotions from real experiences because I was able to relate to them so much.”

“In Nomine Matris is a story about passion, about dance, about love… The circumstances that surround her cause the conflict of the story,” Liza added, “I’m really proud of this film. I think this is the first dance film produced in the Philippines.”

As preparation for the film, which earned the support of the Spanish Embassy because of its theme, Liza had to go through “very intense” dance workshops under world-renowned Flamenco master Clara Ramona (who’s also appearing in the film). The rehearsals alone lasted for three to four months “to reach the level of dancing decent Flamenco.”

“We trained eight hours a day, every day,” she said that when she was shooting the film, she lost 25 lbs.

The director wasn’t around when The STAR and other media interviewed Liza last Tuesday, but in the press release, it is stated that the narrative takes inspiration from actual events that occurred in the lives of real Flamenco performers and its rising popularity in the Philippines. The film’s intention is to pay “homage to the joys and failures of motherhood, to the beat of the matriarchal country, to the Spanish heritage ingrained in our Filipino culture by underscoring Philippine classics and the traces of intense passion of the Spanish sensibility.” It also features a musical score combining the Flamenco “compass” and the Filipino Kundiman, as composed by premier jazz artist Bob Avez.

Liza said that they joined the MMFF, via the New Wave section, because their foremost goal is to show it to as many Filipinos as they can. The New Wave category was set up a couple of years ago in recognition of the independent filmmaking movement in Philippine cinema. “MMFF is the perfect venue. Every December, everybody is looking forward to watching MMFF movies. We hope there will be a spillover. Hopefully, people watching the mainstream films will watch the indie films.”

She shared, “I just attended an indie tribute last night, and one of the things said there that really stuck with me is that independent films saved our industry in terms of quality. Hopefully, more people will appreciate indie films. Because their patronage will be the one to sustain the indie films (so) that they will eventually become mainstream.”

Liza found her acting spark through theater. “Being a beauty queen (she was a former Mutya runner-up) really opened that door of opportunity for me to get into showbiz. When I started acting, it was a bit of a challenge for people to take me seriously because they thought I’m just another pretty face — no depth, no talent. But I was fortunate to start with Dulaang UP and to be mentored by the best theater directors in the country — Tony Mabesa, the late Ogie Juliano, Anton Juan, Jose Estrella, to name a few. They pushed me beyond limits to prove to myself that I can really be an actress,” she shared.

“I found myself doing indie films because acting has become an extension of me and just the freedom to explore within myself, what I can do with the roles I play, is such a fulfillment. And I wish to do this as long as there are opportunities,” she added.

Liza, who’s spending a month in the country with her daughter, confessed that she’s keeping herself busy and productive even as she’s going through a tough time in her marriage. 

Since she moved to the States five years ago to get married, Liza has been active in Fil-Am events as host. She’s also hosting a cooking show, which airs on a Fil-Am TV channel, titled Bb. Kusinera: Dishin’ with a Beauty Queen. The half-hour program is making good use of her learnings at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary college in LA and her working experience under US celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck.

“On Bb. Kusinera, I cook with Filipino celebrities. I modernize Filipino food that we are familiar with like Sinigang… I fried the fish, I sautéed the veggies, then instead of soup, I made it a sauce. It tastes Sinigang but just presented differently,” said Liza, who’s also the spokesperson for Miss Philippines-USA.

In the offing are plans to screen another film she did with Will, The Caregiver, which recently won him directing honors at this year’s IFFM. She has other films in development, one is by another Fil-Am director and the other is an American production, “but I’m not the lead.”

She expressed hope that screening In Nomine Matris in the Philippines can lead to doing more projects in the country. “Hopefully, this movie will open up more opportunities.”

Is she open to moving back to the Philippines? “I’m considering it as an option.”

 Together with Liza, Biboy Ramirez plays the lead in In Nomine Matris. Also starring are the Italy-trained opera singer Al Gatmaitan and thespian Tami Monsod.

Produced by Hubo Productions in association with Trinity Hearts Media, In Nomine Matris will hold its premiere on Dec. 18, 7 p.m. at Glorietta Cinema 3. Regular showing will be on Dec. 19 to 22 at Glorietta Cinema 1.