Patintero: More than just child’s play

MANILA, Philippines – At first glance, the poster of Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo connotes that it is solely meant to entertain the kiddie audience. More so when its director Mihk Vergara said that they reshot the movie not to do any revision to its plot but to add more action and animé scenes for its theatrical release starting on Oct. 5. The movie, by the way, was one of the most-talked about indie film entries in the QCinema Film Festival last year and won awards like Audience Choice and Gender Sensitivity.

Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo is about a team of losers who live in Brgy. San Jose where one game rules the streets: Patintero. Meng Francisco (played by Nafa Hilario Cruz) is among the kids who love to play the game but Meng always ends up a loser (patalo in the vernacular). Still, Meng hopes to win one day and is determined to join the biggest Patintero challenge as part of the Linggo ng Wika Sportsfest.

She persuades her “loser friends” to join her as she forms a group to try their luck in the game. Nicay (Isabel “Lenlen” Frial), Shifty (William Buenavente) and the mysterious kid Z-Boy (Claude Adrales) agree and they comprise Team Patalo. They train well, fight hard and give their best to be at the top. 

The STAR and other select members of the entertainment press had a chance to watch the “enhanced” version of Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo in a special screening held recently at the Cinema 7 of Gateway Mall. The movie proved that it’s more than just about one of the popular outdoor games of Pinoys before online games and high-tech gadgets have become the favorite pastime. Its story visibly reflects the value of education and family. Bullies can also learn a lesson or two from the movie. It also highlights the significance of friendship, sportsmanship and honesty.

According to direk Mihk, he conceptualized the story and asked his friend Zig Marasigan to write it. “It started as a comic book. When (book author) Neil Gaiman came here and Fully Booked had this contest where it invited everyone to submit a nine-page comic (book), me and my co-creator Dave Alegre decided to join. Unfortunately, we were not able to finish it on time. But since then, we haven’t lost the passion for the project so even when Dave went into animation and I got into filmmaking, we never stop drawing the characters. Until Patintero made it to QCinema. He designed the film’s end credits. On my end, nire-rework ko yung kwento at inisip ko kung paano pagkakasyahin sa budget na indie (for the QCinema) at paano hahaba ang kwento.”

The aim of introducing Patintero to today’s generation led him to come up with a story. “I mean the underlying aim was for the present generation to be familiar with the game and in order to bridge the gap, the treatment of the movie ginawa kong medyo animé kasi yun ang kinalakihan ng mga bata ngayon. I mean since Voltes V animé na but more often than not for the kids now, mas nakaka-relate sila kasi sanay na sila sa animé treatment,” said the 33-year-old director who took up film (under the Communications program) at the Ateneo de Manila University. He was in the last batch of class under director Marilou Diaz-Abaya. “Ka-batch ko si Dan Villegas, my good friend.”

Asked on the process of selecting the kiddie actors who will fit into the characters, direk Mihk said that they held auditions that lasted for three months with 100 kids per day. “We selected 20 kids in order to create six teams. Then the lead stars, sila yung Team Patalo. We did workshops at hinanap ko talagang mabuti kung sino ang babagay to portray Meng. I found Nafa the most fitting because she possesses the kind of strength and determination that I am looking for.”  

Nafa and Lenlen, for their part, said that they underwent workshop for their roles and admitted to not being familiar with the rules of Patintero. “I’ve heard about Patintero but I’m not familiar with it; kung paano po laruin talaga kaya po nag-workshop kami,” Lenlen said.

“We also learned some stunts during the workshop. I hit my head on the floor hindi ko po kasi naalalayan yung ulo ko pero OK lang po. Masaya po kaming lahat,” Nafa added.

Aside from introducing Patintero, direk Mihk is certain that the movie will touch everyone’s heart. Patintero was showcased at the recent ASEAN Film Week in China, which was held simultaneously with the third Silk Road International Filmfest.

(Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo is produced by TBA [Tuko Films, Buchi Boy Entertainment and Artikulo Uno Productions], which also produced the blockbuster Heneral Luna.)