‘The boy from Malumpati was born to walk the red carpet’

MANILA, Philippines — John Denver Trending is competing in the ongoing Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in South Korea. As part of the New Currents line-up, it goes head-to-head with 13 other titles by emerging filmmakers from 10 different countries. It’s the first Filipino film selected for the section after five years. 

For its 15-year-old lead star Jansen Magpusao, the BIFF marks the farthest trip he has made yet — ­miles away from his coastal hometown in Pandan, Antique. The newcomer, who plays a cyber-bullied teen in the coming-of-age film, previously told The STAR that he felt nervous over his first time abroad.

John Denver Trending director Arden Rod Condez said he was more excited for Jansen than his directorial debut competing at BIFF. The Palanca-winning TV writer-turned-director also hails from Pandan where the film was shot.

In a Facebook post, Arden said of their opening-night experience last Oct. 3: “I look more terrified than Jansen. The boy from Malumpati was born to walk the red carpet,” referring to the mountain resort in Pandan where Jansen was discovered by chance and ended up getting cast in the titular role.

Over messenger, The STAR asked the director about the reception of the BIFF audience to the film. “Maraming umiyak sa screenings namin. Yesterday, on the subway, there were two groups of Koreans who recognized Jansen and took pictures with him. One film critic, who hosted our Q&A on Oct. 8, said that he already heard so many good things about the film before he saw it,” he shared.

As for Jansen, Arden said, “He’s feeling overwhelmed. Pihikan sa food, he’s happy with cup noodles LOL! Pero enjoy siya sa mga pinuntahan namin like Nami Island. He’s also practicing how to use chopsticks.”

The awarding is today, Oct. 12. Arden isn’t raising his hopes because the rivals for the prize are “heavyweights, big-budgeted, one film even took seven years to make.” Nevertheless, he’s happy to note screenings for the film have been sold out.

Interestingly, the director doesn’t want a commercial release for the film that won Best Picture and Best Actor for Jansen, among other awards, at the Cinemalaya 2019 last August, because of its sensitive subject. What they have been doing are special screenings with discussions afterward.

For a film that tells of a youngster falsely accused of stealing and cyber-bullied after a video of him fighting with his accuser went viral, John Denver Trending faced an allegation online of causing “increase in suicide” in Antique.

Arden recalled in a separate interview, “When we were having our homecoming screenings in Antique sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, news broke out that it was daw the John Denver Trending effect that ‘three students’ took their lives. Right after I heard that, I called up the teachers of the kid, even the police precinct, and apparently, it wasn’t true.” There were incidents but totally unrelated to his film, he added.

It, however, became a big deal because a local town mayor posted about it. Arden took to his social media to address the “accusation” because “that’s what the film is saying, why should I stay silent?”

“The next day, after I posted that very lengthy post, a teacher (who was the source of the rumor) apologized. The mayor immediately deleted the post.”

Arden further stressed that they don’t take the subject of their film lightly. “We require in our screenings in schools that right after, there’s a talkback with guidance counselors, psychologists, yun nga lang, kulang talaga ng tao din. Di naman kami nagpapabaya, ayoko nga mag-theatrical release kasi di namin kontrolado ang tao.”

During these talkbaks, he found disturbing stories of bullying. “There was one audience member, nag-share siya ng kwento niya, tapos di nya kinaya, tumakbo siya palabas at hinabol siya ng production namin para yakapin man lang. Kahit sa probinsya namin, may mga lumalapit na mga bata (who say) thank you for the film.”

John Denver Trending is timely as ever because it’s a social commentary and a cautionary tale about the risks, dangers and consequences of social media.

“Not because this is our film but we hope more people watch it because it’s the very reason I made this film. People don’t realize that what’s so easy to post on Facebook or social media, tumatama siya sa mga taong pinatamaan mo nang higit pa sa ini-imagine mo, ayun may mga namamatay. Social media can really be deadly na hindi pa na-re-realize ng maraming tao. More importantly, more than anything, we really want to educate more people.”

Meanwhile, Jansen is very happy that his acting debut has made his townmates and family proud. During his homecoming, he was welcomed by a grand caravan.

He has been swamped by showbiz offers, but he has decided to finish school first.

Arden said, “Immediately after the Cinemalaya awarding, we went home and sat down with his parents and asked them what are your plans. Because dito palang, even during the Cinemalaya last August, we received so many inquiries for taping and shooting. I didn’t know how to respond because we didn’t expect it.

“His parents said to take things slow because he’s still in school. Also what I’ve observed is that he’s not used to life in Manila. He always looks for food from home. It’s because he’s the youngest. We don’t want to shock him because in the first place, hindi naman hinangad na maging artista siya.”