Toni, inulit ang panghingi ng suporta para sa MMFF

Who is your greatest teacher in life?

Ito ang tiyak na itatanong ng mga manonood sa 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, My Teacher, dahil bubuhayin ni Toni Gonzaga ang epekto ng mga guro sa buhay ng bawat isa sa atin.

Sa kanyang pagbabalik sa big screen, kasama ang veteran comedian/host na si Joey de Leon, na itinuturing ng actress-host bilang isa sa kanyang pinakaunang mentor sa show business.

Habang si Joey, na sinasabing ‘puso’ ng pelikula ay gumawa ng ilang special o limited appearances sa mga pelikula for 10 years, kaya’t masasabing hindi siya nakagawa ng lead role sa loob ng mahigit isang dekada.

“Si Toni ang nag-pitch sa akin. Binasa ko ang script at nagustuhan ko ang kwento,” Joey said. “Basta para kay Toni, gagawin ko. Malakas siya sa akin.”

As for Toni, it has been a privilege reconnecting with her mentor, Joey, in an acting project.  “Actually, dati pa, 2020 pa nung I texted Tito Joey because I consider him as my mentor in the industry. I remember when I was starting out, my father would always tell me, ‘When you enter the business, don’t idolize the most famous. Idolize those who lasted the longest in the industry because it’s easy to achieve fame but the most difficult to achieve is longevity’,” Toni recalled in an interview na advice ng kanyang Daddy Bonoy na pag-aralang mabuti ang work ethic and mentality of these veterans.

When she had the chance to join Eat Bulaga as a teenager, Toni made it a point to “observe” Joey as a host, always “talking to him and asking him questions” about the craft. At isa sa mga itinuro nito sa kanya ay kung paano ipagpatuloy ang palabas kahit na ang ibig sabihin nito ay kailangan niyang gawin ito nang mag-isa.

“I would never forget, when I was a co-host on Eat Bulaga, I was still very young at that time, there was a strong typhoon and only a few of us made it to the studio due to the floods,” pag-alala pa ni Toni. “I was so nervous because Paolo (Ballesteros) wasn’t there, at naisip ko ‘How can I do this alone?’”

She continued, “I remember Tito Joey telling me, don’t be nervous, don’t be afraid. If you’re a host, even if you’re the only one in front of the cameras, you have to hold your own, don’t rely on other people. To this day, I will never forget that. The moment na isalang ka sa TV and you’re holding the microphone, you can’t rely on anyone else except yourself. “Kailangan itawid mo ang programa, maitawid mo lahat yun na mag-isa na hindi umasa kanino man. Don’t depend on the writer, don’t depend on the cameraman either. Kahit magkabali-baliktad ang camera, trabaho mo maitawid mo yung nais mong maiparating sa audience.”

 That’s why tuwing makikita ni Toni si Tito Joey, she is reminded of how important it is to find a mentor who is willing to share experiences and life-long lessons.

“What a privilege it is to work with a legend in the industry. And it’s so nice to absorb his wisdom.” she said.

“Actually, the mere presence of Tito Joey on set, alam mo na yung seasoned sa industry. Whenever he arrives on the set, you feel you’re in the company of one of the pillars, one of the legends, in the industry. It’s such a great feeling to do scenes with him.” 

My Teacher is the first collaboration, “a marriage of sorts,” of Toni’s TinCan Films and her husband Paul Soriano’s Ten17P.

Umaasa rin si Toni na tatangkilikin ng mga manonood hindi lang ang kanilang pelikula kundi maging ang ibang kasali sa MMFF.

“MMFF is a yearly initiative of pushing and encouraging our viewers to support Filipino films (so as) to help our local industry. Para unti-unti a mababangon ang local entertainment industry, especially when it comes to movies. So, sana yung mga kababayan natin will participate in the MMFF and support our local film industry. It will be a huge help to our film workers.”