Natileigh Sitoy amazed by Japanese film production's efficiency

CEBU, Philippines — Cebuana actress Natileigh “Nats” Marie Therese Sitoy was about to give up on acting when an opportunity suddenly came knocking. And it wasn't just another bit role: The offer was to be a female lead in a Japanese film.

Premiering in Japan cinemas last September 14, “Itoshi No Irene” is a Japanese film based on a 1995 manga series of the same name about a middle aged man, Iwao Shishido, who paid three million yen for a bridal tour to the Philippines. Eventually he comes home with Irene, who is promptly confronted by Tsuru—Iwao’s freshly widowed mother, who’s infuriated that her loser son has married a woman she’s never met. Portraying the titular character is Nats, starring alongside Japanese actor Ken Yasuda.

The daughter of the late Board Member Arleigh Sitoy and the granddaughter of Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Adelino Sitoy, Nats is a proud native of Cordova town.

The indie actress has appeared in the GMA 2017 series “I Heart Davao” alongside Tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana.

Prior to “Itoshi No Irene,” Nats was in the Cinemalaya Film Festival 2017 entry “Bagahe," the recent Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino entry "Pinay Beauty" and in the Brillante Mendoza made series “Amo” which can be streamed on Netflix.

Auditioning in May of last year for the role of young and warm Irene Gonzales, Nats threw all caution in the wind and just went for it. After the two sets of auditions with the Filipino team and Japanese crew, Nats wasn’t expecting anything since a lot of talented actresses also auditioned.

“I was just being the happy-go-lucky Nats during the interview with the Japanese, unya nalingaw raman pod sila,” Nats tells The Freeman. “When Ms. Bianca Balbuena called me and told me about the good news, I cried so hard gyud because I couldn’t believe it. I was at the verge of giving up acting already ato na time eh and this happened. So blessing gyud siya.”

Although this isn’t Natileigh’s first time to take on the lead role (she starred alongside Matt Daclan in the 2014 Cinema One Originals film “Soap Opera” by Remton Zuasola), she felt a bit of pressure knowing that she was representing the Philippines. Doing the film in two separate seasons (a month for summer and three weeks during the winter) in Niigata, Japan, Nats made sure that she was punctual and studied her character well.

Days before flying abroad, she locked herself in so she could analyZe and understand Irene.

“Before shooting of the summer scenes in July 2017, I had dinner with the Director and the CEO of Starsands (Production Company) and they told me that this is the first time in a Japanese film that they had a Filipina lead. Nakulbaan gyud ko kay somehow, I’ll be representing the Philippines. So everyday sa shoot, magsige kog remind sa ako self to do my best lang gyud and relax,” said Nats, who enrolled in a Basic Nihongo Class in Manila for the film.

“Irene is bubbly, happy-go-lucky and she’s the type of girl who would do anything for the people she loves. I think mao na ang similarities namo. Mag sige lang ngisi ba,” Nats said of her role, adding she wasn’t worried that the film’s theme might put the Philippines in bad light because the script was beautifully written. For Nats, the biggest takeaway from “Itoshi No Irene” is kindness and forgiveness.

For her first time working in a foreign production, Nats was overwhelmed with how efficient the Japanese worked. Despite the challenges, Nats was able to pull through with the help of her Japanese colleagues on set who had been nothing short of supportive. With a translator alongside her and spending a lot of time in Japan, Nats was able to somehow ease her way through the language barrier.

“The Japanese staff and actors were accommodating and very professional. I will treasure this experience forever gyud," Nats quips. “Siguro the biggest challenge was the winter scene. I had to carry Ms. Hana Kino, a veteran actress, on my back sa mountain of snow. I didn't have gloves and it was my first time to experience snow so lisod gyud siya for me. Pero nakaya man. Supportive sila tanan during the shoot.”

“Discipline!” Nats exclaimed of the lesson she’s learned from her time with the Japanese. “I learned that sa culture nila. Respect, politeness and discipline gyud ang importante and grabe ko ka bilib nila.”

Directed by Keisuke Yoshida, “Itoshi No Irene” opened in Toho cinemas and will have an international premiere at this year’s Busan Film Festival. Nats hints that they will soon have an international premiere and are still working their way to bringing “Itoshi No Irene” to the country.

“I want to be remembered as someone who never gave up,” Nats declared.

As someone who comes from a political kin, she acknowledges that it wasn’t easy to break the mold since her family was against her acting in the beginning.

As a kid, Nats enjoyed watching films. Filipino or Hollywood—it didn’t matter. She looked up to Oprah Winfrey after watching her show as a child, saying that she was inspired by the host’s perseverance despite the challenges thrown her way.

“I always wondered how it was like to be an actress and entertain people. When I was in college I joined the theater and from there I told myself that this is what I want to do. I like it when I can inspire others through my craft and the characters that I portray,” said the Digital Filmmaking graudate from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

“After proving to them that this is what I really want to do-- it took a while though—na accept na dayon nila and they have been very supportive since. My lolo would bring the newspaper articles everywhere unya iya ipakita sa mga tao saying: ‘Akong apo oh'’” Nats shared.

Finding her love for laughs after working on a comedy film recently, Nats, whose dream role is to portray a drug dependent, a psycho, or someone who has an unusual illness, mused that she would love to work with JM De Guzman and Carlo Aquino.

Nats said that what the filmmaking industry in Cebu "needs support from the entertainment industry in the Philippines. There are many talented Visayan artists and it's high time for them to be recognized and be given ample opportunities to showcase their talents.”