| | Tessie Tomas imagines own son dying to play role in '100' Author: Trina Lagura
Column: Entertainment Tessie Tomas (left) and Mylene Dizon play mother and daughter in indie film '100' For veteran comedienne Tessie Tomas, portraying Mylene Dizon's mother in independent film "100" is one of the most difficult roles she has ever had to play.
In "100", Tomas is Eloisa, mother of Joyce de Leon (Dizon) who is dying because of cancer. The movie follows the last three months of de Leon, along with her best friend Ruby (Eugene Domingo), as she tries to live life to the fullest before her end.
Tomas said, in order to bring out the emotions of a mother who is about to lose her child, she had to imagine that it was her only son, Robin, who was dying of illness.
"Whenever I do a scene he is on my mind so it is really so draining... once you see the finished product, wow, nakakawala ng pagod kasi it looks so real," she told "Mornings@ANC."
"The sentiment and pain of losing a child is encapsulated in that line when I was crying and I said, 'Mali ito kasi ang anak naglilibing ng magulang hindi ang magulang ang naglilibing ng anak. Paano ko naman ito matatanggap?' To me, that is the most painful line," Tomas added. She said she now cherishes life more after doing this "very unusual film."
Tomas, who is popular for impersonating first lady Imelda Marcos, said she also felt honored that she was given a dramatic role.
"It's like Whoopi Goldberg being offered a dramatic role. I truly relish it but, of course, my first love would always be comedy," she said.
The award-winning film, according to Tomas, does not just tackle death but also resurrection. It was shot three weeks in different locations in the Philippines and Hong Kong.
The comedy-drama movie won five awards in the 2008 Cinemalaya Film Festival including best director and best screenplay (Chris Martinez), best actress (Dizon), best supporting actress (Domingo), and the Audience Choice Award.
It bagged the KNN Audience Choice Award during the 13th Pusan International Film Festival.
The film is now showing at SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, Glorietta, Robinson's Galleria and Robinson's Ermita. Source: ABS-CBN News |
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