Bela Padilla, naging therapy ang pelikulang “Rekonek” dahil sa alaala ng namayapang ama

Ni NONIE V. NICASIO

AMINADO si Bela Padilla na hindi siya nagdalawang isip na tanggapin ang bago niyang pelikula titled “Rekonek,” na entry sa gaganaping Metro Manila Film Festival 2025.

Nabanggit ng aktres na may mapait na alaala siya sa Thailand na ginanap ang shooting nito, kaya iniiwasan niyang magpunta ulit dito. May mahalagang bahagi kasi ng buhay ni Bela ang nasabing bansa, dahil ang ama niyang si Cornelius Gary Sullivan ay 30 years nanirahan dito, hanggang sa pumanaw ito two years ago.

Nang dumating ang pelikulang Rekonek, naisip niyang ito na ang tamang dahilan para bumalik siya sa Thailand.

Aniya, “The instant yes was the location… when they told me that I was gonna fly to Bangkok, it was an instant yes. Because I used to fly to Bangkok every summer since I was a little girl. My dad was living in Thailand for 30 years. The last time we saw each other was in 2019, pre-pandemic and then I moved to London and parang strict din yung rules ng Bangkok noong pandemic, so I couldn’t fly in. Then in 2023, may dad passed away in his sleep, so hindi na ako nakabalik ng Bangkok ulit. And then I felt that I was avoiding it.

“So even if I had opportunities to fly to Bangkok, I would always say no. ‘coz I knew I was gonna be too sad or like I would remember my dad or I would go to the places that we used to go to.”

Pagpapatuloy pa ni Bela, “So I didn’t look forward to going to Bangkok at all. But when they told me that this film was gonna be shot in Bangkok and that it was gonna be work, I felt like ‘A okay, that’s a good reason for me to revisit this place,’ and you know, maybe take baby steps to see… or come to terms with this place again…

“Kasi, I feel I didn’t grieved properly when my dad passed away, parang I just brushed it off.”

Nabanggit pa ni Bela na nang nag-shooting sila roon, may mga alaalang nagbalik muli, na may kurot sa kanyang puso.

“So, parang first time kong babalik and ang gandang dahilan na dahil sa work kaya babalik ako, parang hindi ko kailangan balikan lahat ng lugar kung saan kami usually pumupunta. Kaso ang first shooting day namin ay sa Suvarnabhumi Airport. E, roon kami lagi nagpapaalamanan, doon lagi iyong MMK moment namin kapag babalik na ako ng Pilipinas.

“So, sabi ko, ‘A, the whole day dito ka sa Suvarnabhumi.’ So, it was very cathartic for me, naging therapy session itong movie para sa akin,” sambit pa ni Bela.

Si Bela ay gumaganap dito bilang si Trisha, na isang OFW. Makikita sa pelikula na ilang araw bago mag-Pasko, ang buong mundo ay nawalan ng internet. Sa mabilis at modernong panahon ngayon, paano ba magiging normal ang buhay nang halos lahat ng tao sa mundo, kung biglang nawala ang internet sa pinakamahalagang bahagi pa naman ng taon?

Ito ay handog ng Reality MM Studios at ng The Th3rd Floor Studios at aside kay Bela, tampok sa Rekonek sina Gerald Anderson, Andrea Brillantes, Charlie Dizon, Zoren Legaspi, Carmina Villarroel, Cassy Legaspi, Mavy Legaspi, Gloria Diaz, at iba pa.

Bukod sa star-studded ang cast nito, ang pelikula na pinamahalaan ni Direk Jade Castro ang tanging entry sa annual December filmfest, na Pasko talaga ang tema. Kaya swak na swak ang Rekonek para panoorin ng madlang pipol ngayong Holiday seasons.

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