For many Filipinos, Gregorio Del Pilar was a true hero of the revolution. To some people, however, he’s nothing more than this arrogant henchman of Emilio Aguinaldo.
Paulo Avelino as Gregorio del Pilar
Yet, Del Pilar’s level of determination and diffidence as the youngest general during the Philippine-American war is something that cannot be easily dismissed. In fact, he went down in history as the Hero of Tirad Pass.
This is the reason director Jerrold Tarog believes the life of Goyo, as Del Pilar is known to his friends, deserves to be examined more closely. His movie “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” is the second instalment in a planned historical trilogy, and it comes three years after the critical and box-office success of “Heneral Luna.”
At a recent press conference, Tarog explained that if “Heneral Luna” was all about fire and anger, “Goyo” is water and prone to introspection.
“This film is a bit quieter than the first one. It will let the audience think or reflect as to what really happened to the Philippine revolution, like what are the mistakes Filipinos did. It is an attempt to examine our faults and use the past as a reflection of the present,” he said in Filipino.
To realize Goyo’s story on the big screen, Tarog revealed the production employed talents and a cast of over 2,000. They also built an entire movie set in Tarlac to recreate a late-1800s town.
“Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” was shot in 60 days in multiple locations like Bataan, Rizal, Batangas, and Ilocos, among others, in a span of eight months, with another year spent in pre-production.
Indeed, “Goyo” is a much bigger movie than “Heneral Luna” not only in terms of scope and production, but also in emotion, the director said.
“Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” opens in cinemas on Sept. 5.
The story
Set during the Filipino-American war, “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” follows the revolution as it marches on against the Americans after the death of Gen. Antonio Luna. The conflicted philosophies behind the heroic struggle continue and become personified in the colorful character of Gen. Gregorio “Goyo” del Pilar.
History buffs are curious about what Tarog, along with his co-scriptwriter Rody Vera, used as sources for their film. Since some of Del Pilar’s diaries were lost during the war, it seems they were only left with a biography written by Teodoro Kalaw.
Tarog admitted having multiple points of view was quite a challenge for him. But thanks to artistic freedom, he was able to move between historical fact and fiction without romanticizing the character too much.
“There are certain parts in the story of ‘Goyo’ that we enhanced and we know that Filipinos would appreciate it because this is a film, not a documentary,” he explained. “We don’t want the film to be bombarded with facts because it will only make it boring. I think this is all about an artistic and cinematic approach and a bit of me, just doing my job as a director.”
Jerold Tarog
Tarog said “Goyo” expounds on the theme of maturity and responsibility, and also a contrast between the naivete of youth and the sobriety of adulthood. It also exposed Del Pilar’s “faults,” touching on the idea that he was one of Aguinaldo’s footman. He is said to be prone to showing off and an alleged womanizer too.
Above everything else, the director made clear the film is meant to teach about sacrifice.
“It attempts to ask questions about our readiness for the task of nation building,” he disclosed. “Like, how does one attain honor when he or she is facing certain death? Goyo was only 24 when he fought for our country. We want the audience to know what prompted him to sacrifice his life for the revolution.”
Asked why it’s important to tell Del Pilar’s story in these times, the director said: “Goyo have a lot of flaws. Many believe he was one of Aguinaldo’s lackeys---but he also sacrificed a lot in order to run away from the Americans.
“The film is a call to critical thinking. Remember, Goyo questioned himself during the war. And in a way, audience will have the same question of what aspect did Del Pilar really fight for. Was it about love? Was it Aguinaldo? Or was it for the nation? The audience, especially the youth, need to think about that.”
The cast
Playing Del Pilar in the film is Paulo Avelino. He admitted playing the titular role is a big responsibility for him.
Avelino shared he was surprised to know a lot of things about Goyo that Filipinos don’t have access to in text books (for instance, do you know Del Pilar had a supernumerary tooth extracted and had one tooth filled with gold?).
“Then there’s a rumor that he was a womanizer. But we cannot really confirm it because there are so many different accounts in our history,” he said.
The actor hopes the film will have the same impact as the film’s predecessor.
Aside from Paulo, “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” boasts of an all-star cast. They include Gwen Zamora as Remedios Nable Jose, Empress Schuck as Felicidad Aguinaldo, Carlo Aquino as Col. Vicente Enriquez, and Rafa Siguion-Reyna as Col. Julian del Pilar.
The cast of 'Goyo'
Reprising their roles from “Heneral Luna” are Mon Confiado as Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo, Epy Quizon as Apolinario Mabini, Arron Villaflor as Joven Hernando, Alvin Anson as Gen. Jose Alejandrino, Art Acuña as Manuel Bernal, Ronnie Lazaro as Lt. Pantaleon Garcia, Perla Bautista as Doña Trinidad Aguinaldo, and Benjamin Alves as Lt. Manuel Quezon.
Villaflor and Quizon are thankful to have been given the chance to be part of the latest instalment.
“I’m really thankful to Direk because he chose me again,” Villaflor said, adding viewers could expect his character to be more assertive.
Quizon, on the other hand, is grateful to be an instrument in re-telling an important chapter in Philippine history.
“To be honest, Mabini is my hero. Beyond his disability, what I really like about him was his wisdom and knowledge. He can’t walk but he was still very influential,” he maintained.
Zamora as Remedios Nable, the lover of Goyo, cited women’s role in Philippine history.
“I think a woman is the backbone of every man. Remedios challenges Goyo to find his priorities in life while she stands in the back as a source of inspiration,” she said.
Rounding up the ensemble cast are Jojit Lorenzo, Tomas Santos, Carlo Cruz, Perla Bautista, Che Ramos, Matt Evans, RK Bagatsing, Karl Medina, Stephanie Sol, Miguel Faustmann, Jason Dewey, Bret Jackson, Ethan Salvador, and Robert Seña.
Produced by TBA Studios, Artikulo Uno Productions, and Globe Studios, “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” will have a gala premiere on Aug. 30 with Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairperson Liza Diño-Seguerra chairing its invitational committee. The film becomes the kickoff to the celebration of 100 year of Philippine Cinema.
Before “Goyo” opens in theaters, “Heneral Luna” will have a special limited theatrical release in selected cinemas starting Aug. 29.