JUST A THOUGHT: Look at Bob Hope. Look at Milton Berle, George Burns. Look how long they lived. Seeing the funny side of things keeps you alive.---Phyllis Diller
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HERE’S TO MORE FILMS: No doubt having won the Best Feature Film award at recently held 6th Chauri Chaura International Film Festival in India has inspired him to produce one more film, if not several others more.
Rep. Alfred Vargas, part time actor and full-time congressman says he’s elated no end by the recognition earned by his film, Tagpuan, in said filmfest.
According to its website, the Chauri Chaura International Film Festival (CCGKP) aims
to showcase the beauty of Gorakhpur and Uttar Pradesh to film industries across the world.
It also hopes to create awareness of an incident that happened on February 4, 1922, when a large group of political protesters clashed with police, who opened fire on them, killing many.
Tagpuan earlier gained 11 nominations and two awards, including best supporting actress for Shaina Magdayao, at the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.
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FILIPINO ARTISTRY: Alfred is both lead actor and producer of Tagpuan. He said that this recent victory is once again a testament to Filipino artistry.
Written by Ricky Lee and directed by Mac Alejandre, Tagpuan is the story of three people, played out by Alfred, Shaina Magdayao and Iza Calzado, who set out to find themselves through other people, in other places.
The search takes them to far places, New York in the case of Iza, and Hong Kong, in the case of Shaina.
Alfred shouted out to Mac, who, he said, did a brilliant job in intertwining the medium's time and space with the characters’ emotions and locations to effectively narrate Ricky Lee's screenplay.
In a December 2020 interview,
Alejandre said Tagpuan is his "ode to brokenness.’’
He said that the film "is about finding one's roots and home in places one can never call their own"
For Alfred, Tagpuan is the story of Filipinos everywhere around the world.
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BREATHING SPACE: Alfred has successfully crossed over to government service. Why does he keep going back to acting and this time, producing?
Alfred said soul-searching is important as he works in two of the most difficult arenas: Entertainment and politics.
‘’I need to breathe,’’ he says. ‘’Producing worthwhile films, and acting in some of them, is an exercise that keeps me inspired to render good work in public service.’’
For Alfred, winner of not just a few awards in good governance, notably a 2013 Gintong Palad, producing good films is a mission, not a hobby.
Prior to Tagpuan, Alfred starred in and produced another film, Kaputol, which also gained critical acclaim.
A film within a film, Kaputol follows the path of a movie director and an actor who try to find themselves amid love and loss.
A recurring theme, hmmm.