Award-winning actor Sid Lucero spoke to the media about how much time and preparation went into blocking one of the shocking sex scenes in the movie "Virgin Forest" which started streaming on Vivamax Philippines.
In the film, Lucero was seduced by several fairies in the forest. Asked about the level of difficulty in shooting the nude scene, Lucero answered: "That's difficult. I think after a certain number of girls in a group, if it outnumbers the guy, they just become infinitely powerful, and they just kinda eat you up.
"It was not easy. Sobrang hirap. It was painful. The audio was hard because may waterfall. Binibigyan kami ng directions pero hindi namin marinig. Yung isa pagnagkamali siya, hulog sya patay. Hindi naman puwede. And then, under the water, three of us were balancing under one rock. I did get cramps.
"But if you're going to think like putting myself in a situation like that, it's actually not as hard as you would imagine. These are my friends and I care about their feelings. I care about their limitations, and I care about how they see themselves in the industry as actors. So automatic that is removed. It's easy to fantasize about it, but the truth is when all of you are wearing nothing, there's nothing to hide. You can just be as innocent as you want to be, and you just want the scenes to get over with. It was fun. I don't think anybody in this room can say the same thing," said Lucero, after the private screening of the film at the Gateway Mall in Quezon City recently.
Brillante Mendoza, director of the movie, said the latest "Virgin Forest" is not a remake of the 1985 flick. "I am the art director of the original 'Virgin Forest' movie by Peque Gallaga kaya ibang-iba ito." He said that the new "Virgin Forest" is based on true events.
"Ano yung tutoo rito? Yung prostitution, illegal logging, and the photo-journalist. But the photo-journalist was looking for another kind of flower in real life. Tutoo yun. So basically lahat tutoo," he said.
Shot in Bukidnon, the famed director also said that the girls had a difficult time moving around the forest. "Medyo nahirapan sila, maraming naglagay ng lotion, nasugatan. Pero napakagaling ng cast at cooperative sila. Alam mong nahihirapan na sila sa ilang eksena pero ginagawa talaga nila yung trabaho."
* Virgin Forest
A photographer mesmerized by a forest’s beauty will get more than he bargained for when he discovers that the forest is not just full of luscious greens, but it is also full of humans with lustful greed. Viva Films and Center Stage Productions bring you a new film from award-winning director Brillante Ma Mendoza, “Virgin Forest' starring Sid Lucero, Vince Rillon, Rob Guinto, Katrina Dovey and Angeli Khang showing this June 24 on Vivamax.
Francis (Sid Lucero), a Photo-journalist commissioned to take pictures of the largest flower of genus Rafflesia known as Rafflesia Schandenbergiana, a parasitic plant species endemic in the province of Bukidnon known as Bo-o to the Bogobo tribe or Kolon-Busaw to the Higaonon tribe--discovers more than what he bargained for: an illegal logging operation and a ‘prostitution den.’ This is where he meets Angela (Katrina Dovey) and her younger sister Karla (Angeli Khang), who are both captive prostitutes. Francis’ professional endeavor takes a backseat as he musters all his courage to save both girls before it’s too late.
Mendoza, award-winning director of “Tirador” and “Kinatay,” is on a roll this 2022, as he makes his fourth movie “Virgin Forest,” after the success of “Palitan,” “Sisid” and “Bahay na Pula,” on Vivamax. Mendoza recently produced “Kaliwaan” and “Pusoy,” giving support to younger filmmakers.
For the role of Francis, he casts Lucero, who won the Gawad Urian best actor awards for his roles in the films “Selda” and “Muli.” As for the young and beautiful sisters Angela and Karla, Brillante gets Dovey for the role of Angela, and one of the VMX K-Krush Angeli for the role of the younger sister Karla. Angeli has recently made waves for her Vivamax Original Films like “Taya,” Mahjong Nights,” “Eva,” “Silip sa Apoy,” and “Pusoy.” “Virgin Forest” is brimming with great talents, with Rillon, Asian Film Festival best actor, added to the cast.
Explore the luscious beauty of nature and the lustful greed of humans in “Virgin Forest” which began streaming on Vivamax Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Macao, Vietnam, Brunei, Maldives, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, the Middle East, and Europe.