Award-winning actress Janine Gutierrez recently captivated audiences with her debut at the prestigious Venice Film Festival in Italy, where she eloquently expressed the experience as nothing short of "magical."

During her arrival press conference in Quezon City, Janine said she was thrilled being in Venice, where her four-hour movie "Phantosmia" by top-notch director Lav Diaz was screened. She shared details of an exciting welcome reception in Venice.

"First time ko sa Venice. Parang Disneyland yung pakiramdam ko kasi susunduin ka ng water taxi. Paglapag pa lang airport meron ng welcome ceremonies para sa mga guests at sila ang mag-aasikaso sayo," said Janine when asked about her experience attending the esteemed film festival.

Janine added: "Doon pa lang kinikilig na ako kasi nga sa Venice Film Festival. The dadalhin ka nila sa car and from the airport, sasakay ka ng water taxi.

"So yung water taxi pa lang, kinikilig na ako roon kasi nakikita ko lang sila sa picture. Never pa talaga sa Venice. Tapos may kasabay akong dalawang delegates din. Isang director from Ukraine at isang PR expert from France. Halos magkaka-edad kami kaya nakakatuwa.

"Tapos pagpasok mo sa mga canal, parang ito pala ang ginagaya ng Disneyland. Yun ang pakiramdam. Tapos tumatawa-tawa akong mag-isa. Tapos yung mga kasama ko natatawa na sa akin. Sobrang magical talaga ang Venice," the "Lavender Fields" actress said.

Janine, 34, said it was a dream come true for her to attend an international film festival.

"Hanggang ngayon kinikilig pa rin ako kapag nakakabasa ako ng comments na kung bakit hindi raw ako sumali ng beauty pageant. Kaso ito talaga ang pangarap ko na makapunta sa isang prestigious na festival.

"May nakilala nga akong Pinoy sa Venice. May picture siya ni Mama Guy noong nag Venice siya years ago. Dream ko talaga siya. Ang ganda lang ng feeling na yung ibang audience pinapanood yung ibang pelikula natin. Tapos nakikinig sila ng Tagalog habang nanood sila," she said

Janine also expressed that having the opportunity to work with Lav was a dream come true for her. "I really wanted to work with Lav and I watched his films. Alam ko na inaabangan din siya internationally. Very cultural din ang mga project niya na Pilipino talaga."

"Ang saya rin ng feeling na after the screening, everybody stands up and clap their hands. Ganun pala doon. Nakakatawa nga si Direk Lav sabi niya, 'Halika na, okay na yan. Tara na.'

"First time ko rin to attend a screening with an international audience. Tapos 30 minutes after the movie, may babae na nag lapag ng note. Nakatupi yun at nilagay niya sa harap ni Direk Lav. Nakalagay sa note, 'This is an absolute masterpiece," Janine also said.

Stargazing

Janine said it was an honor to be at an event also attended by Hollywood superstars such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Lady Gaga, Julianne Moore, and others.

"Happy na talaga ako na makapunta dahil nakikita ko rin sa Instagram sino ang mga dumarating like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt. Kasunod namin sa red carpet si Julianne Moore. Just be in the place with them. Wow! Pero kung saan kaming hotel naka-stay, doon lahat nagdo-dock ang water taxi.

"We are just a small delegation from the Philippines pero pantay-pantay ang trato. Kung saan sila nagpe-presscon sabi ko, 'Oh my God! Noong isang araw nandito si Angelina Jolie. Nakakatuwa lang lahat ng nandun love films. Parang tayo mahilig din sa. mga artista. Ang saya lang ng environment," she said.

Janine said she tried to have a photo with Canadian actress Taylor Russell but to no avail.

"Actually, ang nakausap ko lang is si Taylor Russell. Siya yung ex ni Harry Styles. Idol ko silang dalawa so nakasalubong ko siya sa lobby. So I try na magpa-picture. Pero sabi niya no, dahil pawis na pawis daw siya. Ang init kasi," she said.

Janine mentioned feeling a bit pressured about attending a red carpet at an international film festival due to the preparations, but she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

"Pressure din umattend ng red carpet because I don't want to disappoint. Kasi kami yung Philippine delegation doon so gusto ko talagang ipakita rin na ang mga fashion designer natin dito world-class. I wore two gowns by Inno Sotto and Vania Romoff. And I'm so grateful na yung dalawang designers pumayag na damitan ako sa Venice," she also said.

Phantosmia

Janine mentioned that working with Lav for the first time was quite an experience. The black-and-white Tagalog movie had its premiere at the festival, but it was not part of the competition.

"Actually kabaligtaran yung pakiramdam sa shoot. Siguro yung shoot ko kay Direk Lav yun ang pinaka-chill na nagawa ko ever," she said.

Janine also said: "Mga 10 days ako nag-shoot pero siguro sila mga one month sa Quezon. I shot this December and January.

"I think 'Phantosmia' had a good reception kasi nagdagdag pa rin nga sila ng screening for the movie. Sabi ni Direk may iikutan pa siya na festival at magkakaroon din ito ng screening sa atin," the actress added.

A synopsis for Phantosmia read: 

"Hilarion Zabala’s mysterious olfactory problem has recurred; a counselor/psychiatrist suspects it to be a lingering case of phantosmia, a phantom smell, possibly caused by trauma, a deep psychological fracture. 

"One recommended radical process to cure the ailment was that Hilarion must go back and deal with the darkest currents of his past life in the military service. Reassigned in the very remote Pulo Penal Colony, he must also confront the horrific realities of his present situation."

In his statement about Phantosmia, Lav wrote: "Do human beings have the right to kill other human beings? A big part of the story of Phantosmia is about this discourse, and other questions about man’s existence. 

"One of the main protagonists of the film is a retired military officer. All his life, he has done military and police services and most of those experiences were burdened by violence with institutional sanction. 

"Even his upbringing is laden with violence, because of his father’s perspective on dealing with life’s challenges—that man must be tough, mentally and physically. 

"He remembers waking up every morning and the very first words he heard were “You are a fighter!” and “You are a warrior!”; and the very first exercises would be about how to use a gun and how to fight.

"Thus, he became a true fighter and a warrior, by his own reckoning, but a very violent one, and he believed then that violence was part of his duty, and it is a natural attribute of the military and police institutions. These kinds of conditionings have profoundly spawned fascist, authoritarian, feudal, and barbaric setups."