Victor Villanueva raises the bar for comedy with 'I Am Not Big Bird'
Victor Villanueva raises the bar for comedy with ‘I Am Not Big Bird’
Feature art by Abigail Manaluz
Victor Villanueva’s newest comedy I Am Not Big Bird had its premiere last Valentine’s Day, February 14, and left audiences with a good laugh and a new appreciation for friendship. This was a highly anticipated release for several reasons, such as being Enrique Gil’s return to the big screen after nearly three years, or how this was a Filipino film shot in Thailand, but what truly made this film raise the bar for local comedies was the strong messaging it held and the innovative style of filmmaking by Villanueva.
In my interview with Villanueva, he gave several reasons as to what made this “one of the best shoots” he has ever had. Apart from this being his first time directing abroad, he said he values the work culture in Thailand – having delicious cuisine on set, imposing a 12-hour shooting limit per day, and how collaborative everyone was. He shared a story about discovering that two of their extras apparently being twins, which their Talent Coordinator said would be good for their film about lookalikes. “May ganon silang attention to detail na hindi ko inexpect” (I didn’t expect their attention to detail), he said as he recognized the strong initiative and dedication from his crew. Villanueva also discussed how the setting drove the plot, stating: “the place becomes its own character.”
Villanueva was also surprised to find out that he would be directing the on-screen comeback of Gil. “Na-shock akong pumayag siya sa ganitong concept. Nung pumayag siya, ‘di ako naniwala. Parang, ha? Totoo ba?” (I was surprised he agreed to this kind of concept. When he agreed, I couldn’t believe it. Like, what? Really?), he expressed in our interview. He said the ultimate pressure was turning a serious actor into a funny character as most of us knew Gil for his lead roles in love stories. “It’s hard to teach comedy,” he said, but highlighted that having naturally funny co-stars like Red Ollero really helped, especially when it came to forming a bond among the cast. What fascinated me was when he mentioned working with an Intimacy Coordinator to ensure that the cast was comfortable with executing the jokes written in the screenplay, as having Intimacy Coordinators is not common in the Philippines and usually only seen in international productions like those of Hollywood — introducing a more progressive and safer work environment for the local film industry.
Enrique Gil as Luis Carpio in I Am Not Big Bird. Taken from adobomagazine.com.
It is evident in Villanueva’s filmography that comedy is his comfort zone but what is so great about the sense of humor in his newest film is how it isolates from the usual misogynist or homophobic jokes that dominate local mainstream cinema today. “I wanted to make them vulnerable for the first time in their decade of friendship,” describing the characters in his film, and “to show how toxic masculinity affects the guys,” he added. Watching this felt like having fun with some friends despite sharing a feeling of loneliness, not knowing anyone else in the country but each other — similar to how Villanueva said he, his cast, and his crew felt while shooting in Thailand. “Isang common theme sa halos lahat ng films ko is loneliness pero pinoint out lang sakin” (A common theme in almost all of my films is loneliness but someone just pointed it out to me”), referencing his previous films like Patay Na Si Hesus and Jhon en Martian.
When asked if we would be seeing a comeback of his Bisaya films anytime soon, he said he wants to explore more low pressure styles of cinema such as short films and exploring the horror genre. “Maybe a Bisaya horror,” he answered. Villanueva said: he wants to “pass down the torch” ever since the release of Patay Na Si Hesus but is just waiting for someone from the next generation to receive it. “I’m happy to see people making more Cebuano shorts but I’m really waiting for someone to push the envelope with the right ambition, someone willing to make the sacrifices we made. I’m waiting for someone to push Cebuano cinema to the limelight again,” he said.
We concluded the interview with Villanueva’s tapsilog — tapa being his favorite film, sinangag being his comfort film, and itlog being a film recommendation. His favorite film of all time is Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke, comfort film — Mel Brooks’ Dracula: Dead and Loving It, and his recommendation being the Evangelion Japanese animated film series.
Overall, I Am Not Big Bird is an impeccable reminder that comedy does not just give us entertainment but can also give us a deeper introspection on life and the people we surround ourselves with — which we can find in the filmmaker’s comedies that explore friendship, adventure, and struggle.
I Am Not Big Bird is now showing in theaters nationwide.
