The short film ‘As The Moth Flies,’ an entry in the Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2024, faced significant hurdles during its production, resulting in a year-long process to complete.
Director Gayle Oblea revealed that the film’s journey was marked by a last-minute reshoot, following the sudden disappearance of the original lead actress.
During a press event on August 26 at Flavours Indian and Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant in Makati City, Oblea shared the challenges her team encountered. “Originally when we wrote this, it was meant for a different actress, but the actress disappeared. Kumbaga, it was the last day of the shoot. I remember crying to Kuya Epy and kay Tito Alvin Anson [one of the producers] about it,” Oblea recounted.
The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the actress had already been compensated for her role, leading to significant complications for the production team. “And the worst part is that she was paid, so when she bailed out, it was quite the huge problem to the point that it triggered an episode where I couldn’t get up off my bed,” Oblea admitted, though she chose not to disclose the actress’s identity.
Oblea explained that the actress backed out due to concerns about certain R-18 scenes in the film. “Mahaba yung reason niya, pero in a nutshell, she got scared because there are scenes in the film na R-18 talaga. But what’s funny is that they read the script prior and they agreed. So, I think there was a change of heart on her part talaga kasi I think the manager also discouraged her to push through with it, noting she might not get to do commercial activities after,” Oblea explained.
Undeterred, Oblea found a replacement in indie actress Mina Cruz to portray the role of Tonette. “I saw Mina Cruz, through one of the entries in the Silent Film Festival, and I said to myself, ‘Mina looks exactly like the character for my film’. I think it was a blessing in disguise because we were able to improve on the scenes we shot. We made it better. At the same time, I think the universe really want it to happen,” Oblea said.
@lionheartv Last shooting day ng ‘As The Moth Flies,’ nawala ang kanilang leading lady… EpyQuizon, hindi naninhil ng TF! #AsTheMothFlies #SinagMaynila2024 #EntertainmentNewsPH #TiktokTainmentPH #BestOfTiktokPH #LionhearTV #RAWRNation
‘As The Moth Flies’ has since garnered international attention, being featured in renowned film festivals such as the Brussels Short Film Festival in Belgium, the Little Venice Film Festival in Italy, the Greenwich Film Festival in London, and the Urban Dreams Festival in New York. Notably, it was the sole representative from the Asia Pacific region at the Brussels Short Film Festival, one of the 169 Oscar-qualifying festivals worldwide.
As the film gears up for its Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2024 screening from September 4-10, it competes in the short film category, with screenings scheduled at Gateway 2, SM Cinemas in NCR, Robinsons Galleria and Manila, and Market! Market! Cinema.
Produced by Creative Kartel and Desi Matters, in collaboration with Happy Manila and Rav Singh, the 15-minute short film ‘As The Moth Flies’ also features Boo Gabunada as Jett, Pam Arambulo and Epy Quizon in key roles.
