Indie scene’s surprise discovery is a newbie now based in London
LIKE Nathan Lopez (“Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros”) and Mimi Juareza (“Quick Change”) before her, Hasmine Killip became the breakthrough star of the indie scene this season, with a stunning debut performance in Eduardo Roy Jr.’s “Pamilya Ordinaryo,” an entry in this year’s Cinemalaya and Venice Days fest.
Hasmine, who is now based in London with her husband, British businessman Anthony Killip, was herself surprised by the glowing reviews she had received for her first full-length film.
The daughter of a taxi driver and a housewife, Hasmine Formalejo-Killip never considered herself an actress before “accidentally” bagging the lead role in Carlo Francisco Manatad’s short film, “Junilyn Has.”
In an e-mail interview, she told the INQUIRER that she had zero acting experience prior to “Junilyn Has,” where she plays a bar girl forced to learn new dance moves in time for the Pope’s visit.
She disclosed that she had no plans of trying out for the internationally acclaimed short film. “I just accompanied my best friend to the audition. But when Direk Carlo saw me, he asked me to also try my luck,” she said in Filipino.
That unexpected stint led to a bigger opportunity.
Based on her performance in “Junilyn Has,” the “Ordinaryo” team sought out the 21-yearold newbie and convinced her to audition for a role in the Cinemalaya film. (It helped that Carlo also served as editor of “Pamilya Ordinaryo.”)
“At 11 p.m., I got a call from [line producer] Sarah Pagcaliwagan-Brakansiek. They gave me transportation fare to and from the audition,” she recalled. “I was nervous, but found the experience exciting, too.”
After landing the role, “Direk allowed me and my lola to stay in his home. He would even cook for us. He is so kind! He didn’t allow me to spend a single centavo during my time with him.”
“She lived in the suburbs, far from our location,” the director recounted.
He also made sure Hasmine was well-prepared, by enrolling her in an acting workshop, under theater, TV and film veteran Ruby Ruiz. “That’s why I didn’t have a hard time on the set. I just recalled the lessons from the workshop,” she pointed out.
She enjoyed filming on the streets of Manila. “I loved every minute of it… that people were watching me. I wanted to do well, to impress the bystanders.”
She also found a reliable partner in costar Ronwaldo Martin, Coco Martin’s brother. “I would ask permission beforehand whenever I needed to slap or hurt him. He always allowed me to do whatever I needed to do, to make the scene realistic.”
During the shoot, she was applying for a UK visa at the same time.
So, while her character was searching for a missing baby, she explained, she was also pining for “the love of my life,” who was oceans away. (She and Anthony tied the knot in October last year.)
“I wanted to be with my husband. He was my inspiration during the making of the film,” she admitted.
Although Hasmine is now based abroad, she still hopes to make more indie movies. (She is currently training as a care and support assistant.)
She and her hubby plan to watch her full-length debut film at the Venice Days fest, which will be held in Italy from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10. “I’m happy that our film is going places,” she quipped. “I never imagined I would receive all these blessings.”
But before anticipating how foreigners would receive the film in Venice, Hasmine would rather express her gratitude first for the positive feedback from the Cinemalaya audience.
It’s quite fulfilling, she asserted. “It feels great that fellow Filipinos liked the film. It offered valuable lessons and opened people’s eyes to the harsh realities of life.”