The lead stars of “I’m Drunk, I Love You” Maja Salvador and Paulo Avelino with director JP Habac
MOST parts of our lives are made out of “wait-for-it” moments, like queueing to buy your favorite chicken meal, standing for hours at the roadside to get a cab, or anxiously sitting in a restaurant hoping for a friend to finally arrive, after texting you that she or he was on the way more than an hour ago.
But unlike these mundane tasks, waiting for someone is no guarantee that things will turn out in your favor, especially when it comes to love. Waiting does not always mean getting what you want, like making someone love you back.
Just like how Carson, who spent seven years waiting for her bestfriend Dio in the movie “I’m Drunk, I Love You,” an offbeat romantic comedy that tells the hilariously painful journey of one sided love.
“Pwedeng ako si Carson or si Dio, pero mas si Carson. Kasi lahat naman tayo napagdaanan natin yan, minsan umasa, minsan nasaktan,” said JP Habac, director of the film, when asked how he relates to the characters.
JP, who makes directorial debut on feature-length in this film, was with Maja Salvador who plays the role of Carson and Paulo Avelino as Dio, for their Cebu press conference at Pino restaurant in Lahug last Saturday.
He said that liquor and feelings make the movie very relatable, comparing Carson’s seven years of waiting for Dio, to the UP campus
seven-year maximum residency rule, that even in college and in feelings, there’s a time to graduate.
And before graduating, these two college bestfriends went on one last road trip to La Union, to hopefully
settle how they really feel about each other.
Maja and Paulo during Saturday’s press con
“Yung main characters sa film, they are based sa mga tao na malapit sa buhay ko, pinag mix ko lang din ‘yung mga story, to make the characters more relatable to each other,” said Direk JP.
JP shared that the title of the film came from a drinking session with friends, as one of them uttered the same exact words, “I’m Drunk, I Love You.”
Doing her second independent film, Maja shared the first time she read the script, she instantly fell in love with its relatability, comparing it to her
favorite 1998 film “Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang” which starred Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal.
“Gusto kong ma-experience maging lasinggera, ‘yung feeling na hindi nasuklian talaga ng pagmamahal bilang isang bestfriend. May ibang anggulo ang storya, may music din, offbeat romantic comedy, music at andito na talaga lahat. Mai-inlove ka, malalasing ka, ganun,” said Maja.
“The film is a reminder, that once in your life nasaktan ka uminom ka, di lang isang beses. Tulad nga ng sinabi ng shirt namin—drink moderately, love fully,” she added.
Meanwhile, Paulo describes his character Dio, as a student filmmaker, whose kind of lost without his bestfriend to keep him on track. He is preoccupied with his own issues, and did not notice even for once, that Carson is head over heels in love with him.
“It’s nice to have someone na pwede mong yayain lage na hindi tumatanggi. As we can see in the film, Dio wasn’t seeing Carson in a romantic way,
kumbaga bestfriends talaga, but as the film progresses, may surprise,” he said.
How the film came to be
According to Direk JP, the film was supposed to be shot early last year but the plan didn’t push through because there were problems getting the perfect actors to fit the roles.
“Si Paulo matagal ko na siyang nakatrabaho so madali lang ibigay ang project sa kanya. After that, naging smooth na ang pagpasok ng ibang cast, like nila Maja, Jasmine at Dominic,” he said.
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Paulo, who is co-producing the film, said that they were supposed to join CineFilipino but were unable to do so because of the delay.
JP added, “Since ‘yung pelikula may element ng music, it was not easy to do the works for the songs. Imbes na ma-compromise, parang inisip namin i-pull out at ipasok sa TBA, at dun na grant ang funding.”
Featured in the film are songs from some of the countries top artists such as Juan Miguel Severo, Kai Honasan, Jimmy Bondoc, Parokya ni Edgar, Cynthia Alexander, 3D (Johnoy Danao, Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas), Shirebound and Busking Out of Body Special, and Ang Bandang Shirley.
“Parang ‘yung sa totoong buhay, open mo lang ‘yung iPod mo, tapos kakanta ka sa mga songs, sasabay ka. Or ‘yung meron kang hugot song tapos gustong gusto mo ‘yun, hindi naman ‘yun sinulat for you pero feel na feel mo parang sakto dun sa nangyayari sa yo,” shared Maja.
She will be performing her own version of Juan Miguel’s “Huling Gabi,” while Paulo will sing “Lloydy” by Shirebound and Busking Out of Body Special.
They also recorded a duet for “Maniwala Ka Sana” by Parokya ni Edgar and “Hanggang Dito Na Lang” by Jimmy Bondoc.
Although they are facing tough competition (Star Cinema’s post Valentine movie offering, “My Ex and Whys” featuring Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil opens on the same day), both Maja and Paulo are positive about their film’s performance in the cinemas.
“We are happy that madaming Filipino fims are coming out. We are just really here to make quality movies, to show you something new and create more jobs, bring out the certain art in the big screen and discover young talents and filmmakers,” said Paulo.
Rated PG by Cinema Evaluation Board, the film will also feature Jasmine Curtis Smith and Dominic Roco.
Produced by TBA (Tuko Film Productions, Buchi Boy Entertainment, Artikulo Uno Productions), the house behind the critically acclaimed bioepic film “Heneral Luna” and MMFF 2016 Best Picture “Sunday Beauty Queen.”
“I’m Drunk, I Love You” will hit the cinemas nationwide on February 15.
“Whether you are single or not, it’s the perfect movie to teach everyone a lesson or two about loving yourself this Valentines,” said JP.
