The portrayal of the deaf couple in Bakit Di Mo Sabihin? from Cinemalaya 2022 is a significant obstacle for Janine Gutierrez and JC de Vera.

“We went through a series of workshops,” JC stated this at the Cinemalaya 18: Breaking Through The Noise mediacon on Wednesday, July 6, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

“Pero ang pinakanag-work sa amin na process is that we have to be totally immersed sa pagiging deaf.

“And that means, kailangan talaga naming ma-feel and maging comfortable sa pagiging deaf.

“Pinaghandaan talaga namin ‘to. We have teachers beside us during the shoot. Tapos, alam mo yun, talagang total immersion lang talaga.

“Naging matured kami ni Janine pagdating dito sa film na ‘to. Talagang binuhos namin lahat ng skill na meron kami sa katawan namin.”

“Hindi ko masabing magaling ako. Ahhm, gusto kong mapanood ninyo and gusto kong kayo ang magsabi kung ano ba talaga yung naramdaman niyo sa ginawa namin,” JC said.

“But after the shoot, na-feel talaga namin that we are really satisfied with what we did.

“Alam namin na binuhos talaga namin yung buong puso namin dito. And most of all, we really enjoyed portraying a deaf couple.

“As in hands down kay Janine, nakita ko dito that she really performed well. Nilabas niya talaga yung acting skills niya.

“Marami siyang skills na itinatago sa likod niya at dito natin nakita yun.

“Alam niyo, itong film na ito, it’s like dancing, alam mo yun? It’s like performing.

“From scene 1 hanggang matapos yung movie, we were like performing a dance number, alam mo yun?

“Nag-rehearse kami, prinaktis talaga namin. Tapos, pagdating ng shoot, it’s like, alam mo yun, game time! Kailangan na naming i-perform.”

Both JC and Janine have won awards. Do they have high hopes for “Bakit Di mo Sabihin?”

“E, siyempre yung expectations namin, sa sarili na lang namin. Parang ine-expect talaga namin na we have to really you know portray these characters so well,” tugon ni JC

“Kasi, alam mo, really excited dito yung deaf community. Kasi, it’s been a long time na, alam mo yun, merong ganitong klaseng film for them.

“At itong istorya na ginawa talaga namin is, you know, somehow unique. First time ‘to sa ating industry na makapagpalabas tayo ng full length na deaf movie.

“So, we have cast na deaf also. Tapos, ahhm, yung writer namin, si Flo Reyes, true story ito. Ito yung story ng parents niya na both deaf.

“So, alam mo yun, talagang really excited kami. Kasi nga, alam mo yun, it’s hard pero at the end of this shoot, we are all fulfilled.

“As in sobrang-sobrang happy kami.”

Is it easy for him to collaborate with deaf co-stars? He jumped right on board? Do they get along well?

“Well, I must say, it was really hard. It was really difficult at first,” pag-amin ni JC.

“Pero since we were truly immersed nga sa characters namin, ahhm, I must admit, during the shoot, nagkakaroon ako ng headaches.

“Kasi nga, I’m trying to understand each and every sign na dapat ipakita. Talagang, alam mo yun, iniintindi ko yung bawat word.

“So, it was really difficult. Pero since we were totally immersed nga, alam mo yun, naging comfortable kami.

“And yun nga, maikuwento ko lang, sa sobrang komportable ko, sometimes during the shoot, feeling ko, deaf din ako talaga.

“Like, people are talking to me pero feeling ko, hindi ko sila naririnig. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila, alam mo yun?

“Parang… wala na, pumasok na sa akin yung karakter. And yun yung objective ko talaga. Na maging comfortable ako sa pagiging deaf.”

Janine and JC are fantastic.

JC is very good, so challenge him with this first Conemalaya project. He has to keep up.

Why Don’t You Tell? said JC. This is not your typical love story. The concept is one-of-a-kind, and you will appreciate it. So he did his work.