Ni Ador Saluta

BUKOD sa ilang beteranong performers, kasama si Sandino Martin sa cast ng Changing Partners.

Nauna rito, nakasama rin si Sandino sa classic film na Ang Larawan as Bitoy Camacho na family friend ng mga Marasigan. Sa Changing Partners, may love scene si Sandino with Agot Isidro at gumaganap ding gay lover ni Jojit Lorenzo.

Unang nakilala si Sandino sa indie film na Esprit de Corps kasama sina JC Santos at Lharby Policarpio. Gumanap sila bilang ROTC cadets sa isang all-boy school during Martial Law.

Kuwento ni Sandino, muntik nang makansela ang Esprit de Corps dahil sa pagkakatanggal sa project ng isa sa lead actors ng project. Siya ang nagrekomenda kay JC para sumali sa Cinema One Originals 2014 entry. Dati nang magkakilala sina Sandino at JC dahil pareho silang nag-aral sa Theater Arts sa University of the Philippines -Diliman. 

“Higher batch sa akin si JC Santos. Tatlo ang main characters (sa Esprit de Corps): ako, si Lharby, saka may isang guy. The guy got fired because he’s not doing well. At that time, JC had just come back (to Manila) from New York.

“The project was in danger of being dissolved because it was not working out with another actor. We were cramming already. I told our director (Auraeus Solito): ‘I know someone who’s very good, who is a fast learner.’ 

“Binuild-up ko si JC so pumasok si JC. Ganu’n ako. I want to make a good film. I want the best out of the best. If I can help, if I can make it happen, then why not?

Isa sa mga natatandaan sa naturang pelikula ang kissing scene nina Sandino at JC. 

“JC kissed me,” natatawang sagot ni Sandino. “We were rehearsing it for quite some time. ‘Tapos sabi namin ni JC: ‘O, gawin na lang natin sa actual shoot. Ginawa namin. We’re fine. We’re both guys. Walang malisya.’”

Mas gusto ni Sandino na gumawa ng kissing scene kasama ang kakilalang lalaki kaysa estranghero.

“Mas okay, kasi the theater scene in UP is very small. I would rather do it with someone I know. Hindi naman kami close ni JC but I’d rather do it with someone I know rather than a stranger and build a connection from scratch.”

Galing sila sa Theater Arts program ng UP Diliman, at hindi iyon ang unang kissing scene nila sa kapwa lalaki for art. 

“Sa theater, may isa akong ginawa. JC has done some plays in UP where he had kissing scenes (with guys).”

Nagpaliwanag din si Sandino ukol sa paghuhubad niya sa nasabing indie film. 

“Naghubad ako, totally nude. Si JC, hanggang puwet lang. Kailangan may isa sa amin na (completely nude) kasi ‘pinapakita ang evolution of the nakedness of a man. Sabi ko: ‘Sige, ako na lang.’ Pero wala sa akin ‘yun.”

Open-minded siya sa pagpapakita ng katawan, na influenced sa kanya ng trip niya sa Europe noon.

“Nagpunta akong Europe for a month and I saw a lot of European films. Wala silang pakialam. It’s part of the human physicality so … You see it every day!

“Pero hindi ko kayang gawin sa theater. I cannot do it na alam ko na maraming tao. Kaya ko na may camera, may two people lang.”

Inirerekomemda niya sa actors na gumawa ng frontal nudity scene at least once sa buhay nila.

“Nagmo-monologue ako nu’n. I was doing a scene with Lharby. Nakaupo ako sa jumping board (sa pool), hubo’t hubad, then magsu-swimming ako. Siguro mga 6-8 takes ‘yun. I got used to it. Actually, it’s liberating. I would suggest to all actors out there to do it once in their lives because it’s liberating. I’m not saying to do it regularly, but it’s fun.”

Paano niya pinaghandaan ang kanyang frontal nudity scene?

“Hindi ako nag-workout. Sapat na ‘yung takbu-takbo namin during the military training. I was in a relationship when I was shooting it. Siyempre ‘pinagpaalam ko naman.”

Pero naging uneasy siya paglabas ng pelikula.

“Nu’ng nakita ko ‘yung output, isa din ako sa lumulubog sa upuan nu’ng scene na ‘yun. ‘Ang tagal nito! Literal na ang tagal!’ Siyempre, my mom saw it. Sabi niya: ‘Bakit mo ginawa ito, anak?’”

Natatawa na lang si Sandino ‘pag naaalala niya ang ginawa. Sakaling may alok uli sa kanya para maghubad, gagawin ba niya ulit?

“I’d do it again… in the next ten years. You saw it for a very long time, you might see it after… Kasi gusto ko iba naman ang physical (appearance). I want to age a bit. Mature a bit. Those kinds of things. So if you bare it all, there’s new meaning.”

Pero may tinanggihan na siyang project.

“Alam ko naman ‘yung tipong just to sell sex. Meron akong hinindian na indie movie project recently because I felt it was not needed. It was too much. I said no to a project.”

Seryoso siya sa kanyang acting craft.

“I would love to be a lot of people. That’s the gift you have as an actor. To be someone you are not. I’m planning to be in the business for a very long time. I want to evolve as an artist in the near future.”