The first commercial full-length movie of Christian Paolo Lat, “Sugar Baby” may be about the same theme as recent movies about the symbiotic relationship of an older and usually moneyed individual and a younger person, but the writer-director promises it is so much more than about the power dynamic.
In a press conference held at the Viva Cafe last Friday, the 30-year-old writer-director expressed confidence that his movie stands out from the crowd. Acknowledging the prevalence of films with similar premises, Lat promised audiences a cinematic rollercoaster experience.
“The trailer left out a lot of the deets in the story, so when the audience would watch it, it’s like… It’s a rollercoaster ride,” he teased, hinting at unexpected twists and turns in the narrative. “I understand a lot of films have a similar premise, a desperate woman needs money, but the way we executed this film, I feel confident na, oh OK, I would have never expected that this movie would take this turn or that turn. I’m leading you this way, ‘yun pala papunta na dito. I think that’s what really separates ‘Sugar Baby’ from other films.”
The film stars Robb Guinto and Azi Acosta as two young women entering the world of sugar babies. The central character, Jennifer, portrayed by Azi Acosta, is a hardworking mother trapped in an abusive marriage with Spencer, played by Mon Mendoza. Enter Rica, Jennifer’s former lover played by Rob Guinto, who appears as a knight in shining armor, ready to rescue her from her misery.
“My character, si Jennifer naging sugar baby because of one reason, ‘yung iba naman sobrang religious hindi naman mabait,” said Azi.
Lat revealed that “Sugar Baby” draws inspiration from the collective stories of individuals he encountered while working in both Canada and the Philippines. The movie aims to emphasize the challenges faced by women in desperate situations, forced to make choices against their will for the sake of their families.
“I wanted to create a movie that empathizes with women because a lot of times when they are in such desperate situations, they have to make choices that are against their will,” Lat explained. “It’s not so much whether being a sugar baby is good or bad, but it’s a reflection of the situation some women have to go through to save their families. In a bigger scope, that is the message of the film.”
“Sugar Baby” also features Mon Mendoza, Josef Elizalde, Zsara Tiblani, and Jeffrey Hidalgo.
The film starts streaming November 24.
