Jeffrey Hidalgo directs “Eva,” an erotic-drama set to stream on December 24 on Vivamax.
The director said the film is about the exploration — and the fulfillment — of the carnal appetites of Eva. It is about sex — unabashedly and unapologetically.
“I’ve always been a fan of this genre. Bago namayagpag ang VivaMax, eto na talaga ang genre na gusto ko. Until naging uso sa VivaMax platform. Mahilig talaga ako sa dark themes. My first film was ‘Silong,’ romantic-thriller na may konting love scene din naman,” related the director.
But there is more to the scenes than just baring. Direk Jeffrey said he makes sure there are more than just gratuitous sex in the movie.
“I enjoy shooting intimate scenes as much as any other scene. At the end of the day, even if the story is erotic, ang importante pa rin ay ang story. I always like putting in subtexts even in the intimate scenes,” he explained.
“‘Yung love scene hindi lang love scene, may acting na nangyayari. ‘Yun ang difference sa ibang love scene sa ibang films. ‘Yung iba form of release lang, dito may discovery silang nalalaman.”
There is another dimension to the movie, noted the director. By having the power to control her body and her desires, Eva, played by Angeli Khang, exemplifies women empowerment.
“Eto pa lang ang movie tungkol sa sexual life ng isang tao, on how she discovers new things, yung pwede sa kanya at hindi sa kanya. It’s women empowerment to know what you like and not, and for you to do what you want while being happy,” said Angeli. “Ang pinagkaiba nito sa ibang movie — yes, it’s an erotic film — pero matututunan mo kung ano ang healthy sa isang tao.”
Angeli (“Mahjong Nights”) plays the role of Eva, a young housemaid who is sexually curious and is willing to try anything to explore and satisfy her libido. Because of this curiosity, she finds herself, one night, in a threesome with her boss, Victoria (Sab Aggabao), and Lauro (Marco Gomez), a neighbor’s houseboy who she often has sexual encounters with. This act leads Eva to have confusions about her feelings and makes her choose between the two.
“Eva” director Jeffrey Hidalgo started his showbiz career as a singer before acting in some movies and eventually working behind the camera. He has had nominations from two of the most prestigious award-giving bodies in the Philippines, FAMAS awards and Star Award for movies.
