One of the longest recent press conferences I have attended happened over the weekend. It was for I’mPerfect, Nathan Studios’ advocacy film and official entry to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival. It took time, around four hours, I guess, but every minute felt needed.
At one point, I caught myself crying, and when I turned to my seatmate, Tessa Mauricio Arriola of The Manila Times, she was wiping her tears, too.
The emotion people felt during the event did not come from sadness. I’m definite that it came from listening and from seeing how this film had touched the people who made it.
From the first day of shooting, the set felt different according to the cast. Between takes, there were shared meals, long talks, and bursts of dancing from the cast. The dances became part of the daily routine, according to Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, who directed the film.
“They lifted spirits and brought everyone closer. Group hugs were constant. Each filming day felt open, warm, and full of feeling,” executive producer Sylvia Sanchez shared, referring to the cast members who have Down syndrome.
Also present at the event were the parents of the actors with Down syndrome. They said the film became a sign of hope because it tells people that their children belong and that their lives and stories matter.
Honest and pure heart
The production, like any other film, had a few challenges, but it began in a simple way. Director Bernardo once shared a clip from her 2014 project on Down syndrome with Sanchez. The response was quick. Sanchez agreed right away. It was a bold choice for a studio, especially without familiar lead stars.
“The goal from the start was truth,” Bernardo asserted.
After many auditions, the cast was formed. Earl Amaba and Krystel Go lead the film. Both are new to acting. They are joined by a group of special individuals, many of them with Down syndrome. Supporting them are Joey Marquez, Janice de Belen, Tonton Gutierrez, Zaijian Jaranilla, Sylvia Sanchez, and Lorna Tolentino. The senior actors shared the same intent: to step back and give space to new faces who are rarely seen.
Filming began in October 2024. The team traveled to Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, and a rose farm in Claveria, Misamis Oriental. These places in Mindanao became the setting for key scenes, leading to the film’s final moments.
“Sigrid wanted to shoot in Baguio, but I said Claveria and Nasipit offer something different, and the location must be something unfamiliar but equally beautiful and charming,” Sanchez explained, saying her hometown was the perfect choice as the backdrop of the film.
As the press conference wrapped up, I learned that I’mPerfect brings long-unseen people into view and gives them a place under the light. For those who lived this story on set, and for those who will soon watch it, the film offers something rare: a clear sense of acceptance and care.
“Believe me, they are the purest souls you’d meet. They are humans without judgment of people around them. They are an unadulterated version. Ito ay kwento nila. Kaya ngayong Pasko, sila naman,” Sanchez noted.
When I’mPerfect screens this December, it will mark a first in Philippine cinema as a love story led by persons with Down syndrome.
