Mercedes Cabral in "Latak"/abs-cbnNEWS.com

Plagued by technical glitches at the eleventh hour, the premiere showing of Outline Films’ “Latak” pushed through Thursday night at the UP Film Institute Cine Adarna after director Jowee Morel frantically tried to make a rented DVD projector work properly.

According to Morel, JBD Productions had dispatched their crew around 4 pm to the UP Film Institute Cine Adarna to set up the DVD projector for the screening. It was discovered later however, that the rental house didn’t bring the proper connector to render the original material from the computer to the projector to the screen.

“Ang tagal naming nagkalikot do’n pero wala rin. We thought dahil production house sila, kumpleto sila. Hindi pala. Palpak ang transmission ng images from the computer to the screen,” lamented Morel who couldn’t do anything but control his temper.

According to Morel, his editor, Jan Endaya, was so meticulous in putting all things together to make a meaningful and enjoyable film but the misjudgment of the crew of JBD Productions, he said, destroyed the whole process.

“Ang mahal pa naman ng itsina-charge sa amin. Ang sabi no’ng crew, 6,500 lumens daw ‘yon pero parang walang epekto. I think it’s the principle over and above the fee. Magbabayad naman kami pero masama talaga ang projection,” exclaimed Morel.

The film was shown just the same with a good number of well-meaning moviegoers in attendance considering the short notice of screening schedule.

“I’m happy a lot of people got to see it. I’m happy my favorite director Jeffrey Jeturian was there. I also got to meet another colleague in the directing profession, Arman Reyes who was so encouraging to me,” informed Morel.

“Latak,” Jowee’s fifth outing is about a young commercial director’s drug dependence and his eventual escape from addiction, and the price he paid for his liberation. 

The whole cast was in full force namely lead actor Marc Jacob; Chanel Latorre; Zach Urdaneta and the internationally renowned Mercedes Cabral who was very elated being part of the movie.

“Magkakaiba ang mga katangian ng mga director ko. Si Brillante Mendoza, sasabihin lang sa’yo, ikaw na ang bahala sa role mo basta't consistent lang. Si Jowee, masyadong detalyado. ‘Yong direktor ko naman sa Korean movie ko, si Park Chan-woo, hinahayaan lang kami pero nakaabang siya agad sa reaction mo,” said Mercedes who had to leave in the middle of the screening to rush to a shoot of her new project.