Cesar Montano Opens Up on His New Standards for Movies & Storytelling
CESAR MONTANO – No longer focused on quantity, Cesar Montano shared that he now looks for substance and responsibility in the movies he accepts.
Veteran actor and filmmaker Cesar Montano has returned to the big screen through Selda Tres, an official entry to this year’s Sinag Maynila Film Festival. In the film, he takes on a more low-key role as Lando, the older half-brother of JM De Guzman’s character, who becomes the victim of wrongful accusations that lead to his imprisonment.
During the movie’s press conference earlier this month, Montano expressed his joy in working for the first time with JM De Guzman and Carla Abellana. “Bitin nga ako eh. I’m looking forward na sana makatrabaho ko pa ulit sila. I feel so honored na makatrabaho sila. These are incredible actors, itong mga kasama ko. Magagaling. Sana makatrabaho ko ulit sila in the near future,” he said.
The actor went on to describe his character as a humble man engaged in a car buy-and-sell business. He admitted feeling regret for not being more present in his sibling’s life. “Nung nangyari sa kanya yun, I try to go out of my way to help my half-brother. He was accused. Yung allegations sa kanya mali. But we need adequate proof to substantiate the allegations. So kailangan matulungan ko ‘to. Naniniwala ako sa kanya na siya ay not guilty sa allegations sa kanya. So I believe and trust my brother,” Montano explained.
Aside from discussing his role, Montano also shared how his outlook as an actor has evolved over the years. He revealed that he is now more careful when selecting projects, favoring stories with depth and meaningful lessons over simply taking on any offer. “The last movie I did was the Blood Brothers, that was probably last year. Siguro kasama na yung pagiging mapili dahil tapos na tayo dun sa tanggap na lang ng tanggap ng anuman eh. Di ba? For me, dapat as an actor kasi you have a responsibility sa audience mo. Kasi dapat, merong mensahe yung pelikulang ginagawa mo. It’s our responsibility how we educate the people, how we educate our audience,” he noted.
For him, every film should create a lasting impression. “Hindi yung basta gusto ko, kikita ako diyan, gagawin ko na yan. No. But para sa akin ah, dapat may substance yung pelikula, merong naiiwan na mabuti sa puso ng audience. At dahil sa pagpanuod ng pelikula, they become a better person. They learn something from it. Dapat ganun,” he stressed.
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