The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Like anyone in the local show business, actress Cataleya Surio—the so-called Queen of Short Indie Film Festival christened to her by entertainment journalist Alwyn Ignacio—hasn’t been spared of heartaches since the time she joined the movies years ago. “I started my film career by joining Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s film workshop which I enjoyed so much. I was proclaimed Best Actress in our culminating activity when we were required to produce our own films. We were asked to divide our class into groups. I was lucky I was entrusted by our fellow workshopper director to breathe life to the main actress role,” said Cataleya who was immediately casted as a grocery cashier by Brillante in the monumental film “Ma’ Rosa” which gave Jaclyn Jose the Best Actress award at the prestigious 2016 Cannes International Film Festival in France.
After her initial exposures to the big screen, Surio was given meaty roles in many short but memorable films like “Paano Ba Bihisan ang Isang Ina?” etc.
“Pero hindi po pala madali ang mag-artista kahit na sa short films. Marami ring challenges at frustrations like hindi ka pinapansin kahit ng mga kasamahan mo sa showbiz pag may mga event lalo na pag baguhan ka pa lang (But being an actress I realized it wasn’t an easy one even in short films. There were a lot of challenges and frustrations like you’re not given the due recognition even from your colleagues because you’re just new in the business),” sighed Cataleya who already won Best Actress at the Singkwento International Film Festival 2019 for “Akin ang Korona” and at the cinesb Special Edition Film Festival 2017 for “Paano ba Bihisan ang Isang Ina.”
There was also a time she was the butt of jokes and intrigues about her persona she thought she would quit because of unpalatable comments she received from people.
She would be offered roles and would be happy and excited to wait for the cameras to roll until she wouldn’t receive call slips anymore because somebody had hijacked her role for some unexplained reasons or the replacement was closer or chummier to the producer or director. “Marami pong mga sakit ng loob pero kinaya ko (There were many pains but I kept going),” Surio admitted.
“I thought I was weak enough to surrender but giving up wasn’t my cup of tea,” she exclaimed.
She went on but there was this film project where she was promised a good exposure in the entire film until she was relegated to the dustbin of a walk-on part.
“Meron din po na binarat pa ako sa bayad, hindi tumupad sa usapan. Tapos, akala ko, malaki ang role ko, binawasan na naman. Nakakaloka pero kinaya ko pa rin po (There was this incident where I was shortchanged with my talent fee which wasn’t the one we agreed on. Then, I thought my role would be meatier but it was again slashed into a minor role. It was crazy but I went on),” Cataleya smiled.
Now, she can lay claim a lot of good roles and meaningful talks are happening to her like a film which is being directed by an award-winning director and written by a respected scriptwriter.
“Ngayon po, nakakabawi na ako. Pasensiyahan na lang talaga ang laban (Now I am able to make up for the lost and worst time. Patience is the best weapon),” she chuckled.