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Isabel Sandoval on Breaking barriers in Hollywood and her film Lingua Franca

 


Los Angeles – Isabel Sandoval knew all the challenges she faced. She is a trans woman, an immigrant, an Asian. She has to work harder to prove herself in Hollywood.

But the Filipino director-writer-producer-actor-editor has the passion, drive and talent that define success. Nothing can stop her from doing what she loves to do. And that is, making films and telling his stories.

‘Lingua Franca’, her third feature and her first film in the United States, talks about the life of a transsexual, Olivia struggling with immigration and relationship issues as she tries to make a living as a as babysitter of an old Russian woman named Olga (played by Lynn Cohen) in Brooklyn.

While trying to help her family in the Philippines by sending money and boxes of balikbayan (care packages), Olivia is also trying to resolve her illegal status in the United States through a green card marriage. She meets Olga’s grandson Alex (Eamon Farren) and somehow a connection between the two occurs.

In the film, Sandoval plays Olivia.

Previously, she made the films “Senorita” in 2011 and “Apparition” in 2012.

Here are excerpts from our conversation with her:

You are a trans, immigrant woman of color – which makes it even harder to be successful in Hollywood, but you did. So how did you manage to overcome all of these challenges?

I didn’t want the labels to intimidate me. At the end of the day, I am a person, an artist, a storyteller. I believe in the validity of my voice, my experience to be seen and heard, and I have sought support from people like Tony and Emmy Award winning producer Jhett Tolentino who is the film’s lead producer. I didn’t do this in the Hollywood system. I have been helped by immigrant artists and have had the privilege of working with these people.

Talk about the portrayal of the trans character’s sexuality in this movie and why was it important for you to show it as a filmmaker? Talk about the casting of Eamon Farren.

Just in terms of portraying female sexuality is so rare and surprising when you see this. The transsexual is always represented as the passive object. They are the ones who are wanted.

In “Lingua Franca”, it is not only the feminine gaze but the fantasy of the person. In her scene with Eamon Farren, who plays Alex, it is she who is the active agent of this desire. She feels the need to assert her personality.

I am a big fan of Eamon Farren from the series “Twin Peaks: The Return”, the David Lynch series. He played a villain there but I thought he had a fascinating character and face and reminded me of a young Christopher Walken, his unpredictability and vulnerability. So I thought he was a perfect fit as Alex. I didn’t want to play a pretty boy but an actor capable of conveying emotional complexity.

The film also deals with homophobia. Can you talk more about it?

It’s interesting because I was raised by my mother who is a single parent, but she always supported me. I was a director at school. I graduated from promotion in high school and Summa Cum Laude in Cebu college.

Right after graduation I supported my mom financially. When I told my mom I was trans, it was difficult at first because we are a Catholic country and it took me an hour to cry. I really turned my eyes. But she supported me a lot and she told me: “you are still my child and I love you and I support you”.

It was a process. My mother came and supported me. And I am happy that “Lingua Franca” is successful. And my mom is so proud of me.

The film is also about the friendship between the two trans (Olivia and Trixie) and the support for each other.

The story is also about two trans characters who are friends with each other. Deepening the multifaceted characterization by defining two of these scenes can be shocking because the experience of trans people is different from each other.

Olivia pays an American citizen to become legal, while in Trixie’s case (played by Ivory Aquino), she has a healthy and nurturing romantic relationship where her American boyfriend offers to marry her out of love.

There is a diversity of experiences even among trans people. There is not a single monolithic story. But there are several stories.

The film has already received praise and good reviews from critics. Why do you think this film concerns the public? How biographical is he? Emotional and psychological truths? Was this trip therapeutic for you?

On paper, this may sound like a social issue drama in a textbook that may alienate a lot of people because it’s a specific experience. Many are not trans or undocumented.

But it resonated because people are surprised at the direction it is taking in terms of stories. It is not predictable. It’s not a typical story of trans characters trying to be intimate with men and then there are cases or episodes of physical abuse.

“Lingua Franca” is neither preacher nor didactic. It’s tricky and subtle, because audience expectations are unique and you get a singular emotional experience that you usually don’t get. It is not predictable.

Your movie is also streaming on Netflix and is also the latest film from Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing which focuses on amplifying black, female and diverse voices. How did you get to do that – first with Ava, then with Netflix?

What a dream come true to be acquired by Ava Duvernay. It started last October. Ava’s company is based in historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles and they were putting together an inaugural series for Philippine History Month.

We haven’t had a premiere in the US yet, just in Venice. We were advised to wait. We kept in touch with the Ava team in May and they offered to distribute the film. We jumped at the chance to work with Ava. The release of the film was extremely rewarding.

As a result, we’ve had exceptional media coverage – LA Times, Vanity Fair, Elle Magazine. “Lingua Franca” has found its audience. The Filipino community, the queer community, the moviegoers have all supported us. And people are still talking about it on social media.

When did you decide to become a filmmaker? What were your inspirations to become one?

We don’t choose our passions; our passions choose us. We gravitate towards our passions. We can’t stop thinking about words. For me, my creative outlets offer scenes in my mind. That’s how I knew I wanted to become a filmmaker. I wanted to pursue it as a career and a vocation.

Our brains are ready to think that filmmaking is not an adult career, but a very risky profession with no job security. But I’m glad I stuck to it. I am grateful that I can pursue and find work with something that I am passionate about. I always wake up eager to express myself. Due to the success of “Lingua Franca”, I am starting to receive offers from Hollywood studios to work on new projects. It is such a validation and without compromise Hollywood has taken note. I did not follow the established formulas because I wanted my voice to be authentic and unique.

My influences?

Ishmael Bernal because he is the greatest filmmaker. I would also include Lino Brocka and his “Insiang”.

My favorite is Ishmael Bernal and what a spectacular piece on the list – “Manila By Night”, “Himala”, “Nunal sa Tubig”. My other influences include Wong Kar-wai. “In the Mood for Love” is an influential film especially during my formative years.

Other influences include Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Christian Petzold, Chantal Akerman, and Ukrainian Jewish director James Gray.

Are you pinching yourself that all of these things are happening to you right now?

It was a surreal run from Venice last year and I’m just grateful to everyone I’ve worked with.

From the start it was a gamble and we weren’t expecting it to be successful, but the film reached as many viewers as it did. This testifies to the authenticity and does not compromise his vision. I dedicate the success of the film to Lynn Cohen, who died recently (February 2020 in New York). (She portrayed Olga.)

If you had a chance to change anything in the movie, what would it be?

I think I would develop Olga’s story further. I tried to do this. I wanted to add more scenes of her speaking Russian to allude to her journey as an immigrant from Ukraine.

But Lynn Cohen didn’t want to work with a Russian coach and I didn’t insist on it. We only had 16 days to shoot the film. But I would have loved to make Olivia and Olga equal in the film.

Your next project and the reason why you will continue to make films?

I can’t share it yet but I am now replaced by a big Hollywood talent agency that represents top Hollywood directors. I am writing the pilot of a television series which was acquired by a cable channel in August.

I’m working on my next screenplay, “Tropical Gothic” which is like Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” which is a colonial drama set in the Philippines in the 1570s during the Babaylan (Filipino shaman) era.

What advice would you give to other Filipino trans women who want to get into the movies and join the Hollywood train?

In film school we are taught to conform and stick to successful formulas and models to enter film festivals. I did not go on this road. I just came up with my own stories and films that no other filmmaker was telling or doing.

I told my story with my own distinctive voice. We all need to do what makes our art and sensibility unique and unique and do what we can to take the plunge. We should not be afraid to take risks and make mistakes. When you submit films to festivals, they’re not looking for accomplished productions, but they’re looking for storytellers who are unique and who write stories that other filmmakers don’t. We need to celebrate our uniqueness.

“Lingua Franca” was also inspired by Trump’s election in 2016. Now that he’s out of the White House, are you planning another movie?

If I had to do a sequel to “Lingua Franca”, it would have to be a rom com.

– News LA, GMA



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