by Sherif Awad
Hello www.SherifAwad-FilmCritic.com
This is actor-director Romm Burlat from The Philippines…
I remember I was six years-old when I started in show business. I was in the cast of the school-produced “The Sound of Music”. It’s where I started my interest in arts and entertainment. After that stint, I joined singing competitions and dance contests in the community.
-Jack Nicholson has always been my favorite for movies. I started liking him when I saw his performance in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “The Postman always rings twice”. For television, I go for local performers, I mean TV actors from the Philippines. For dance, I don’t have any particular person as role model but John Travolta has inspired me in more ways than one.
-About 20 years ago, I attended a scriptwriting workshop with a famous Filipino scriptwriter. I also did some acting workshops and lately directing workshops. I have decided to become a movie director since this was my childhood dream. I also had a film director friend who inspired me to become a director and actor in the Philippine cinema.
-For now, I am already contented with what I have achieved. Nevertheless, I want to learn more to hone my craft since I want to invade Cannes and Hollywood. Everyone dreams of an international stardom, and it includes me.
-Since it is pandemic, projects come few and far between. It’s the most difficult time in show business. Producers do not want to gamble because of the current crisis. Another challenge we are facing is it is not easy to jump from indie to mainstream. You have to have connections from bigger movie outfits.
-Lately, the industry is starting to pick up. A few projects on TV and movie has started with of course some protocols to follow. Sooner than later, the Philippine showbiz industry will be great again.
-In my country, producers normally announce casting calls on social media, so everyone will be notified that there is a film which is scheduled to shoot.
-If a project is offered to me by a producer, I will have a meeting with him to discuss the concept, the genre, the story and the advocacy of the film. I want all my films to give lessons to every viewer.
-I consider my achievements so far is winning 26 International Best Director Awards and 13 International Best Actor Awards. Likewise, being elevated to the Hall of Fame for Best Director in one festival. I also won 3 international Best TV Talk Show Host and 16 International Best Film Awards for my movies. Currently, I live alone, so there is not much private life. Most of my time is used for honing my skills as a filmmaker.
-I am doing a BL series, Man & Mine Alone, a horror comedy film, a movie about women empowerment and a suspense thriller about the pains of adolescence.
