Manila — Their eyes met. Looking at the eyes of the man who took his daughter’s life, Arthur’s heart sank. As he cranked the already pointed gun, his daughter’s voice deafened him, “Daddy, Daddy” and he pulled the trigger. Then, there was silence, or so he thought.
This was the scene that Filipino actor Anthony Sayo carefully crafted and delivered as he portrayed the lead role of the independent film “Daughter.”
Inspired by the yearning for family and the sense of belonging, the short film entails the story of “Arthur”(portrayed by Sayo), a father who exacts his revenge after his five-year-old daughter tragically died in a hit-and-run accident.
As a single father and an Asian immigrant, he faced hopelessness in finding justice for his daughter’s life. He took matters into his own hands after receiving little to no help from the police.
Yiwei Yao, its director, was very particular about casting the lead role, which led him to open auditions across the states and with different platforms. He aims to find actors who can convey their emotions in a certain manner and capture the distinct emotions of each character.
“I’m searching for a special performance that is most true to the character in terms of expressing feelings.” Yao further explained.
With an online audition, Sayo was handpicked by Yao to portray the vigorous role of “Arthur.” Sayo aimed to showcase a compelling performance as an actor to tell the character’s story and convey the emotions effectively. And so, the role is a perfect fit, but he admitted that it was a challenging one to portray. However, his acting prowess was accentuated even more than his countenance delivered the emotions of his character very well.
He considered the confrontation scene between his character and the driver of the car at gunpoint a pivotal scene in the story. “It’s memorable not only for the movie but also for me as an actor because these are roles I particularly want to play,” Sayo said.
“For me, it suits me well as a performer. That’s why it’s special for me, “he added.
Born and raised in Bulacan, Sayo always had the heart for storytelling and a passion for acting since he was a child. And so, he pursued his dream career in the City of Angels-Los Angeles, California, in 2019. From then on, he was cast in several independent films like Kaiketsu (2021) and Mantis Club (2022). He also plays the lead role in upcoming short films Tears at the Edge of the World (2022), and Night Owls (2022).
His recent film “Daughter” was announced as an official selection of the 17th Orlando Film Festival, a big milestone not only for Sayo’s acting career but also for all the people who worked behind it.
“To play a dramatic role like this shows my range as an actor, and I’m happy to be able to showcase it to a bigger audience.” Sayo said.
“I am very excited that our film was announced as an official selection of the Orlando Film Festival. This is an encouragement to the crew, the cast, and myself,” the director added.
Orlando Film Festival 2022 is an eight-day immersive event for filmmakers around the world which will be held on Oct. 27-Nov. 3.
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