?GANAP NA BABAE (Garden of Eve)? is a movie that is as proud of its feminist sensibility as the pertinent issues it daringly tackles. Hubo Productions? fascinating three-in-one drama, which opened the sixth edition of the annual Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival last night, stars Boots Anson-Roa, Mercedes Cabral, Sue Prado and Jam Perez, and is directed by Rica Arevalo (?Eos?), Ellen Ramos (?Kapatid?) and newcomer Sarah Roxas (?Minsan, May Isang Puta?).

We?ve been involved in a good number of feminist-themed productions in theater (?The Vagina Monologues,? ?The Good Body,? ?Sacrilege,? etc.), so we were only too happy when we heard about ?Ganap Na Babae?s? female-centric concept.

Love story

But, what truly intrigued us was the participation of its male lead, Rome Mallari, the talented but hearing-impaired actor of Mike Sandejas? award-winning light drama, ?Dinig Sana Kita,? who is cast as a hearing character in the May-December love story, ?Eos,? with Roa in an out-of-the-box role.

In our recent chat with Rome (who spoke to us through his constant interpreter, Ahnjee Capanang), the 30-year-old actor?who?s not completely deaf (?I hear faint sounds and the noise around, but they just seem like murmurs to me,? he tells us)?discussed the challenges he faced in ?Ganap Na Babae.?

Rome acknowledges the need for the hearing-impaired to be integrated rather than segregated?and he enjoys the support of Sandejas and Arevalo in this regard. But, it wasn?t just the prospect of acting opposite a seasoned performer like Boots that seemed daunting for him, but also the challenge of portraying a character with no hearing impediment, as well.

Emphasis

He recalls, ?It was hard to do away with sign language, and I knew it wasn?t going to be easy. But, I wanted to do it because I?m an actor. Alam ko sa sarili ko na hard of hearing ako, kaya lagi akong sumasama sa mga ?hearing? to get used to communicating with them.?

How did he prepare for the role? Rome replies, ?I got my cues and motivations from the script. I didn?t have a hard time with the role because my director knew how to communicate with me. I had to focus and listen well to her instructions, especially when she wanted me to punch some lines or bite specific consonants for emphasis.?

And, Rome hears with his heart. He explains, ?Hindi ako nagpo-focus sa ibang tao?I take my task to heart and concentrate on what I?m supposed to do. Importante na hindi saliwa ang pag-arte ko sa interpretation ng director or writer.? If Rome seems serious about acting, it?s because he?s been in theater for more than a decade now?mostly as a dancer.

Interestingly, as we continued to probe into Rome?s personality, as well as his intriguing thoughts, we were riveted by the color and drama of his story. In fact, his life is a movie waiting to be produced:

Curiosity

Long after the loving ?father? he knew passed away, Rome found a photo that piqued his curiosity?he was baptized only when he was 3 years old. He relates, ?Why did it take them that long? So, I asked my aunt, who confirmed that I was just adopted by my mom and dad?and that I was born deaf. To this day, I still don?t know how my foster parents got me?or if my biological parents are still alive.

?People ask me if I?m American or European?or, am I Bumbay (laughs)? Seriously, mahirap ang sitwasyon, kasi walang documents na nagpapatunay kung sino ang mga magulang ko (my foster parents are the ones listed in my birth certificate) o kung saan ako nanggaling.?

But, life goes on for Rome. Like his evolving artistry, it continues to unreel.