“Where is the Lie” – A Breath of Fresh Air in Independent Cinema

It’s official, a new year has come, blooming seasons, and new films.
Luckily for me, I watched a brilliant dark comedy Filipino (flick) -as one might say- that carried all the good ingredients for a good film. “Where is the Lie” is a dark comedy/social satire that features multiple Filipino talents. It stars Ej Jallorina (the main protagonist Janzen), Maris Rascal (the villain Beanie), and Royce Cabera (Theo/Dennis; the heartthrob Dorian Gray whose soul is not as dazzling as his looks). This is the eighth film from Filipino director Quark Henares and the one that scares him the most.

I loved many things about “Where is the Lie.” It featured a trans actress playing the role of a trans woman, a crucial step which Henares, the director -whom I had the pleasure of interviewing- explained was to avoid a “Danish Girl” situation. And authentic and well-crafted the film turned out. Ej Jallorina is in the middle of her transitioning process and Henares explored how she brought her sensitivity and authenticity to a role that could have easily turned mundane. She gave a sympathetic, gullible performance of the main protagonist, Janzen, a young transwoman who unfortunately fell victim to a catfishing situation by a manipulative, beautiful, and tactical girl who looked like Selena Gomez if she had her heart replaced with Amy Dunne.

A scary combination, right?

Hopefully, when people see the film they witness the breath of fresh air that Maris Rascal -a rom-com star in the Philippines- brings to the role. Her range and subtlety of performance interlope with moments of intensity that never seem out of place. After “Where is the Lie,” Rascal will be an even bigger name, not just in the Philippines, but worldwide. Cabera is an independent Filipino film actor playing -mostly- sultry, object-of-desire kinds of roles due to his buff physique and dreamy features. To see him acting through a range of emotions in this film is a refreshing route to a broader range of roles in the future.

Henares mentioned that Jallorina’s audition was an endearing moment for him as she told him how wonderful he was to her when she was a child actor. Henares explained that -at the time- he was working as a PA on one of the sets. Jallorina reminded him of how he acted like an older brother and provided protection and security for her at a rather hectic place to be as a child (20-something-hour shoots were no fun ride for a kid).

Rascal, on the other hand, vied for the antagonistic role. She wanted to challenge herself and break out of the mold that restricted her as an actress. The result was more than satisfying. Henares pointed out that most actresses in the Philippines were less than excited about this role due to the homophobic nature of the original character. Rascal was also outspoken against this person but wanted to portray her in the film. Her audition process included an exercise where she had to insult everyone in the room, including the director, and she did it with unsettling and predatory cruelty without losing the smile on her face.

Quark Henares is a bursting bubble of passion and enthusiasm. The film conveys his directorial style through the vivid color palette, the vibrant scenes, and the perfect choice of actors, each fit for their respective roles with calculated measures and casting choices that shine each in their respective roles.

As someone who fell for catfishing before and discovered a network of pals orchestrating the whole ordeal while using one of them as the “bait”, it was interesting for me to dig deeper into “Where is the Lie.” The film not only outlined the whole ordeal that Henares described as a lengthy Twitter thread that went viral in 2020 (at the peak of COVID quarantine) in the Philippines but the motivations behind it and how each person played a role in the diabolical scheme. Henares said that what made him more interested in the project were the intensified feelings of isolation and fear that made any statement from someone online insight into someone else’s “bubble” of life at the time.

It was a refreshing take and an eye-opener, something that Henares owed to the original hero of the true story for her willingness to help, providing details even during the shooting process.

Henares chose to include the antagonist Beanie’s (Rascal) POV in the film adding more depth and layers to the storytelling. After a rosy, schmoopy romantic start, the film shifted to a sinister, more playful tone with the appearance of Beanie and how she explicitly expressed her malicious, homophobic intentions. The viewer sympathizes with Janzen but secretly spies on Beanie, who is the Kathryn Merteuil of this tale, playing cruel intentions with people she carefully selects via dating apps.

Henares had a different style in mind when he first shot the movie, stating that his initial inspiration was a “Rashomon-like” psychological thriller, with the focus on Janzen and the viewer unaware that she was catfished. However, a collage of a movie started forming as his artistic vision became more solid. He shot Janzen’s plotline like a rom-com, Theo’s storyline like a social commentary, and Beanie’s like a Gone Girl, fourth-wall-breaking narrative.

Shifting between POVs created a dynamic that translated superbly onscreen. One scene, in particular, stood out as it cut between Beanie and Janzen, each in her fantasy of a character that might include a fictional version of a person arousing her. It was shot beautifully and masterfully and increased the tension in the film. Another scene that struck me as fresh and exciting involved girls being girls, an honest and loveable depiction of female friendship on the screen showed many intimate and honest details without overdoing it or painting it as too fluffy. Henares attributed that to being raised by women and having many female friends who created an environment of love and compassion surrounding him. He always felt at peace around them and thus felt comfortable being in touch with his feminine side.

“Where is the Lie” had its premiere this year at Slamdance Film Festival and hopefully will reach audiences worldwide on streaming services soon.