Fr. Suarez: The Healing Priest, a film that speaks of God’s love and His grace

One of the most highly anticipated films in competition for the online edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival this holiday season is Father Suarez, The Healing Priest/

Joven Tan directs, screenplay by Bernard Canabral with Saranggola Media Productions as its producers.

The film focuses on the life of Fernando Suarez, particularly the struggles and triumphs as a young man and when he became a priest, compassion for the people’s welfare, trust and faith to God’s Divine plans and wisdom and the legacy of kindness, healing and love which was experienced by those whose lives were touched by God’s grace through him.

States Director Joven Tan: “I have heard a lot of things about Father Suarez from way back, so when I got to read the script, I was intrigued and wanted to work on this material. During our meets, prior and during the filming I remember him to be kind, straightforward, and sincere.”

Seasoned actor John Arcilla portrays Father Suarez on-screen. Arcilla relates: “Whatever apprehensions I had before filming, when I met, saw and conversed with him personally during the initial story conference, he is a simple normal person telling stories, not the Priest using his magical words and charisma. The film is about his TOTAL trust in God that He will not be forsaken.”

He carries on: “The sincerity that i have witnessed was enough to embrace the project completely. Then i just found out that he’s a fan of Heneral Luna and he personally handpicked me to play the role. While filming, I decided not try to mimic or copy him. I just took his essence and some of his demeanor but what I totally embraced was his unwavering TRUST in the Almighty.”

“In my lines as his character, which mostly personally came from him, he had surrendered his life to his vocation with Totality,” adds the actor. “He totally surrendered all to his belief and vocation.”

Arcilla avers: “His vocation and the responsibility attached to his priesthood is the most precious gift God have given Him. He is aware of His Charismatic and Healing ability- but He believes these abilities came from God. He said to me, ‘this healing power does not belong to me. He can take it away from me, anytime God wants to take this healing power, His will be done. I am not afraid. My priestly duties and my responsibilities as a healer comes with great responsibility. This is a grace that cannot be measured. This is His manifestation of His love to all of us. My mission in life to bring back the flock to Him, for those who are weary and needs rest seek Him for comfort and strength, for everyone to feel that He has not abandoned and forsaken us because He is in all of us. It is God’s unconditional love for all of us that heals/ I am His humble servant.”

Why must people watch the film? The lead actor’s replu:: “People are getting anxious and sick- people are getting sad and loosing hopes. Majority are getting disoriented and some people are not even aware that they are. It is time to introspect and listen to the stillness in our core as humans. We can find God in our stillness in that center, in our core…and our faith can give us the answers where and how we should and can start from where we are now as people of the world- as humans- we should start healing each other’s anger, each other’s selfishness and greed. We are the highest form of God’s creation on Earth – we can speak and we can think of reasons. We can pray, choose and decide to make every one’s life an advantage to one another- we can heal each other from all our hatred and heart aches – we just need to choose FAITH as our guidance and STRENGTH if were about to lose it. That’s what makes us above among the beings. This film will remind us of all these that is why people must embrace, support and watch it.”

Also part of the film are Dante Rivero, Troy Montero, Mario Mortel, Alice Dixon, Rosanna Roces, Jairus Aquino, Rita Avila, Richard Quan, Ms. Gina Pareno and Jin Macapagal as the young Fr. Suarez.

Fr. Suarez The Healing Priest is available for viewing on December 25 onwards on Upstream.ph.