Iza Calzado confronts Basilan fears, finds hope on ‘Hand of God’ set

Actress says trip changed her view, highlights stories that make communities feel seen.

Iza Calzado knew what people said about Basilan, and she had her own doubts, too.

When she agreed to star in the Cinemalaya entry “Hand of God,” part of the shoot meant traveling to the province often associated with danger. “Toward the end, I asked myself, ‘tama ba ang ginawa ko?’” she said. “I read a lot about the area, and of course, there’s fear. There’s anxiety. Everything is valid, right?”

Even the people around her reacted the same way. “My husband told his friends, ‘she’s in Basilan.’ There’s a lot of fear in people’s reactions, that it’s a dangerous place,” she said.

But what she experienced on the ground told a different story. “We were, of course, very safe and protected,” Calzado told radar Entertainment in a recent interview. “I said, ‘no, we’re okay. We’re very okay.’ I hope that it remains that way. Right now, it is. And that gives us hope.”

That sense of hope mirrors the very heart of “Hand of God,” directed by Mark Duane Angos. The film follows a military lieutenant (Ruru Madrid) who uses football to connect with children in a remote Southern Philippine village, including a young boy entangled in a violent group. What begins as strategy evolves into something more personal, as both soldier and child learn to dream beyond their circumstances.

While the trip to Basilan challenged her own assumptions, it also underscored the importance of telling stories from communities often left out of the national spotlight.

“In that brief time there, we really felt their warm welcome,” she said. “When we tell their stories, they feel seen. And when we visit them, they feel that, ‘Thank you. We matter to you because you gave us this opportunity.’”

The reception was overwhelming. She recalled how residents gathered to greet them, excited not just to see the cast but to witness their stories being told.

“They really want to see us, the people of Manila,” she said. “I hope that we can create more stories beyond the stories that we’re telling, in the settings that we’re telling.”

As more productions move outside Metro Manila, Calzado hopes the momentum continues—bringing visibility to places and people whose narratives rarely make it to the screen.

The project also resonated with her on a more personal level. Now a mother, Calzado said her perspective has shifted, especially when it comes to stories about children and their futures.

“It’s different now that I’m a mom. My heart melts,” she said. “When I read the material, I already said ‘yes’ just knowing the premise.”

Despite her limited shooting schedule (“just four to five days”), she remained deeply invested in the film. In fact, she even volunteered to join the Basilan leg of the shoot.

“Nagpresinta lang ako pumunta ng Basilan. I said, ‘are you going to Basilan? Sasama ako!’” she shared, adding that the experience was worth confronting the fear.

“When will I be able to go there?” she said. “And that’s what our movie is all about. It’s about hope. And it’s really about giving our children the best possible future, by allowing them to dream, and to fulfill their dreams.”

“Hand of God” also stars Ronnie Lazaro, Sue Ramirez and KD Omalin, with Jhong Hilario, Cholo Barretto, Edwin Nombre, Rosh Barman and Tyke Sanchez in supporting roles.

The film is part of this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which runs from Aug. 6 to 18.

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