Iza hurt in shooting

IZA Calzado is back in town after shooting “The Echo” in Toronto. Her experience in her first Hollywood movie is exhilarating and she had a memorable time with all the foreign stars who worked with her, especially the girl who played her daughter.

She’s about to start shooting “Batanes,” but first she has to promote a movie she did in Singapore, “Mona, Singapore Escort.”

“This is an unforgettable movie for me as I was able to see the red light district of Singapore to research on my role as an escort girl,” she says. “I met a real Pinay escort girl who became our Mona and our consultant for the film, which is mostly based on her real life experiences there.”

During the shoot, she even stayed in “Mona’s” apartment and she got a first hand look on how an escort girl lives. “This will be an eye-opener for our viewers,” adds Iza. “They don’t know that our women work not only as domestic helpers in Singapore but also as escorts who cater to foreigners. It’s a very challenging role for me and I hope I was able to give it justice as it’s a story of love and sacrifice.

“Pinays have different reasons why they go into prostitution. In Mona’s case, more than anything else, it’s her love for her family and her sincere desire to help them. ‘Mona’ is really unforgettable for me as I hurt my right hand while shooting it. A pyrotechnic device called ‘gun squib’ exploded in my hand earlier than expected.”

Executive producer Pete Daza reports everyone on the set was amazed because Iza went on shooting the scene even if it’s obvious she got hurt. “She was so focused on the scene and proved to be a real trouper for whom the show must go on despite the explosion.”

“Mona: Singapore Escort” opens on October 17 in SM theaters. We won’t be surprised if Singapore would protest that the name of their city state is included in the title and the connotation is not so savory.