Tatak ‘Inang’

Four of my favorite Olivia Lamasan movie scenes

I met writer-director Olivia Lamasan when I was a production assistant at Star Cinema. She was going to make her first film, “Maalaala Mo Kaya (The Movie)” and I was going to be on the production team as one of the PAs (production assistants). The project was given to me on my second year out of college and it was my third full-length movie assignment at Star Cinema. “MMK The Movie” went on to win a Best Actress award for Aiko Melendez at the Manila Film Festival and a Best Supporting award for Chin-Chin Gutierrez at the Gawad Urian. The film about a mother who left her child to a cousin’s care reinforced the brand of MMK, the  longest-running drama anthology in Asia today.

“MMK The Movie” gave me a chance to know Direk Olive who is fondly called Inang in ABS-CBN. The nickname is so apt because she exudes that motherly instinct. She does not have children but she dotes on her nephews and nieces. She is very “maalaga” to the people she works with. When I was PA, she liked treating the staff to chicken barbecue and java rice from Alex III. She is honest and down-to-earth— a natural storyteller. I have a great respect for her because she rose from the ranks. Direk Olive started as a production assistant. In fact, one of her personal stories that remains with me was of how she had to start smoking when she was a PA in order to ward off crew members who would intimidate or bully her. Clearly, this is one woman who means business.

Direk Olive is meticulous. She has a penchant for detail. As head of Star Cinema’s creative department, she likes engaging writers and collaborators in introspective discussions about the plot, storyline, sequence treatment, and especially, the script. She uses the Tagalog verb “hinihimay” to describe this task. The closest English translation of “himay” is “dissect.” But for Filipinos, “himay” usually refers to what we do when we remove the shell of a shrimp or prawn, or when we remove the bones of the fish before eating it.

Maybe the word “himay” captures the kind of attention that Direk Olive gives to her projects. Careful. Bit by bit. Layer by layer. Piece by piece.

Her process is very instinctive, too. Because she is a fan herself, Direk Olive has a sixth sense of what would work in a scene, what would move viewers to anger, kilig and tears. She also has that magical ability to draw out the best from her cast. Aiko and Chin-Chin aren’t the only ones that Direk Olive has helped win awards. Aga Muhlach won an Urian Best Actor trophy for “Sana Maulit Muli.” Sharonians would forever be grateful to Inang for guiding Sharon Cuneta to a grand slam Best Actress win for the film “Madrasta.” 

As far as directing goes, Direk Olive’s method is sometimes unconventional. There's this story that when Direk was working on “Got 2 Believe” with Claudine Barretto and the late Rico Yan, she would ask if Claudine had or was about to have her menstrual period. Direk Olive would try to schedule the filming of highly dramatic scenes during those special days because she knew that Claudine would be very emotional then.

Direk Olive comes to my mind now because some of her films have been digitally restored by ABS-CBN. Two of which, “Got 2 Believe” and “Madrasta,” are among my favorite Inang movies. For me, “Got 2 Believe” and “Madrasta” along with “Minsan Minahal Kita” and the more recent “Starting Over Again” epitomize Direk Olive’s touch: meticulous, moving, and very memorable. Here are my favourite scenes from the four mentioned movies.

ZsaZsa Padilla and Sharon Cuneta’s dinner scene in “Madrasta”

Two years before Hollywood came out with “Stepmom” starring Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts, there was “Madrasta,” a story of a stepmother named Mariel played by Sharon Cuneta. Mariel marries Edward (Christopher de Leon), a man with three children from a previous marriage with Sandra (ZsaZsa). Only the youngest child is warm towards their stepmom. The two older kids (already teenagers) are, to say the least, aloof towards Mariel who tries her darnest to win them and be a good mother to all three. The film is a story of an outsider who is aware of her worth but is also trying to fit in.

When Mariel finds out that the sophisticated Sandra—her husband’s ex—wants to meet her, she tries to win and impress her as well. In the end, Mariel receives a sincere tribute from the person she least expected to appreciate her.

Toni Gonzaga’s wild chase in “Starting Over Again”

Many of the characters in Direk Olive’s films seem to be foolish people. There’s Lino (Piolo Pascual) who risks everything to look for his missing wife in “Milan” and Gerry (Aga Muhlach) of “Sana Maulit Muli” who leaves a thriving career to follow his girlfriend Agnes (Lea Salonga) to the US. There’s also Shirley (Vilma Santos), a green-card holder who willingly goes through an arranged marriage to save an illegal alien in “In My Life.”

Perhaps the most foolish of them all is Jinny (Toni Gonzaga) of “Starting Over Again.” When Jinny realizes that she truly loves her ex-boyfriend Marco (Piolo) who is now with someone else, she does everything to win him back. Jinny’s effort is eloquently and poignantly shown in the part where she, in a short and stylish dress and gladiator heels, repeatedly calls Marco on the cellphone and insists on meeting him on the pretense of submitting a file. Jinny follows the car-driving Marco all over the city via public transportation (bus and MRT) to no avail. Marco is clearly avoiding Jinny whose love for him is obviously greater than her pride and dignity. (How many of us can say that our love is like Jinny's?)

Richard Gomez and Sharon Cuneta’s rendezvous on the Morayta overpass in “Minsan Minahal Kita”

Sharon played a mistress for the first time in her career in “Minsan Minahal Kita.” As Diane, Sharon falls in love with Albert (played by Richard Gomez) who, like her, happens to be in a sad marriage. The conservative Diane resists being a mistress until finally she gives in. One of the best scenes happens when Diane patiently waits for Albert on the Morayta overpass, holding a plastic bag containing a soda drink with a straw on one hand and a paper bag containing food on the other, anxious about whether he would arrive or not. When Diane finally sees Albert, she stammers and offers the food and drink. Albert is overcome with emotion. He doesn’t know whether to ask how she is, take what she offers, or just hug her. In the end, Albert kisses Diane to express how he truly feels.

Claudine Barretto’s confrontation scene with Rico Yan in “Got 2 Believe”

I mention this as the last one because it is my all-time favorite among Inang’s films.

Direk Olive is great at subtlety and creating tension. And this part in “Got 2 Believe” showcases that.

Claudine plays Toni, an unmarried wedding planner who has developed a closeness with Lorenz, a bachelor photographer who seems to prefer being fancy-free. Toni realizes her love for Lorenz and ditches the very eligible aspiring politico that the photographer had set her up with. Unfortunately, Lorenz is in denial about caring for Toni.

One rainy day, she suddenly shows up in his home looking more gorgeous than usual. This is a woman on a mission. Because… 1) Toni braves the rain to seek Lorenz. 2) Unmindful of the weather, she wears a backless top, assymetrical skirt and high heels. 3) Toni makes up a stupid excuse that she wants to return Lorenz’s Pyrex that was the container of the baked mac that he had gifted her. And, 4) She finally asks why he kissed her during a visit to her office a few days before.

Lorenz’s answer might be typical of a macho who tries to keep face but is secretly afraid, while Toni’s poised comeback after the initial shock is the embodiment of grace. Although this is a confrontation scene, no hurtful words are said. Toni could have very well slapped Lorenz but that doesn’t happen either. Still, the pain and confusion are evident in the characters’ facial expressions. 

As I wrap up this piece, I realize that Inang may be more known as a writer but she is even more effective as a director. My fondest wish for Inang is that she gets her due recognition as a director very soon. But knowing Inang, I feel she’s already happy doing what she loves and helping others fulfill their dreams.  

Catch “Got 2 Believe” and other films restored by ABS-CBN at the Reelive Film Festival at Powerplant Cinema from August 26 to September 1, 2015. For the schedule of screenings, check out www.facebook.com/filmrestorationabscbn.

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Heaven’s Stories

Bits of behind-the-scenes trivia about the 30-year old film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit”

For many years now, the 1985 film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” has held a special appeal to me. A friend of mine who is a diehard Lorna Tolentino (LT) fan says it is his favorite LT movie; his delight towards it piqued my interest.

That it is a drama directed by Mike de Leon also fueled my attraction. De Leon, after all, is considered a master by young and even older filmmakers. Since he began his career in the 1970s, the famed director has made only eight features and “Hindi Nahahati…” is one of them. Since he rarely makes films (de Leon’s last was “Bayaning Third World” which was shown 14 years ago) and has purposely shied away from the limelight, his completed works are regarded as treasures by his ardent admirers. 

But admittedly, the biggest reason I’m drawn to “Hindi Nahahati…” is a story behind it. When I was a production assistant at Star Cinema, I remember one of my bosses (someone who worked on the film) saying that de Leon’s name is absent from the film's credits. The movie is perhaps one of the few, if not the only one, in which the opening credits end with the name of the assistant director (A.D.) instead of the director. 

Being in an industry wherein people are so conscious about billing and credit, here was a fellow—the director, the captain of the ship at that—who was not acknowledged as maker.

Another story that reached me was that the director, although he completed the film, decided not to put his name on it. Why? Is he not proud of it? Is he not happy with his work? To put it frankly, “Is ‘Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit’ so bad that Mike de Leon did not want to be associated with it?”

However, my friends who had seen it attest that it’s a good film, so good that ABS-CBN decided to remake it into a teleserye entitled “Walang Kapalit” in 2007. The TV series starred Claudine Barretto and Piolo Pascual as the warring stepsiblings Melody and Noel.

When I was working for StarStudio Magazine in 2007, I suggested to my editor-in-chief Cherry Pineda that a nostalgia piece about “Hindi Nahahati…” be written since there was going to be a TV remake. Our E-I-C approved the pitch, and so I set off to interview those who were involved in the film.

And the stories I culled from my search were, in showbiz parlance, “juicy" to me.

But first, a background about the plot: “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” is based on a komiks serial written by Nerissa Cabral, considered one of the most notable writers of the genre. She is the writer behind komiks-turned-iconic films like “Bituing Walang Ningning,” “Bukas Luluhod Ang Mga Tala,” “Palimos ng Pag-Ibig,” and others.

“Hindi Nahahati…” tells the story of stepsiblings Noel and Melody (played by Christopher de Leon and Lorna Tolentino, respectively) who’ve been fighting ever since they were young. The respective parents Ariston (the late Nestor de Villa) and Agnes (Gloria Romero) tried to intervene and encourage the stepsiblings to accept each other like real brother and sister. But the gap between Melody and Noel widened especially when their parents passed away. The conflict worsened when Melody married Ronald (Edu Manzano) whom Noel hated. Noel then married Cynthia (Dina Bonnevie) who, in spite of Noel’s assurance, was still jealous of Melody.

For my StarStudio assignment, I got to talk to a few of the stars and production team of “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit”— screenwriter Mia A. Concio, actress Dina Bonnevie, and the producer, Ms. Charo Santos-Concio.

Mia Concio was the continuity supervisor of the film. But, as she recounted to StarStudio, she ended up with screen adaptation credit because “There was already a working script but while we were working on the film, Mike kept revising and revising it. He kept telling me to write and rewrite scenes!”  The film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” became the first of many screenplays Mia would write.

Dina, meanwhile, related to her character Cynthia whose marriage to Noel was rocky because her own union with then husband Vic Sotto was also problematic.

Back then, Edu Manzano was reportedly also having problems with then wife Vilma Santos. Someone connected to the film shared that the Mercedes Benz picture vehicle that Edu’s character Ronald was driving was actually Edu’s and Vi’s. Edu was supposed to have said to the film’s staff, “Paano ‘yan kung maghihiwalay na kami ni Vilma? Hindi na natin magagamit ang kotse (sa shooting).”

As to the “mystery” why Mike de Leon’s name is absent from the credits, Ma’am Charo (who starred in de Leon’s films “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” “Kisapmata” and “Itim”) offers this explanation:

“I guess Mike was pressured and we didn’t have enough funding at that time. It’s very frustrating for a creative person when resources are limited. Meron pang gustong gawin si Mike na wala na kaming ma-offer na pera. Medyo nagkakaroon na ng misunderstanding and the pressure was building up na.

“One day, he sent word to remove na lang daw his name in the credits. I talked to Simon (Ongpin), my (executive) producer about it… Sabi niya, ‘It’s really up to you Charo, you make the call.’

“It was difficult for me to make the call… I said, ‘Well if Mike wants his name struck out from the credits, alisin natin. If that was going to make him happy, Mike and I don’t have to fight over this.”

I had never watched “Hindi Nahahati…” in its entirety except at the premiere of its digitally restored version held last November 11, 2014. 

I was struck by the awesome performances of the cast. I agonized over Melody and Noel keeping their true feelings from each other because a relationship between stepsiblings was deemed incestuous. I was touched by the message of the story and awed by the depth of the characters’ struggles.

Perhaps as a komiks melodrama, “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” does not possess the gloss and the opulence of say a Viva Films production. And maybe director Mike de Leon had to contend with modest means and limited resources. In the process, he might not have fully achieved his vision for the film. But that does not diminish the beauty of the film. Actually, I feel it is more touching because of its simplicity. 

So when Manet Dayrit of Central Digital Lab told me that their company had done restoration on “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit,” and that Mike de Leon had agreed to put back his name in the credits, I felt like a kid on Christmas Day.

To me who had sort of followed this story since my PA days at Star Cinema, the news was very significant.

First, because another Filipino classic was restored and that meant that many more viewers could enjoy and learn from the movie for several years to come.

Second—and call me overthinking if you want—I just felt that the director’s return proved that, yes, there is heaven on earth, and good things that are meant to be (like the love of Melody and Noel) do come to fruition. 

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Why You Should Date a Filmmaker

On the set of "Mga Anino ng Kahapon" ("Shadows of the Past") with assistant director Mara Marasigan,
line producer Ron Genato, producer Alemberg Ang, and director Alvin Yapan.

This list was created as a response to an article posted on Facebook by friend Jed Medrano entitled "8 Reasons You Should Never Date a Filmmaker." (Refer to http://thoughtcatalog.com/cassie-kelsey/2014/06/8-reasons-you-should-never-date-a-filmmaker/)

Being a filmmaker myself (I produce, write and publicise films), I began a list to dispute the article cited above. I posted my list on Facebook and then other friends in movie production added to it. The list turned out to be fun!

Here's what that we came up with:

Reasons Why You SHOULD Date a Filmmaker:

1. A cinematographer will light up your life.

2. A director always sees the bigger picture.

3. An editor removes all the bad takes.

4. A musical scorer puts the right notes. 

5. A screenwriter knows good character.

6. A producer/production manager always finds ways.

7. A production designer sets things right.

8. Visual effects will turn day into night and give you the moon and the stars.

9. Crowd control will stop traffic.

10. Makeup will cover your flaws and enhance your features.

11. The grip will hold you tight.

12. The location manager will always find a place for you.

13. The assistant director will fit you into her busy shooting schedule.

From editor-director Lawrence Fajardo

14. The utility guy knows how you want your coffee

15. Rain FX will shower you with love.

16. The equipment caretaker will handle you with care.

From writer-producer-documentary filmmaker Babyruth Villarama-Gutierrez

17. The production assistant will assist you in all your needs, including giving you a back rub and massage.

18. The focus puller has his eyes only on you. 

From producer Alemberg Ang

19. The filmmaker will make you the "star" of his life.

From editor Chuck Gutierrez

20. The sound recordist will always listen to you... even if you need a million takes to say things right.

21. The film editor will bring out the best in you, will present your best side.

22.  The colorist will color your world with the different hues... until you get saturated. 


... You get the picture. :) Seriously, filmmakers are among the most passionate and loving people I know. Yes, we have been criticised for being temperamental and moody, and for being struggling artists. I do not say that those things are completely wrong and are always false. But filmmakers are human and we should be given as much chance at romance as the next person!

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