As chairman of the Cinemalaya screening committee, she was assailed by some indie filmmakers, along with Robbie Tan, after they made suggestions on the casting of an entry. Their detractors even asked them to step down. But the quality films harvested from the Cinemalaya last year speaks for itself. “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” is winning awards not only locally but also internationally. The other entries like “Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa”, “Ligo na U”, “Bisperas” and “Amok” are now nominated again in some award giving bodies. “It’d been embarrassing kung palpak ang choices namin,” she says. “But even from the very first Cinemalaya, maganda na ang record ng festival with ‘Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros’. The crowd that troop to the CCP to watch the entries have multiplied. This year, we’ll also be shown in Greenbelt and Trinoma. We don’t impose naman. We just evaluate the entries according to festival rules. Kapag okay na roon, hindi na kami nakikialam sa ginagawa nila. But when you join a competition like this, you have to conform with the roles. If you’re not ready to do that, huwag ka na lang sumali. For this year, we have very promising entries. Mas magaganda, pati yung pumalit doon sa nag-backout, ‘The Animals’ by Gino Santos. Lahat halos, tapos na ang principal photography at post-prod na ngayon.”
One of the directors they helped was Jade Castro, whose Cinemalaya entry, “Endo”, won some awards and gave him the chance to direct mainstream movies. What can she say that Jade also asked them to resign? “Masakit. We have to step down daw. Saan nanggaling yun? Anong ginawa namin sa kanya? Parang wala kaming naitulong at all.”
What does she think of Ella Cruz who plays Aryana? “Okay sila, pati yung ibang young stars na kasama ko rito. I conducted the acting workshops for them before we started taping at magaling sila lahat, pati yung directors namin, Erick Salud and Lino Cayetano.”
After this, she wants to go back to directing. “My last work, ‘Maskara’, was an indie film. This time, I intend to direct naman a mainstream movie.”
