Eros Atalia (also the writer of last year’s “Ligo na U, Lapit na Me” that won the Cinemalaya best actor award for Edgar Allan Guzman) grew up in Kalye Marino when it was still part of the U.S. naval base Sangley Point. “Mayaman ang mga taga-Kalye Marino noon kasi nabubuhay sila mula sa mga marino staying in the base. But when the base was closed down, naghirap sila at nagtanim na lang sila ng tahong. The movie is about Intoy Syokoy and his friends, LJ Reyes as Doray Langaw, Joross Gamboa as Bertong Baka, Arnold Reyes as Boyet Bagol and Kenneth Salva as Yeyeng Ticol. All of them dream of leaving their life of poverty in Kalye Marino.”
They almost didn’t make it as an official entry. “We’re in the semi-finals but we didn’t make it to the final 10. When the entry ‘MNL143’ left, we were reconsidered. We sent the script to Sir Boy Abunda and he agreed to produce it. We were officially an entry only in April at nag-shoot na kami agad.”
Lem is 31 years old and grew up in Mauban, Quezon. He took up marketing in San Sebastian then studied for four years in Atlanta, Georgia. When he returned to Manila, he took up filmmaking in Mowelfund then wrote and directed Cory Quirino’s show on Studio 23. He earlier directed the pink films “Oliver, Kung Ako’y Ikaw” and “Bola” starring Arnell Ignacio. He now works as writer-segment producer for the webisodes of “Protégé: The Search for the Big Artista Break” hosted by Maxene Magalona.
