Director Joel Lamangan Hopes Viewers Will Watch His Socially Relevant Movie 'Kamkam' To Encourage Producers To Make More Meaningful Films

DIRECTOR JOEL LAMANGAN is very grateful to Harlene Bautista’s film company, Heaven’s Best Entertainment, for bankrolling his latest opus, “Kamkam (Greed)”, which got an A grade from the Cinema Evaluation Board and is being acclaimed by those who’ve seen it at its premiere night at SM The Block last Sunday night.

“Alam naman nating puro romantic comedies ang kumikitang pelikula ngayon,” he says. “Kaya nagpapasalamat akong matapang si Harlene na sugalan ang ganitong socially relevant na pelikula about the ill effects of greed and abject poverty in our society.”

Whatever happened to his plan to run for public office in Cavite to have an active hand in running the government? “Naku, hindi ko na itinuloy. Kung anuman ang mga reklamo ko sa mga nangyayari sa bansa natin ngayon, ilalabas ko na lang sa mga pelikulang ginagawa ko gaya nitong ‘Kamkam’. Maraming tao sa ating lipunan na gustong kamkamin na ang lahat para maging masaya lang sila, kahit sa maling paraan. Kailangang ma-realize natin na hindi dapat ganu’n. May iba pang mga tao, hindi lang sila. Napapanahon ang pelikulang ito, lalung-lalo na ngayon.”


He’s so thankful he got a great cooperative cast for the movie. “Grabe ang husay nilang lahat kaya naging mas madali ang work ko, mula kay Allen Dizon and his three wives na sina Jean Garcia, Sunshine Dizon at Jackie Rice, hanggang sa supporting players na sina Elizabeth Oropesa, Jim Pebanco, Emilio Garcia, and the young stars in the cast. Saludo ako sa professionalism ni Jackie. Na-shock ako kung gaano siya kahusay. Hindi inurungan kahit ang pinagawa kong love scenes with Allen and her true love, si Kerbie Zamora. She’s a good actress and I hope GMA will give her more challenging lead roles.”