Mother Lily, GAWAD ALTERNATIBO and LOVE CHILD

Posted on August 10, 2024

Mother Lily Monteverde photo from REGAL Entertainment Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/regalfilms50

Written and photographed

By Jude Bautista

Monday, August 5, 2024, — I had a craving for milk tea and dropped by FLAMINGO Crafted Tea, one floor down the cinemas in AYALA MALLS MANILA BAY. I encouraged the staff to catch the Cinemalaya fest. And I accidentally found out from them Mother Lily Monteverde passed away last Sunday (August 4). The night before, I slept through TV PATROL Weekend, because I was so tired.

Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024.

My mind still reeling from the shock and disbelief, I walked into the GAWAD ALTERNATIBO short films. And it was about an old Filipino-Chinese woman on the verge of dementia because her husband just died. The short film had shades of what happened to Mother Lily. She was sharp as a tack til the end. But 6 days before, husband Leonardo ‘Remy’ Monteverde had also passed away.

LOVE CHILD team From left: Regal CEO Roselle Monteverde, RK Bagatsing, Jon Tyrron Ramos, Jane Oneida, Director Jonathan Jurilla, Screenwriter Arden Rod Condez, Cinemalaya Pres. Laurice Guillen and FDCP Chairman Joey Reyes. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

I couldn’t believe the similarities. The actress (in the role) Sherry Lara was in attendance during the screening. In the dialogue, she spoke some lines in Chinese and managed to convince me. Entitled ONE DAY, THREE AUTUMNS by Bridget Rabo Ng-Ting.

Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024.

ONE DAY Three AUTUMNS photo from SOUTHERN LANTERN Studios fb
https://www.facebook.com/southernlanternstudios
and
https://www.southernlantern.com/

The title is based on a famous Chinese idiom, 一日三秋 (yī rì sān qiū). This evocative phrase is often used to describe a long and painful separation, emphasizing the feeling that time seems to pass incredibly slowly when one is eagerly awaiting something or someone. From https://www.chineselearning.com/chinese-story/a-day-three-autumns-yi-ri-san-qiu

ONE DAY, THREE AUTUMNS by Bridget Rabo Ng-Ting with cast and crew. GAWAD ALTERNATIBO was screened at Ayala Malls Manila Bay August 3-8, 2024. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

The short film after that was DESYNC, about a Filipina-Canadian filmmaker inter cutting a scene from her real life conversation with her mom with a film she’s making. Her attempt to recreate what happened in that conversation, or arrive at that truth. Trying to write the perfect dialogue. It was a big fight.

DESYNC from left: Jennifer Villaverde (Celine) and Jadyn Nasato (Ana /director)
DESYNC photo from
https://kinglaura.com/work/desync

The actress portraying her mother asks, “We know you can write well, BUT are they listening to each other?” That’s when she realizes how to go about shooting the film. She wrote what she wanted to have said in that conversation, IF she had listened to her mom. DESYNC is by Minerva Navasca.

Ito na ang poster ng lola.psd!!! Pinaghirapan nina Red (Ivan Rod Ferran) at Lola Rosa (Maria Miranda) yan!!!
Photo from:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552589146945

Another film was about how a lola and her grandson bond over his love of photoshop. They end up restoring old photos they have around the house. Called LOLA.PSD by Coby Mercado.

LOLA.PSD by Coby Mercado; GAWAD ALTERNATIBO was screened at Ayala Malls Manila Bay August 3-8, 2024. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

ANG ALAMAT KUNG BAKIT KALABAW LANG ANG TUMATANDA is about a mother and child dealing with abuses from military figures/elements. It’s an eloquent tale of how people are pushed into a life of rebellion. Nevertheless, has a strong maternal figure in the story. There are several more short films in the narrative category that I had the misfortune of not catching. If you can, please look for these and other short films throughout the Cinemalaya Fest.

Photo from
https://www.facebook.com/projectkalabaw

ANG ALAMAT KUNG BAKIT KALABAW LANG ANG TUMATANDA by Ronnie Ramos. GAWAD ALTERNATIBO was screened at Ayala Malls Manila Bay August 3-8, 2024. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

LOVE CHILD Producer Sonny Calvento and Regal CEO Roselle Monteverde. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

ART Helps Us Find Meaning

Walking out of the theater, my mind was still trying to process Mother’s passing who is literally THE matriarch of filmmaking in the country. She has a few hundred films to her name as producer. And established the REGAL ENTERTAINMENT empire, together with her partner in life, husband Remy. As daughter Roselle described in a statement, “a true mother to artists and workers who had the chance to know her beyond the confines of work.” From https://www.instagram.com/roselle_monteverde

Remy Monteverde photo from REGAL Entertainment Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/regalfilms50/

Her death was so sudden, that it would have been impossible for curator Mae Caralde to program the theme of mothers for the GAWAD line up. But that’s what happens. Movies help us make sense of what’s going on. Or that’s what good art does anyway. Movies, art, dance, theater, literature, music, they all help us find meaning, in what seems to be a random world.

BEEP BEEP by Iane Patacsil & Raya Martinez with cast and crew. GAWAD ALTERNATIBO was screened at Ayala Malls Manila Bay August 3-8, 2024. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

Established in 1987, Gawad Alternatibo Para sa Pelikula at Video, just happens to be the longest running independent film competition in Asia. Has become a venue to discover talents in the filmmaking industry. From Official Cultural Center site: https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/press-release/gawad-alternatibo-calls-for-submission-to-its-36th-season/

From right: Director Jonathan Jurilla, Jane Oineza (Ayla), Regal SVP Keith Monteverde and RK Bagatsing (Paolo) of LOVE CHILD. Cinemalaya XX competition will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

LOVE CHILD

The scheduled gala immediately after that screening was LOVE CHILD, Mother Lily’s first foray into Cinemalaya. You can imagine how proud she must have been seeing her grandson Regal SVP Keith Monteverde be one of the lead producers. Although, Mother still had Executive Producer credit, not surprisingly. Regal Co-CEO Roselle Monteverde bravely attended the gala.

LOVE CHILD Screenwriter Arden Rod Condez and Regal CEO Roselle Monteverde. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

AGAIN motherhood and parental struggle is a central theme of the film. Directed by Jonathan Jurilla, reflects his own experiences in raising a special child. For me it’s a sleeper hit, performed by lead actors RK Bagatsing, Jane Oineza and presenting the debut of John Tyrron Ramos.

LOVE CHILD stars from left: Jon Tyrron Ramos, Jane Oneida and RK Bagatsing. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

Getting THE best talents like Director Jonathan, the cast, to the writers, line producer (Andrew Torlao) has been a hall mark of Regal. The movie could be the most inspiring from REGAL in recent years. Mother saved the best for last. From her long list of Filipino Films which has become her legacy.

Mother Lily, Remy Monteverde, Maraming, Maraming Salamat.

Watch LOVE CHILD; Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

Mother Lily Monteverde as Executive Producer in LOVE CHILD. Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

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Sherry Lara with Actor/Playwright Rody Vera; Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista (20)

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Jadyn Nasato (Ana /director)
DESYNC photo from
https://kinglaura.com/work/desync

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Photo from
https://www.facebook.com/projectkalabaw

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from right: LOVE CHILD Director Jonathan Jurilla, John Tyronn Ramos and Regal SVP Keith Monteverde. Cinemalaya XX competition will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

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Cinemalaya XX competition will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

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Ito na ang poster ng lola.psd!!! Pinaghirapan nina Red (Ivan Rod Ferran) at Lola Rosa (Maria Miranda) yan!!!
Photo from:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552589146945

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The lines went around the corner for tickets. Cinemalaya XX competition will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

From left: GB Sampedro, Jay Altarejops and friend. Cinemalaya XX competition will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ ,

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Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024.

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ ,

http://judebphoto.wordpress.com/ , http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/ ,

RK Bagatsing and Jane Oneida; Cinemalaya XX competition films will be screened in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, Market Market!, U.P. Town Center and Greenbelt from August 2-11, 2024. Photo by Jude Bautista

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ ,

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