Jun Lana branches out to drama

MANILA, Philippines - Director Jun Lana is noted for the hit horror films he did with Regal, like Kulam with Judy Ann Santos and Tarot with Marian Rivera. This year, he branched out to serious drama, first with the tale of infidelity, My Neighbor’s Wife, a big hit, and now, with the Metro-Manila Filmfest entry, Yesterday Today Tomorrow. Mother Lily Monteverde of Regal believes he’s one of the finest writer-directors working in the local movie scene today.

Born in Makati on Oct. 10, 1972, Rodolfo Lana Jr. won honorable mention in the Palanca Awards for Literature for his one-act play Eksodo in 1991 when he was only 19 years old. Since then, he has won a total of 10 other Palanca prizes. He won first prizes for screenplays Karinyo Brutal in 1995 and Mga Bangka sa Tag-araw in 1996. He also won first prizes for teleplays Daigdig ng mga Taksil in 1995 and Pula in 1997 (co-written with Peter Lim. His teleplay Milagroso (2005) won his fifth Palanca First Prize and this elevated him to the Palanca Hall of Fame, making him the youngest Hall of Famer.

His first filmed screenplay was Sa Pusod ng Dagat in 1998, directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya. It won the Best Screenplay award at the Brussels International Filmfest. Other films he wrote for Abaya are Jose Rizal (1998, Best FAMAS Screenplay award); Muro Ami (1999) and Bagong Buwan (2001). He has also written script for sex-dramas like Sagad sa Init (1998); Sa Paraiso ni Efren (1999); Mapagbigay (2000); Red Diaries (2001); Bedtime Stories (2002); and Two Timer (2002). Other films he wrote are Saranggola (1999); Soltera (1999); and the rom-com I Think I’m in Love (2002) starring Piolo Pascual and Joyce Jimenez. He made his directorial debut in 2006 with the sexy rom-com, Gigil, starring Katrina Halili and Alfred Vargas. In 2008, he ventured into indie filmmaking with Roxxanne starring Sheree.

Jun is officially connected with GMA 7 since 2006 as creative consultant. He is the headwriter of many soaps and has also directed some shows like Love to Love and ’Wag Kukurap. Is it true he almost left GMA 7 to move to TV5? “Yes, nag-resign na ako, but GMA stopped me. I felt kasi there was no growth for me, but they made me creative director in charge of the entire drama group. We also put up a school, a writing institute to help train new writers for free. We already have three batches of graduates some of whom now work with GMA.”

The cast of Regal Films’ Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, from left, Paulo Avelino, Carla Abellana, Gabby Concepcion, Lovi Poe, Solenn Heussaff and Dennis Trillo): The film is about a family and it’s something viewers can relate to

He feels fortunate to helm the only family drama in the coming Metro filmfest, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow. “Our film is about a family and it’s something viewers can relate to as it’s about relationships, walang fantasy o special effects dito. We also have the biggest powerhouse cast and it’s a great challenge for me to handle a cast this big, headed by Maricel Soriano.”

What’s the film all about? “First of all, I’d like to make it clear it’s not a remake of Regal’s 1986 movie titled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow that also starred Maricel with Vilma Santos. We have a totally different story. Our film is about three intersecting stories within a family that owns a TV network. Ronaldo Valdez is the father. He has two children from his first marriage, Maricel, who’s separated from Gabby Concepcion, and Jericho Rosales, who’s married to Lovi Poe, a singer who gave up her career for love and later rebels against her controlling husband. Maricel and Gabby have a daughter, Eula Caballero, who hates her mom. Gabby is about to marry a younger woman, Carla Abellana, then he meets Maricel again and their romance is rekindled. Ronaldo’s second wife is Agot Isidro and their only daughter is Solenn Heussaff. Solenn is already tired and bored with her boyfriend, Paulo Avelino, and gets attracted to a hunky gym instructor, Dennis Trillo. The trouble is she doesn’t know that Dennis is the kept boy of her mom, Agot. So they get to share the same man. Yayo Aguila plays a rich matron who was also Dennis’ lover when he was still working as a macho dancer and gigolo. Also in the cast are Joem Bascon and Nadine Samonte as TV stars working in Maricel’s network. There will be a big devastating earthquake in the movie and the conflicts in the story will all come out because of that.”

Jun praises all his stars for being cooperative and easy to work with. He says it’s always a joy to work with Maricel. “Yesterday is our second movie together after we did Paraiso, Tatlong Kuwento ng Pag-asa for Gawad Kalinga where she played a landslide victim. Masarap siyang katrabaho as she’s not only very professional but she really knows what to do in all her scenes. She also serves as an inspiration to the younger members of the cast. Solenn, Lovi, Eula and Carla all like her as she’s very considerate and even helps them interpret their own roles.”

For next year, Mother Lily wants him to direct another sex-drama similar to My Neighbor’s Wife. Jun also aims to offer another free writing mentorship program for aspiring screenwriters. “The backbone of a good film or TV show is the script, so I really want to help in developing better scriptwriters as my way of paying back to the industry,” he says.