Direk Mae Cruz-Alviar on ‘Rewind’ success, dream project
To continue the celebration of International Women’s Month, this week I am putting the spotlight on direk Mae Cruz-Alviar, the director behind the phenomenal Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) box-office hit “Rewind,” which starred real-life couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera.
I first met direk Mae in 1994 when Mikee Cojuangco launched her film career via “Forever,” which she co-starred with Aga Muhlach and directed by Rowell Santiago. There was an engagement party scene where Mae and I were among the guests as Mae is Mikee’s close friend while Rowell and I were working for Gift Gate at that time and Mikee was the Swatch model.
To make the long story short, Rowell promised me and Mae short speaking lines for that scene but when the movie was shown, our scenes were cut out and ended up on the editing floor.
To this day, direk Mae and I continue to tease direk Rowell and blame him for our aborted acting career. But it makes me wonder, if that scene was not edited, would direk Mae be in front of the camera?
Read on and see where patience, humility and grit can take you.
Tell us how you became a film director. What was your “baptism of fire” like?
“My dad said this to me: choose a job that you love to do so you never have to ‘work’ a day in your life. Ever since I was little I’ve always loved telling stories and I’ve always wanted to be a director. I set my eyes on becoming one so I took up Mass Communication major in Film and Audio Visual Communication in college at UP Diliman. I applied at Star Cinema after college. After all, I was a local mainstream movie fan and I wanted to direct one, too, someday.
“I started out as a production assistant (PA) for the movie ‘Magic Temple.’ Fortunately for me, I worked with a dream team that any newbie could only hope for. Directors Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes were very encouraging and I learned a lot from them. Direk Trina Dayrit, our line producer, trained us to be hands-on about everything.
“I rode the jeep where they distributed the meals. Nagtatakal ako ng kanin and ulam, helping out the caterer to make sure we don’t run out of food. I had a rule not to give out new batteries or masking tape till they returned the basyo (thus I earned the nickname Basyo from the crew).
“From being a PA, I moved on to being ‘script continuity.’ Back then, we didn’t have digital cameras to record scenes for easy preview of the correct continuity. We had to train our eyes to observe keenly and not just watch scenes. I had to learn the hard way because on my first days as ‘script continuity,’ I got everything wrong.
“Direk Jerry Sineneng got furious at me and scolded me from morning till midnight on my first day on the set of ‘Mara Clara.’ By midnight, I was already resigning. In tears, I told my associate producer that perhaps I wasn’t cut out for the job and maybe it was better if I went back to being a PA. She told me to not give up too easily and just keep trying.
“Direk Jerry said my saving grace was that I was hardworking. So thanks to Saredith, our AP, I stayed on till I got direk’s seal of approval. After several hits and misses, I was so ecstatic when I finally got that pat on the back for a job well done from him. If I gave up, I probably wouldn’t be a director today.
“When I became assistant director (AD), I was fortunate to be mentored by direk Rory Quintos. She had a ‘military’ style of training. You must come to the set prepared and know the script by heart. I think I lost weight in my first weeks because I was always so nervous fearing I’d be making mistakes! I learned so much from her but the best lesson she taught me was ‘there will be many monsters on set but you should never become one.’
“Even when I already did several TV series, I was never given a break to be a first unit director of a series or direct a full-length film. I was honestly feeling frustrated and discouraged thinking management probably didn’t see any potential in me. By this time, I was already a director for several years in ABS-CBN and thought I’d give it one last shot. I volunteered to step down from being a director and be Inang Olivia Lamasan’s AD for her film ‘In My Life.’
“I didn’t mind having a lower position for as long as I’d learn more and finally be given that break. I thought, if I don’t get that break, I’ll take it as a big fat sign that directing isn’t for me, painful as it may be. Thankfully, after that, I was given my first full-length film. I still had a lot to learn but was grateful they took a chance on me.
“Looking back at my journey, I’m glad I never gave up and just continued to forge on. Film after film, series after series, there have still been new learnings and humbling experiences that have molded me to be the director that I am today.”
After “Rewind” became the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time, to what do you attribute its success?
“There have been many theories as to why the film was such a success. I’ve heard people say it’s a DongYan thing. Others have said it’s a Star Cinema thing. Promo played a big part in it, too. In my opinion, it’s a combination of all those plus more.
“I feel like Enrico Santos’ story was the comforting (hug) we needed after the collective trauma of the pandemic. We all experienced loss one way or another and the thought of losing a loved one became very real and imminent. The film allowed us to let out all those pent-up emotions. It made us reflective of how we were living our lives. We all needed that release and we were hungry for a good cry. That’s what the film gave us.
“It also comforted us and assured us that even in the worst situations, there is a purpose and that God is with us always. This film is about God and we were all in unison that we would do all we can to tell this story the best way we could. It was our offering to Him and after doing our best, we left everything in His hands.
“I’d say this was all Him. At a time when the film industry is struggling, it is a miracle to reach this kind of financial success and reach millions, and send out the beautiful message of our film. So Lods, thank you again and again!”
Describe the state of the Philippine movie industry and what can the government do to help it?
“It’s not how it used to be. As direk Joey Reyes put it, it is ‘dismal.’ Times are hard and with the steep price of movie tickets, people are not too keen on spending their hard-earned money on watching movies for entertainment.
“These days, there are so many options that are free and more convenient to watch. It is a challenge to create a film that could make the people troop to the cinemas again. It is a risk for producers so they carefully choose concepts to invest on.
“My hope is for theater owners to lower the price of movie tickets. A theater chain had a one-day promo of lowered ticket prices and cinemas were packed! Goes to show that it’s only the cost that’s in the way.
“I am grateful that the Metro Manila Council has waived the 10-percent amusement tax for local films’ screenings in NCR for the next three years. This is a huge help for producers. We wish it may extend to a resolution of lowering the ticket prices as well.”
Is being a female an asset or liability as a director? Why?
“I never felt that it was distinctly an asset and/or a liability because so far the people I’ve worked with have treated me like an equal. Perhaps this can be labeled as a liability: monthly periods and pregnancy (or the inability thereof to conceive). PMS can get in the way of work but women nevertheless go about enduring it.
“When you’re pregnant, not all women can go about their normal directing functions. Others have difficult pregnancies and need to go on bed rest. Too much stress can also affect the baby in the womb. Stress also can cause women to have difficulty conceiving and to shake it off, a sabbatical to rest might even be needed just to get the body pregnancy ready (which is what I had to do…but still had miscarriages).
“Another liability as a female director is needing to find a decent rest room just to pee! I think the few occasions I felt that there is a discrimination is when a female is boxed into stereotypes. Like a woman can’t do action sequences simply because she’s a girl.”
Is there a Mae Cruz-Alviar signature look for your works?
“Hmmm. I don’t know if I have a signature look. I have been doing a lot of romantic comedies and they’re mostly glossy. I tend to use slow motion a lot for romantic scenes. I don’t know if that’s what it is, honestly.
“When I shoot a scene, I base it on what’s needed for the story. That’s why I’m not aware if subconsciously there’s a trademark look for my works.”
What is your dream project? Who will star in it?
“My dream project is to direct a film written by myself and produced not for profit primarily but to feed my passion. I’ve always done projects assigned to me. It is my dream to one day tell my own stories.
“A dream concept is a period film, possibly either the story of my maternal grandmother and her one great love or the triumph-of-the-spirit story of my paternal grandmother during World War II. No casting idea yet.”
Your advice to those aspiring to be film or TV directors?
“Be authentic. As filmmakers, we have a social responsibility to our audience. We have the power to influence because of the impact of the message of our stories. There is also a wide reach when we send out our message because of the nature of the medium so we must use this power wisely.
“As my dad said before, you can’t cut corners in life and can’t put a price tag on experience. Don’t be in a rush to get to that position. Appreciate the training process.
“Keep learning and forever be a student.
“Never stop creating…Even after a failed project.
“You’re as good as your last project. Don’t rest on your laurels.”
What does your husband say about your success?
“My husband, Benj, is my No. 1 fan, my No. 1 supporter. So supportive in fact that he has appeared several times in my films as a priest, mayor, doctor, etc. Hahaha! I’m so blessed he can work remotely and this allows him to be with me wherever my shoot would be.
“He’s also a movie buff so he’s very much interested in what I do. Through the highs and lows of the process, he is there to cheer me on and sometimes just simply there to hold my hand for support. Is he happy about my success? Happy would be an understatement!”
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