As the writer and director of the new family drama film Until She Remembers, director Brillante Mendoza shared that he first conceptualized the LGBTQ-themed storyline of a love lost through the years with very specific actors already in mind. The multi-awarded director said that Charo Santos-Concio, Boots Anson-Roa, and Babrie Forteza have always been his top of mind in casting.
“Nung kino-conceptualize ko ‘yung film, sila na talaga yung nasa isip ko. Kasi parang ‘yung characters kasi, sila ‘yung nakikita ko. The characters here like Catherine and Concha, in a way, tailor-made sa kanila. Although at that time when I was writing the story, of course I’m basing it lang kung ano ‘yung nakikita ko at alam ko, ganun lang. Of course malaking tulong ‘yun at angkop talaga sa characters nila, ‘yung pagkatao nila. Even ‘yung kanilang personal life, malapit dun sa characters,” he said.
READ: Barbie Forteza on working with Charo Santos for the first time: ‘Walang ka-ere ere!’
The film also marks Direk Brillante’s first time to work with all three lead stars, which he considers as the right timing for the project. “I think meron talagang timing ang lahat ng bagay. Kasi with Ma’am Charo, dapat ilang taon naka-work na kami, si Barbie din. Si Tita Boots naman, naka-work ko sa isang project na ako ang nag-produce. Pero as an actor, wala pa. Pero siguro ito yung the right timing and the right project for them,” he added.
READ: Charo Santos, Boots Anson-Roa, and Barbie Forteza to star in new Brillante Mendoza film
During the film’s press conference, Direk Brillante addressed his reputation for not giving scripts to his actors on the set. He clarified that he has always preferred the characters to have more organically produced dialogue even though his crew are provided with a script guide.
“Actually, merong script. Merong script, pero I don’t provide the script to the actors. Kasi siyempre kailangan namin sa production ng guide. And then of course ako, when I try to create, kumbaga, ang tinitingnan ko kasi kung saan pupunta ‘yung kuwento. But I don’t really write the dialogues, the scenes, that concerns the actor’s blocking. Kasi, I leave that to them. May rason kasi yun kaya hindi ko pino-provide ‘yung script sa mga actors. Kasi kasi kahit ‘yung ibang mga international actors na nakatrabaho ko, first time naman nila maka-experience ‘yun sa buong buhay nila na darating sa set ng walang script. Hindi nila alam ang gagawin nila. But I think that’s the magic of it!” he explained.
Having written the entire script for Until She Remembers, Direk Brillante talked about why he likes to share the credit with his actors for creating his characters onscreen.
“Sinulat ko na ‘yan eh. Alam ko na ‘yan, napagaralan ko na ‘yan. Alam ko ‘yung emosyon. Of course, as the writer and the director, meron akong sariling perception about the characters and about the situation kung papano ‘yung flow. But then, I am not the character. And I leave that to my actors because they are my co-creators. I call them my co-creators. They’re not just actors who come on the set na para silang props lang na (sasabihan mo ng), ‘O yan, gawin mo yan.’ Hindi. They are co-creators because they can do magic to their characters. Kasi ‘yung magic na ‘yun, that I do not know kasi I am not a performer. I am a writer. I am a director. So ‘yun ang kanilang skills. That’s why they are best actors, ‘di ba? We have to give that to them.’ Yun ‘yung rason behind bakit hindi ako nag-po-provide ng script sa mga artista,” he added.
More than just having talented and professional actors onboard, Direk Brillante said having trust in his cast is the utmost prioritiy for him. “I think trust is very important. I trust my actors. The reason why I choose them is because I trust them and they trust me back. Dahil nagtitiwala sila sa akin, wala silang tinatanong (laughs). ‘Yung pinakikialaman nila ‘yung character nila. So they come on the set ready,” he said.
Until She Remembers is produced by Solar Studios Inc. and Center Stage Productions, with Wilson Tieng as executive producer, starring Charo Santos-Concio, Barbie Forteza, and Boots Anson-Roa.
The film is written and directed by Brillante Mendoza and opens on February 25, Wednesday, in cinemas nationwide.