Focus on directors Jerry Sineneng, Joyce Bernal & Don Cuaresma

Trilogies are more difficult and expensive to do than a single full length film since directors often tend to expose too much footage enough for an entire movie even if it’s only for one episode that’s meant to run for about 40 minutes at the most. But Star Cinema is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that they come up with three satisfying romantic stories in All About Love, directed by Jerry Sineneng, Joyce Bernal and Don Cuaresma. After all, it’s their 13th anniversary presentation and they want to make sure it’s something that will be a real crowdpleaser.

John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo star in the first episode, About Anna, directed by Jerry Sineneng. They have proven that they can carry a film at the box- office on their own with such hits as Now That I Have You and Close To You. How come they accepted to be just one of the three pairs in All About Love?

"I trust Star Cinema," says Bea. "Kahit trilogy, maganda naman talaga ang project and I really enjoyed my role. Also, pang-anniversary nga kasi ito."

"I look at it as our chance to help other love teams na kasama namin dito, Luis Manzano-Anne Curtis, and Angelica Panganiban-Jason Abalos," says John Lloyd. "It’s kind of payback time as other stars also helped us when we were starting as a love team."

How come viewers continue to support their tandem even if they admit they have no romantic feelings for each other at all? "I think it’s because we have nopretensions," says John Lloyd. "We’re transparent at hindi namin sila niloloko na kunwari kami pero hindi pala. At dahil di kami gumigimik, the viewers support us."

"I think the main reason is they really have fantastic chemistry on screen," says direk Jerry Sineneng. "This is the first time I directed them and it’s obvious from the start that they make a really good team. This movie shows them in their most mature roles so far. They even have a love scene here. They were ill at ease at first when they were doing their kissing scene kaya na-take two and I told them to open their lips a bit para hindi parang napipilitan lang sila. Bea is also more daring here. We dressed her up in clothes that show her cleavage at sexy siya talaga lumabas. In the story, both of them are brokenhearted. John Lloyd’s fiancée suddenly died while Bea’s boyfriend (played by newcomer Joem Bascon) had to marry another girl he got pregnant, so she became a man-hater."

Jerry started as a production designer for director Peque Gallaga in the ’80s then moved to ABS-CBN where he was given a break as scriptwriter and director. His last movie, Ocho-Ocho (2004), based on Bayani Agbayani’s novelty song, was a hit. How come it took two years before he got to direct another film, and just an episode in a trilogy at that?

"I got busy with TV," he says. "I started Sa Piling Mo with Judy Ann Santos and Piolo Pascual then was assigned to do the new John Lloyd-Bea soap, tapos napunta ako sa soap ni Robin Padilla. I’m also handling a co-production with Malaysia starring Kristine Hermosa as she’s popular there after Pangako Sa’Yo became a hit there. But this episode in All About Love was made like a full length film na rin. I shot it for 17 days and the edited footage runs for one hour and 40 minutes, so we had to cut away several scenes to make it 45 minutes. Now, I’m directing a new horror movie, Huwag Kang Lilingon, a twin-bill with me directing the Salamin episode starring Kristine Hermosa, Archie Alemania and Cherry Pie Picache. Quark Henares directs the other episode. This is an entry in Metro-Manila Filmfest. Star Cinema has also given me the go-signal to do a serious film about a Filipino that uproots itself from Manila and moved to Australia. The movie aims to show how the migration affects the lives of the entire family and we’re hoping Kris Aquino will accept the role of the mother who’s supposed to be in her 30s."

Joyce Bernal is our youngest female director today. She was only 28 years old when Viva Films asked her to direct her first movie in 1998, I’m Sorry My Love, a romantic comedy starring Judy Ann Santos and Onemig Bondoc. Since then, she has made feel-good romantic hits like Dahil May Isang Ikaw, Tunay na Tunay, Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw, Pagdating ng Panahon, Till There Was You and Don’t Give Up On Us.

"I didn’t like to direct then because I really love what I’m doing as a film editor," she says. "But Boss Vic said it’s time for me to move on and I’m glad I accepted the challenge because it opened new doors for me."

She was taking up Masscom at UP when she did her practicum in 1991 as an apprentice to Ike Jarlego Jr., a noted film editor and director. "I fell in love with editing and I became his assistant. I also gained a lot of experience working with other editor-directors like Toto Natividad and Boy Vinarao. Because I got busy with work, I never got to finish my college course."

Joyce directs the Kalesa episode in All About Love starring Anne Curtis and Luis Manzano. It’s Luis who answers our question. How’s the on-screen chemistry between Luis and Anne? "They have good rapport with each other. Pareho silang malandi on screen, pero walang sexual tension. But it’s obvious that one of them, may napi-feel talaga para doon sa isa. I just won’t say who."

Since this is Luis’ very first movie, does he deliver? "He’s a natural, just like his dad, Edu Manzano, who’s very witty. The story is told from his point of view kaya siya ang kinareer ko rito. Hindi naman ako nahirapan as the role is tailor made for him as a rich boy who’s happy go lucky. He dates a lot of foreign girls at Baywalk by riding the kalesa of Anne, who’s a lady kochero here. Anne listens to him while he courts girls so she knows kung paano siya mambola ng babae. What I try to show here is that the rich is usually expected to be prejudiced against the poor. But here, it’s actually Anne, who’s poor, who has a lot of prejudices against Luis. Actually, the budget for our episode is already good for a full length film. I shot this for 16 days and all the footages I shot, puede na to make it a two-hour movie."

Joyce is also shooting X-44, a spoof of Tony Ferrer’s James Bond flicks starring Vhong Navarro. She wanted Toni Gonzaga to be Vhong’s leading lady again after their good team work in D’Anothers. "But toxic ang schedule niya as she was busy hosting PBB daily, so si Mariel Rodriguez ang ibinigay sa akin. Kaso, nang nagsu-shoot na kami, inalis si Toni sa PBB at ipinalit si Mariel. So now, we can only shoot in the morning. After lunch, I have to let her go dahil she has to prepare for PBB na, kaya ang bagal ng shooting namin."

Don Cuaresma, director of the Angelica Panganiban-Jason Abalos episode entitled Promdi, is a Literature major at the University of Santo Tomas. He was active with their theater group called Teatro Tomasino, along with another director, Wenn Deramas and comedian John Lapus. He was inclined to writing so he attended three scriptwriting workshops handled by ace screenwriter Ricardo Lee. "I really learned a lot from him," he says.

He first worked with IBC 13 writing the sitcom, Pubhouse, then moved to ABS-CBN in the early ’90s as part of the pool of writers doing the hit soap opera, Esperanza. He then started writing for the drama anthology, Maalaala Mo Kaya, and other ABS shows. In 1997, he got the chance to get a scholarship from ABS-CBN to study movie and TV direction in a school in Rockport, Maine. He would later direct episodes for Maalaala Mo Kaya. Directing Angelica Panganiban in All About Love is a dream come true for him.

"I’ve always believed in her talent as a young dramatic actress so talagang noon ko pa pinangarap na maidirek siya someday," he says.

And how is her teamup with newcomer Jason Abalos? "They look good together on the big screen. I’ve noticed this when I first saw them pa lang in the soap, Vietnam Rose, so I was really glad when Star Cinema assigned me to direct their episode, Promdi. I hope to get to direct them again in a full length film next time."

Angelica has reconciled with Carlo Aquino. How will her love team with newcomer Jason Abalos then be believable?

"When we were first paired in Vietnam Rose, a lot of people really doubted if our love team would work," says Angelica. "But we took it positively, we both did our best at heto nga, nabigyan na kami ng movie, All About Love. Don Cuaresma also directed our scenes in Vietnam Rose and I believe he knows how to bring out the best in us. And although we’re not really on in real life, I think viewers now are more mature and you don’t necessarily have to be going steady in real life ng partner mo para pasukin ang movie ninyo. The two other pairs in our movie, John Lloyd and Bea, and Anne and Luis, hindi rin naman sila on in real life."

In the Promdi episode, they play childhood friends in the province named Kiko and Kikay. Kikay goes to the city and, in a drunken binge, she is videotaped in a sexy pose and this was circulated on cellphones. She returns to their hometown a broken woman and it’s Kiko who helps her try to pick up the pieces again.

"Ours is a very touching episode about two childhood friends who lose touch but who find true love in each other’s arms again," says direk Don.

So which is the best episode in All About Love? "It’s up to the viewers to decide," say directors Jerry, Joyce and Don.