Mother Lily is the Orig Pito-Pito Queen

Guess who perhaps is the happiest person about the success of Cinemalaya, now on its 10th year and proudly attracting more and more audiences (by the hundreds of thousands, hooray!)?

More than those behind the annual event (Tony Boy Cojuangco, Cinemalaya Foundation chairman; Nestor Jardin, Cinemalaya Foundation president; Laurice Guillen, Cinemalaya competition chairman; and Chris Millado, Cinemalaya Festival director) yes, it’s Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde who considers Cinemalaya some kind of “vindication” for her.

You see, most of the entries are wrapped in less than 10 days on what may be deemed “shoe-string” budget (usually less than P1M and not more than P2.5M), which was the brilliant concept of Mother Lily years ago when she was producing the so-called pito-pito films (because shooting was done in seven days flat).

At that time, recalled Mother Lily during the birthday dinner she hosted for Ethel Ramos last Friday (Aug. 1) at her new events place (on Valencia St. where her Mother’s School used to be), “People were scolding me, but that was my way of conducting business.”

Mother Lily’s harshest critics overlooked the fact that what matters is not how long it takes a director to finish shooting a movie (the late Lino Brocka shot his classic Insiang, starring Hilda Koronel, in one week around Smokey Mountain, on a limited budget) but how good the finished product is.

Mother Lily’s pito-pito system (which benefitted a few aspiring filmmakers) produced two of today’s excellent directors, Jeffrey Jeturian (whose pito-pito debut was the critically-acclaimed Sana Pagibig Na) and Lav Diaz (with Ang Kriminal ng Bo. Concepcion) who is reaping raves and awards in international filmfests. The late veteran director Mario O’Hara also joined the pito-pito bandwagon with Ang Babae sa Bubungang Lata.

“That’s why I’m very happy that Cinemalaya is very successful,” said Mother Lily. “It has been showing quality films and discovering new talents — actors, writers and directors. I salute those behind the annual festival. One of these days, I will do pito-pito movies again. Matipid na mabilis pa gawin.”

Incidentally, #36 Valencia (that’s the name of the place which Ronald Constantino described as “Hall of Mirrors” because there are mirrors everywhere you look), yet to be formally inaugurated, has been serving as “trial” venue for Regal presscons and special events (such as Ethel’s party). It’s a cozy venue for birthdays, debuts, wedding receptions and some such affairs. (For inquiries, call Reby at +63917-5778842.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare. or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)