Elwood & Vince perfect in Esoterika

To describe the relationship between Vincent Tañada and veteran director, producer, writer, production designer Elwood Perez as meant for each other may sound corny but at the same time, it is the truth. We have known Elwood for many years since those early days when the competition was between individual writer/directors and not between stations as it is today. They competed on the basis of the stories they wrote and the treatment they gave to those stories.

We recall Elwood as the one who stood out from the rest by his imaginative stories, directed in a manner only he understood.

A Bachelor of Arts in Drama graduate, Elwood joined Balintataw, a drama series produced by PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association), and eventually got into television. TV was in its infancy at the time, which was perfect for Elwood’s wondering spirit. He lost no time in writing and producing Blue Boy which was praised to the heavens by critics like Agustin Sotto, but panned by the ordinary moviegoer. Unperturbed, Elwood thought that he would beat the mass audience and give them what they wanted, but with a difference. Elwood, in partnership with his family, produced Bawal: Asawa Mo, Asawa Ko! and Isang Gabi, Tatlong Babae!, which started the “bold” trend.

These were the years of the Marcos regime, when Pres. Ferdinand Marcos knew he couldn’t continue with his method of governing. He had to allow the general populace something that would give the impression of loosening the ropes around them. It was a big surprise to Filipinos then when the government allowed the screening of “bold” movies. Elwood, who already had a cache of “boldies” prepared, released them and even won awards in the Philippines and abroad. Among these awarded films were My Brother My Wife, The Real Life of Pacita M and Silip.

Today, after a decade of absence from the TV scene, Elwood has returned after discovering the perfect partner that would complete his reason for returning. He is Vincent, who shares having similar yet divergent beginnings. Vince didn’t want to be a lawyer but followed the wishes of his parents. His dream was to become a writer which he did during his off days from lawyering. Like Elwood, Vince is multi-accomplished being a playwright, actor, stage director, professor and lawyer. Starting to write while in high school, Vince has written as many as Elwood has. In 2001, at the age of 25, he founded the Philippine Stagers Foundation, and wrote and directed Enzo…Santo, Desaparecidos, Moro, Mactan, Ako si Ninoy a Filipino Musicale and so many others.

Vince won the Best Actor from Aliw Awards twice in 2007 for his performance as Ramses in the play O Moses and in 2011, as Peter in Cory ng EDSA. In 2009, he was awarded Best Director for Ako si Ninoy, a Filipino Musical which he also wrote. He was also adjudged Ambassador of Goodwill for the Arts through The La Salle Young Artist Foundation’s Kundirana in 1991.

We met Vince at a press conference for Esoterika: Manila and were amazed at his youth despite the voluminous films he has written and directed. Esoterika has already held its premiere night. Now, both Elwood and Vince await the public’s decision.

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