What Paul Soriano learned from working with Lav Diaz and Gael García Bernal
“One day, he sent me an e-mail,” said producer Paul Soriano, recounting how he came on board “Magellan,” Lav Diaz’s latest historical epic that recently premiered at Cannes and has since been acquired by France’s Nour Films and the U.S.’ Janus Films.
“He was asking if I would be interested in coming onboard. Some of his previous negotiations fell through. His actors were ready — Ronnie Lazaro, everyone — he just needed some financing. So I came in,” Soriano told The STAR.
Soriano, founder of Ten17P and Black Cap Pictures, didn’t need much convincing. A long-time collaborator of Diaz, “Magellan” marked their third project together. “I’ve developed a decade-long friendship and working collaboration with Lav since ‘Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis.’ That was the first one we did in 2015 — it competed in Berlin the following year. Ever since that first experience, I kinda fell in love with the way he tells stories.
“As a producer, it was a chance for me to learn. And as a filmmaker myself, it allowed me to be around a master, a genius at what he does.”
Even when not officially credited, Soriano found ways to support Diaz, extending either financial help or lending post-production services. For instance, he provided cameras for “The Woman Who Left,” which won the Golden Lion for Best Picture at Venice filmfest in 2016. His own film “Mananita” was written by Diaz.
The opportunity for “Magellan” came during the shoot of their second collaboration, “Phantosmia.” Diaz told him about working on a film with Rosa Filmes (Portugal) producer Joaquim Sapinho and Andergraun Films (Spain) producer Albert Serra. They were seeking a Philippine co-producer.
“I said definitely (I can be part of it). The idea of Lav doing ‘Magellan’ was epic in scope,” Soriano recalled. “Eventually, it worked out. We (became) a co-production of three countries… Just like Magellan’s journey, the project involved multiple countries.”
In 2024, García Bernal came to the Philippines twice — October and December — to shoot for a total of five weeks. In between, the production filmed in Portugal and Spain.
When Soriano joined, García Bernal was already cast. “Once Magellan was cast, everything else followed. For the local cast, we had Arjay Babon, Ronnie Lazaro, Hazel Orencio — all long-time Lav collaborators. Angela Ramos, who played Beatriz, is from Portugal,” said Soriano.
The idea of working with García Bernal was “very exciting.” “Personally, as a cinephile, you know Gael García Bernal is a big figure. Films like ‘Y Tu Mamá También,’ ‘Amores Perros,’ ‘Old’ — he’s worked with Oscar-winning directors and cinematic legends.”
The actor’s dedication impressed Soriano. “The first time I saw him in Manila, he already had a full beard. That was real. It took him months to grow. He literally was doing his best to transform into Magellan.”
It was García Bernal’s first time in the Philippines. “He didn’t just come to Manila, he went to Sampaloc, Quezon. I think all that unfamiliarity helped him embody his role. He was very immersed, almost method-like.
“He was very professional. Ready to work every day. No complaints. Working with Lav has its unpredictability… he changes day to day, writes his script and rewrites it. But Gael was game. He came with an open heart,” Soriano observed.
The shoot in Quezon, which is about three to four hours away from Manila, remained under the radar. The team built a small community there replicating 1521 Cebu. Soriano said Diaz felt the area was untouched enough to shoot in. A coastal area 45 minutes away was where they shot Magellan’s arrival.
“Sampaloc is a very quiet town. Gael would go to the palengke, walk to local coffee shops on his off days. He lived in a rented home. There was no hotel there. I think he embraced the idea that Magellan wasn’t staying in ‘hotels’ during his journey.”
García Bernal flew out mid-shoot to promote “La Máquina,” his Hulu series with Diego Luna. “He did press, ‘Jimmy Kimmel,’ everything. He kept the beard. He couldn’t shave it.”
Despite the “discreet” nature of the shoot, “Magellan” was epic in the “Lav Diaz sense.” He usually works with a minimal team, but this was required to be a little bigger, said Soriano. They worked with a foreign team, including a cinematographer from Spain, translators and several assistant directors. There were also international standards that had to be met because of García Bernal.
Weather posed the biggest challenge though. “It rained constantly, very windy… But that’s what makes filmmaking beautiful — the unpredictability and finding solutions, which hopefully leads to a great picture.”
The entire experience — from local logistics to international collaboration — left quite an impact on Soriano. “As a producer, you want to immerse yourself. One day, you’re working with Direk Lav, then with Mikhail Red, Hannah Espia, Adolf Alix or Carlo Ledesma. Being a producer is a gift to a filmmaker because you’re learning from different directors and cinematographers. There’s no way producing cannot enhance you.”
After experiencing his first international co-production, Soriano hopes for more. “With Black Cap and Ten17P, we wanna make Filipino stories for the world. That’s what ‘Magellan’ is doing.”
He intends to continue supporting Diaz. “I hope this opens many doors for him to shoot in other parts of the world. Or, to bring the West to the Philippines and create stories that involve co-productions.
“I think (Lav is) our future National Artist. His achievements have reached all over the world. His contributions to Philippine cinema have been endless. It’s still ongoing. I will continue to support him as much as I can.”
- Latest
- Trending
