'Saving Cherry' director Ivan Payawal shares how film ‘saved’ him

MANILA, Philippines — It’s been a while since we laughed this hard over a Filipino film, but “Saving Cherry” did the job — and did it well. So, it’s hard to believe that its director-writer was going through something while filming the riotous dark comedy-drama under Regal Entertainment.

During the premiere night on Monday, filmmaker Ivan Andrew Payawal hinted at how personal the project had become for him and how it ended up “saving” him.

Asked during a one-on-one virtual interview with The Philippine STAR what he meant, direk Ivan revealed that he had been diagnosed with depression while working on “Saving Cherry” and “Miss Behave,” a series for iWant.

“Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with depression. At the time... I was juggling two projects at the same time. So, I was doing ‘Miss Behave,’ the series I did for iWant, and ‘Saving Cherry.’ As in, there were weeks talaga na from the set of ‘Miss Behave,’ maliligo lang ako sa bahay, aalis na ako, pupunta na ako sa ‘Saving Cherry.’ Ganoon ’yung buhay ko noong May, June, July,” he shared.

The director further recalled that there were days when he struggled to find the will to do anything. The responsibility of making “Saving Cherry,” however, gave him a reason to get out of bed and keep moving.

Barbie Forteza plays the titular role in ‘Saving Cherry,’ a virgin bride who is set on getting even with her groom who cheated on her on their wedding night.

“Nung time na-diagnose ako, parang I didn’t have the will — I didn’t have the will to do anything. Pero ’yung ‘Saving Cherry’ was one of the reasons why I was able to get out of bed and be able to be functional. Kumbaga, naka-autopilot ako noon. So that’s why ’yun ’yung sinasabi ko — literally, it saved me from myself, kasi nagkaroon ako ng purpose. Nagkaroon ako ng reason why I wanted to go on.

Direk Ivan (second from right) with his actors (from left) Khalil Ramos, Mika, AC, Sassa Gurl, Mikee, Barbie and Regal boss, lawyer Keith Monteverde during the red-carpet premiere night of ‘Saving Cherry.

“And the story kasi of ‘Saving Cherry’ is very personal. It talks about infidelity, but more so, it talks about having your voice, having your voice heard. So parang naging therapeutic siya in a way,” he said, before adding, “But it also doesn’t diminish the fact that I’m still diagnosed.”

Nevertheless, his admission made it even more striking that he was able to create such a laugh-out-loud film.

“Sabi nga nila, when you do a comedy film, you should be sad. And when you’re doing a drama or romantic comedy, you should be happy. Parang ’yun ang sabi ng mga tao sa paligid. Kaya siguro tamang-tama, both comedies ’yung ginagawa ko that time.”

“Saving Cherry” tells the story of Barbie Forteza’s character, the virgin bride Cherry, whose disastrous wedding night — catching her husband Jude (Khalil Ramos) cheating on her — sends her on a wild, chaotic but ultimately liberating journey with her closest friends (Sassa Gurl, AC Bonifacio, Mika Salamanca and Mikee Quintos).

Mika Salamanca, AC Bonifacio, Sassa Gurl and Mikee Quintos star as Cherry’s barkada who want to support but also save their heartbroken friend from herself.

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The premise wasn’t plucked out of thin air, according to Ivan. It was largely drawn from actual stories of infidelity that the queer director had witnessed or heard from people close to him.

One incident involved a mistress uploading intimate photos during a wedding reception so that the images would be flashed on the screen at the venue.

He also knew of a woman who learned only after her wedding that her husband was involved with another woman.

“So ’yung desperation, pain and hurt (of Cherry) is inspired doon sa experiences na ’yun,” he said.

“But also, at the same time, feeling ko naman cheating is universal. I mean, pain is. ‘Pag naloko ka, na-betray ka, iisa lang naman ang pakiramdam doon. At bilang tao, ilang beses na rin naman akong na-betray, so alam ko ’yung pakiramdam na nababaliw. Alam ko ’yung pakiramdam na may mga gusto kang gawin na out of this world pero hindi mo magawa.

“So nung sinusulat ko siya, doon ko binigay ’yung frustration ko pagdating sa infidelity and cheating, at the same time incorporating the stories that I’ve witnessed... you know, infidelity from the family, infidelity from school, barkada mo...

“I have friends who cheated on their partners, and I’ve been in both spectrums of the relationship. I’ve been cheated on and I’ve cheated on a partner before. So parang nakakuha ako ng different perspectives habang sinusulat ko siya.

“Kasi nung time na binubuo ko siya, galit lang ako kasi na-cheat on ako. Pero nung nakaka-experience na ako ng iba’t ibang klaseng perspectives, mas nagkaroon tuloy ng laman lalo ’yung sinusulat ko, especially Cherry and Jude, as well as the other characters.”

More than cheating

But it’s more than a film about infidelity. “Saving Cherry” is also a story about a woman asserting her right to decide what she wants for her own body and life.

Ivan admitted that when he was younger, he questioned why virginity was such a serious issue. Maturity expanded his understanding of why a person’s decision to remain a virgin should also be respected.

“When I was younger, hindi naman sa jina-judge ko, but for me, why is virginity an issue? Nandoon ako na even for girls, parang feeling ko ’yun nga, it’s just a social norm. Kung gusto mong makipag-sex, makipag-sex ka.

“But of course, when nag-form na ’yung frontal lobe ng brain ko, mas lumawak ’yung learnings and ’yung respect for people na if ’yun ’yung trip nila, ’yun ’yung trip nila. Hindi mo dapat ’yun husgahan. Kung gusto nilang i-save ’yung virginity nila until marriage, I mean, that’s their right.

“And ’yun ’yung pinaglalaban ng pelikula. It’s the power of choice. Dapat ang mga tao ay may — regardless if you agree or not, kailangan lahat ng tao ay may choice.”

The story’s emphasis on freedom also changed how Ivan approached directing Barbie. By his admission, he’s a control freak but he consciously gave his lead actress more room to inhabit the character.

“My approach was different kasi I’m a Virgo, di ba? Virgos are known to be perfectionists, very control freaks, ganyan. And with this one, mas binigyan ko ng space or ng freedom si Barbie na gawin ’yung gusto niyang gawin. We would talk, of course, may mga konting notes ako here and there, but I did not want to limit her or restrict her from doing what she wants, especially sa first take. Usually, ’yung mga takes niya, one take lang ’yung mga ’yan.

“So ’yun ’yung pinakabago rin sa akin, na nagbibigay ako ng freedom. And I think ’yung approach ko na ’yun is always dependent on what type of story I’m telling.“

Barbie got to finally watch “Saving Cherry” for the first time during its premiere. Ivan admitted that among all the possible reactions to the movie, hers was the one he cared about most.

“Of all the people that I want validation from, it’s from her. It’s from Barbie,” he said. “Because she is Cherry. She is ‘Saving Cherry.’

“But thankfully, when I asked her, ‘Pumasa ba?’, sabi niya, ‘With flying colors.’ Medyo doon ako kumalma nung happy siya sa pelikula niya.

“Importante sa akin na ’yung mga mismong gumawa ng pelikula (from actors to the producers), gusto ’yung pelikula. I’ve experienced before that even the people inside my team were the ones bashing the movie that we made, so medyo traumatic ’yun sa akin.

“So parang ngayon, I make sure na sana, especially si Barbie, magustuhan ’yung pelikula na pino-promote niya. Ayoko kasi napipilitan ’yung tao. Gusto ko, gusto mo ’yung pelikula, kaya grabe ’yung commitment mo.”

In honor of his mom

Ivan also dedicated the film to his mother, the most important woman in his life.

“Oh, she loved it! Alam mo, my mom is my biggest supporter and my biggest critic. So ’pag pumasa sa kanya, happy na ako. I tell stories so that my parents can be proud of me. I do everything so that they can be proud of me. I work my ass off so that they can be proud of me,” he said.

“And I think nung night na ’yun, she was really proud of me kasi, as a woman, ’yan lagi niyang sinasabi, ’yung paano mo na-capture ’yung emotional complication of being cheated on, you know?”

Interestingly, his parents had initially hoped that direk Ivan would become a doctor. Despite that, they supported him when he pursued communication arts and eventually went to film school.

“Kaya naniniwala ako na you can support someone even if you don’t agree with their choice, because they supported me when I took up Communication Arts in college. They paid for my tuition and film school,” he said.

“Kahit sinasabi nila, ‘Film? May pera ba diyan? Ano ba ’yan?’ The typical Filipino parents. ‘*So, paano ’yung future mo? Hindi lahat nagiging director,’ ganyan. Tapos lagi kong sinasabi, ‘I’m gonna make it. I’ll make sure I’ll make it.’

“Pero grabe lang ’yung suporta at ’yung pag-unawa na ’pag nakikita lang nila akong masaya sa ginagawa ko, ‘Okay, sige, masaya ka, masaya na rin kami.’  That’s why I dedicated it to my mom and to my dad as well because I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for their love and support.

“Kasi they’re my first producers. I-flex ko lang ’to kasi hindi ko naman magagawa ’yung first two movies ko sa Cinema One (‘The Comeback’) or sa Cinemalaya (‘I America’) nung nagsisimula ako kung hindi sila nagpautang-utang ng pera sa akin para matapos ’yung pelikula. At hanggang ngayon, binabayaran ko pa rin,” he added, laughing.

“Saving Cherry” marked Ivan’s return to a nationwide theatrical release after eight years. His last one was “Ang Pambasang Third Wheel” starring Sam Milby. Most of the movies and series the “Gameboys” director did during and after the pandemic were released through streaming platforms.

His parents and the other people he loved showed up at the premiere night to experience, after a long time, a film of his inside a cinema.

“Nung pandemic, nalungkot ako kasi siyempre patay ’yung mga cinema. ’Yun ’yung parang lagi kong goal, na every premiere night ko, sila ’yung nandoon,” he said.

“Kaya sobrang special sa akin nung gabing ’yun na lahat ng mga mahal ko sa buhay were there. It takes a village to do a movie, and hindi ko ’yan magagawa nang mag-isa.”