Mother Lily still shakes, rattles & rolls

Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde couldn’t help but be emotional when she and five other industry icons were honored by the Directors Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI) recently.

The five others were Susan Roces (actress, represented by grandson Bryan Poe-Llamanzares at the event), Romy Vitug (cinematographer), Ricky Lee (scriptwriter), Kidlat Tahimik (indie film movement) and Lore Reyes (with directing partner Peque Gallaga who wasn’t able to make it).

Thanking the directors and sharing the honor with them, Mother Lily credited the directors for helping make Regal Films a formidable pillar of the industry. Name a director and chances are that he has worked with Regal — Mike de Leon (Sister Stella L, etc.), Lino Brocka (Adultery, etc.), Ishmael Bernal (Relasyon, etc.), Mel Chionglo (Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita?, etc.), Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Boystown, etc.), Maryo J. delos Reyes (Diosa, etc.), Peque Gallaga (Scorpio Nights, etc.), Gil Portes (Beautiful Life), Joel Lamangan (one of the Mano Po movies, etc.), Erik Matti (one of the Mano Po movies, etc.), Joey Javier Reyes (My Monster Mom, etc.), Joey Gosiengfiao (Temptation Island, etc.), Mario O’Hara (Shake, Rattle & Roll, etc.) and Elwood Perez (Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit, etc.), among others.

Mother Lily was criticized for her pito-pito style of movie-making (films shot in seven days) and ably acquitted herself by launching the careers of Lav Diaz (Ang Kriminal ng Bo. Concepcion) and Jeffrey Jeturian (Sana Pagibig Na). Most of today’s finest actors started as Regal Babies (Maricel Soriano, Gabby Concepcion, Dina Bonnevie, Albert Martinez, et al).

“Without you,” continued Mother Lily, still addressing the directors, “there would not have been classic movies and New Age films even today’s young generation enjoys.”

In a manner of speaking, Mother Lily continues to shake, rattle and roll (as the title of her previous 13 MMFF entries aptly put it). Her company’s 2015 MMFF entry, Haunted Mansion directed by Jun Lana, stars newcomers Janella Salvador, Marlo Mortel and Jerome Ponce, together with Sharlene San Pedro, Ingrid dela Paz, Devon Seron, Eliza Pineda, Phytos Ramirez and Paulo Gumabao.

At the movie’s recent presscon, Mother Lily delivered a short speech, saying (quoted verbatim): “Marami ang nagtatanong kung bakit hindi Shake, Rattle & Roll ang entry ni Mother Lily sa Metro Filmfest. It’s because I believe so much in Haunted Mansion. I believe so much in my newest babies, Janella, Marlo and Jerome. First time I visited the set in Bulacan. Natakot ako! Nakakakilabot! Di ako makatulog! That’s how scary the movie is. Pati si Mother Lily, na-shake, na-rattle at nag-roll…!”   

Mother Lily ended her DGPI acceptance speech this way: “Producers an directors, not to mention actors and production people, share one body, one soul, one mind and one goal. That is, to create more films that will not only entertain but will put Philippine Cinema at par with the world’s best.”

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