Director-producer Brillante “Dante” Mendoza (photo, with his MMFF Best Director trophy) has nothing but superlatives for Judy Ann Santos.
“She fits the role, she’s a role model, a good actress, a good mother and a good person.”
On the set, Dante noted that Juday didn’t have airs.
“She’s not a diva. We treated her the way we treated the crew and utility. We ate the same food on the set.”
Already a versatile actress, Juday said he didn’t mind Dante teaching her a new way of interpreting her role.
“I have to correct some of her mannerisms,” Dante said. “But she is a natural actor. She acted from the heart.”
Asked what his priority is when he does a movie, awards or box-office, Dante is definite.
“My priority is to do my job well as a storyteller and make sure that my message is clear. Hindi ko naman ma-predict kung ano ang gusto ng critic/jury or ng manonood. Kung alam ko ang formula dapat ang galing-galing ko na, di ba?”
After directing Mindanao and producing Verdict (which was submitted as possible entry in the 2020 Oscars’ Best Foreign Language Film category but didn’t make it to the list of finalists), Dante is busy with Bangsa, starring Rocco Nacino, Baron Geisler, Cesar Montano, Gina Alajar, Laurice Guillen and Piolo Pascual.