From the Philippines to Canada and other parts of the world, the name Lemuel Lorca as a filmmaker has been reverberating especially when I talked to a hospital staff of an Alberta medical center.
It was Melecio Villasana, brother of the late prolific entertainment writer Gil E. Villasana, who reported that there were fellow Filipino health workers who knew Lemuel. “Sikat na sikat daw si Lemuel Lorca sa kanila sa Mauban, Quezon. Sa katunayan, pinsan pa raw nila si Lemuel (Lemuel Lorca is very popular in their town. As a matter of fact, he is their cousin),” recalled Melecio excitedly in our recent virtual talk.
Lemuel is from Mauban town in Quezon Province and he should be the pride not only of Filipinos all around the world but of all Maubanins.
Even in Melbourne, Australia, the Arrieros and the San Buenaventuras from Lopez town are admirers of Lorca and his art.
In the home front, his pastoral films are always awaited by Maubanins.
Lemuel is a son of a school teacher mom and a furniture artist dad. As a matter of fact, the filmmaker’s early life in his artistry was influenced by his parents in education and the arts.
It is noticeable as well that most of his films are set in seaside or waterways precisely because Mauban is a seafront.
Many of Lorca’s masterpieces were shot in his hometown like “Mauban: Ang Resiko” in 2014, “Water Lemon” in 2015, “Maestra” in 2017 etc.
Lemuel’s mark as a film artist was felt and enjoyed when his “Intoy Shokoy sa Kalye Marino” was entered at the 2021 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival which garnered considerable admiration from the jury and the audience alike.
Other Lorca’s works which are notable from the eyes of critics and moviegoers are “Ned’s Project” in 2016 and “Echorsis” in 2016.