During the recently concluded 2024 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards held at the Samsung Theater of the SM Aura in Taguig City, progressive director Joel Lamangan was one of the guests.
According to Joel, he couldn’t refuse the invitation of poetess and fictionist Marra PL Lanot who was one of the judges in the NJLA.
Marra is the Editor-in-Chief of Philippine Graphic Reader which was also one of the major organizers of the event.
“Naku, hindi ko talaga mahindian si Marra. Kaibigan ko talaga siya (Oh! I couldn’t beg off from her. She’s indeed a friend),” exclaimed Joel who was seated beside me in the literary affair of the Cabangon-Chuas, the family members of the late Ambassador to Laos Antonio Cabangon-Chua.
'She's Fantastic!'
Before I sat beside Lamangan, I was talking to another progressive filmmaker, Kiri Dalena, who was sitting at the adjacent table with her mom Julie Luch Dalena and Alma Cruz-Miclat, both artists.
When it was my turn to talk to Joel, he told me he would leave before the event was over because he had a film shoot in Rizal Avenue in Manila.
“I am filming ‘Huwag mo Akong Iwan.’ It stars Rhian Ramos. You know, Rhian is a very good actress. This is my first time directing her. She’s fantastic,” said Joel who also said that JC de Vera is also casted in the project.
Right after Joel Lamangan’s interview with DWIZ, he made a French exit.
“Baka kasi ma-traffic ako. Malayo ito sa Avenida Rizal. Ayaw kong maghihintay ang mga artista sa akin (I might be caught in a traffic. This is far from Rizal Avenue. I don’t want my actors to wait for me on the set),” the director said.
“Kasi, di ba, nagagalit ako, naninermon ako pag nali-late ang mga artista ko? Ayaw ko namang ako pa ang ma-late. Nakakahiya. Susuwayin ko pa ba ang mga sarili kong utos (It’s because I get mad, I dress down my stars when they show up late in the shooting. I don’t want to be late. It’s embarrassing. Do I have to go against my own orders?),” he added.
On the set, Joel is very professional. “Hindi ako nagtatanong ng mga kontrobersya sa mga artista ko. Hindi ko ugali ‘yon. Magdirek ang trabaho ko at hindi mang-urirat ng buhay ng may buhay (I don’t ask or clarify controversies about my actors. That’s not a good attitude. My work is directing and not digging on the personal matters of people’s lives),” Joel opined.
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