By Jemuel Cainglet Salterio
Making one’s directorial debut on the big screen is always a daunting task. That is what Joan Lopez-Flores exhibited in “What You Did,” the psychological drama thriller that is one of the official entries in this year’s Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival 2024.
In fact, Joan is the only female director in this year’s batch of film entries at Sinag Maynila that returns after four years. There will be seven full-length films, seven documentaries and 20 short films competing from professional and amateur directors.
The screening of “What You Did” at Sinag Maynila serves as the film’s world premiere, from September 4 to 8 at Gateway Complex, SM Manila and other selected cinemas in Metro Manila.
Direk Joan had to see if her lead star, Tony Labrusca, could really portray the dual characters of Arvin and Ace. Tony had to go through an audition process, VTRs (video tape recordings) and workshops.
He did everything in the middle of the pandemic in 2021. The film was partly shot in Tagaytay and in Quezon City. Joan also wrote the script.
“This is about what people go through psychologically after being subjected through challenges throughout their life,” Joan explained. “This doesn’t have to be during a pandemic. It can be another global crisis, anything big that will take away opportunities.
“This is the story of a person who is robbed of opportunities in life and there’s seemingly nothing left to do. Then there’s all the backlog in his life that he had to deal with.
“That was something I went through similarly not just as an adult even during my childhood. This is something that people can relate to and learn from, especially now when discussions about mental health is very common.
“It’s no longer taboo to talk about what you’re going through psychologically and mentally after being subjected through different kinds of challenges.”
Putting the story in a nutshell, “What You Did” is a person’s psychological journey after going through many challenges in life.
“In this particular case, although I really don’t want Tony’s characters to be the central branding or theme of this film, the story took place in the pandemic,” explained Joan.
“During a crisis like that, if you’re a person who has already gone through a huge amount of trauma and challenges in your life, if something as big as that hits you, what could happen?
“What would a person inflicted with a lot of wounds in the past do to survive and cope in a very unsure situation?”
“What You Did” is inspired by real and first-hand journeys that have been dealt with by the writer (Joan). “A lot of these things resonate very much with me,” Joan admitted.
“And I’m first-hand witness to how challenges like that would actually alter a person’s resolve about life and views how to basically cope after going through trauma. I know if a person is not yet healing from past traumas and still wounded.”
Fully grasping the story for Tony took quite some time, noted Joan. “He went through different mindfulness and being exercises,” Joan said of her lead actor. “He had an acting coach to help him out. From the get go, he knew what he wanted to achieve.”
Tony also did video assignments that the director said they did faithfully and well. They wrapped up filming in 17 days.
“People around me supported my vision, especially my producer, Josie Maclang Garcia,” said Joan. “She was a person who believed in this film. Wilbert Tolentino co-produced the film.”
Joan made her first documentary, “Respite,” back in 2003 while she was a Communication Arts student at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
“Respite” won third place in the Gawad CCP for Alternative Film and Video Award. Joan has since been working in the advertising, film and digital video production circuit
In 2004, Joan was selected as one of the 30 writers in the Philippines to undergo an advanced film and TV screenwriting workshop under National Artist for Film and Broadcast, Ricky Lee, through the ABS-CBN Writers’ Circle.
Joan was a songwriter and musical scenes co-writer for 2005 Cinemalaya Film Festival finalist, “Saan Nagtatago si Happiness?,” by Real Florio and Florida Bautista.
In 2013, Joan, along with three other industry practitioners co-founded and continues to run the production company, The Jumpcat Experiment, Inc., where she has produced, written and directed numerous TV, digital commercials and short films.
She also managed post production work for films like “Mga Mata sa Dilim,” “Memoirs of a Teenage Rebel,” “Mercury is Mine” and the award-winning short film, “Bukal (Wellspring).”
“What You Did” marks Joan’s directorial debut, where she also takes on the roles of writer and co-producer. Other in the cast are Epy Quizon, Mercedes Cabral, Ana Abad Santos, Mary Joy Apostol and Joel Saracho.
