'When Love Begins' director wants us to watch Ploning

"I wish people also watch Ploning," When Love Begins director Joey Reyes said when asked what he thinks of both movies sharing the April 30 play date. "Juday (Judy Ann Santos) and Ga (director Dante Nico Garcia) are my friends. I know they worked hard to come up with a beautiful movie."

Beautiful movie it is. Non-acting makes Panoramanila's Ploning outstanding. Dante gathered the country's best to deliver a full-length feature distinguished for its hysteria-free acting. The list: Eugene Domingo, Ronnie Lazaro, Gina Pareño, Meryll Soriano, Ces Quesada, Joel Torre, Mylene Dizon, Tony Mabesa and Tessie Tomas. He teamed them up with Cuyo Islands non-professional actors to come up with a masterpiece of contemporary cinema.

Tony Mabesa, founder of the prestigious Dulaang UP, professor of National Artists for Cinema Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal and himself an acclaimed actor, acts as Ploning's stern father. He had a falling out with Judy Ann's character that provides the on-going conflict between them, only to be resolved by movie's end. Tony admits he had difficulty doing the role. Like other cast members, tackling the Cuyunon language with the correct intonation is no sunbathing in one of Palawan's world-famous resorts. With the help of a language coach, he tackled the hurdle like the rest of the actors, speaking Cuyunon like a native.

- tribune.net.ph