Direk Paul Soriano, bumilib kay Joey de Leon

(by Mildred A. Bacud)

Inamin ni Paul Soriano na hindi siya ang unang napiling direktor ng pelikulang  " My Teacher," na kabilang sa Metro Manila Film Festival.  Ito ang naging pag-amin niya sa presscon ng nasabing pelikula sa Winford Resort and Casino. Hindi na rin naman siya nakatanggi dahil sa ganda ng cast at kasama pa si Joey de Leon na ayon sa kanya ang alamat na sa entertainment industry. 

Ang,  “The Teacher” ay sinulat daw mismo ng kaniyang asawa na si Toni Gonzaga bilang pagkilala sa mga guro.

“Toni wanted to make this an advocacy for our teachers who are very underrated. If there are really heroes, they are our heroes growing up… Maybe we can shed some light and write a story about the teacher and she wants to play a teacher.” 

Sa “Toni Talks,” ni Toni ay kung ilang beses na rin daw siyang mag-feature ng mga inspiring stories.

“Maraming seniors na bumabalik sa high school. I believe in ‘Toni Talks’ may na feature si Toni na hindi pa nakakatapos ng high school – because I believe it’s never too late naman.” 

“So we were reading all these inspirational stories of senior citizens going back to high school and that’s where we kinda take it. That’s actually very nice. In this case, the character of Joey de Leon to high school. You have now the old school meets the new school. Yun ang nagging kwento dito sa ‘My Teacher.’ Yung mga old school mahilig magsulat, magbasa, they like to sing. ‘Yung new school, mahilig mag text, Tiktok.”

Masaya raw si Direk at Sec. Soriano na tinanggap ni Joey ang nasabing pelikula.  

“At 70 plus years old, for him to say yes to young filmmakers like me and Toni, during the pandemic, go out of his comfort zone to spend almost a month of shooting with us…He’s actually there earlier sometimes. Because he likes to wake up early, he’s there at 6 or 7 a.m. just in his car [even if] his call time is 8.

“If I’m half the man as Joey de Leon when I am in my 70s, then I would be successful,” he added. “That’s why he’s an icon, a living legend. I’m so humbled and grateful that he said yes to Toni and I to this film. He does not have to do this film. But he wanted to do it. It’s giving me a breath of fresh air.”

Nang tanungin kung ano ang natutunan niya kay Joey, sey ni Direk ay,  I learned how  “to live, love and laugh.”

Bukod kay Toni at Joey, kasama pa sa cast sina Ronnie Alonte at  Loisa Andallo. Nagpapasalamat naman ang produksyon ng My Teacher sa Winford Resort and Casino bikang venue sa presscon at sumuporta rin ang Godfather Productions ni Joed Serrano na present din sa naturang event.