Antoinette Jadaone
When the solemnity of the Holy Week is over, it’s time to relish vicarious thrills by watching Viva Films’ “Never Not Love You,” which opens on March 31. The romance drama is topbilled by Nadine Lustre and James Reid. JaDine reunites with box-office writer-director Antoinette Jadaone, who was at the helm of JaDine’s hit series, “On the Wings of Love.”
“Never Not Love You” goes beyond the cheesy side of love. It shows the meaty aspects of how a relationship evolves. The JaDine tandem veers away from being schmaltzy and cutesy. It dissects the stages of l’amour and nudges our hearts to still believe in happy-ever-after, even when our love story isn’t exactly a fairy tale.
Here’s my chat with Antoinette:
What makes JaDine different from the other love teams you have worked with? They have no limitations. They’ll kiss if your story calls for it, which I appreciate very much as a writer.
What prompted you to write the movie? I’ve reserved it for JaDine way back during the “On the Wings of Love” days. Because “Otwol” was a romantic comedy, I wanted to see them next in a serious adult movie.
What was the toughest scene to shoot? The final scene was the toughest, because it required JaDine to have the exact degree of emotion to end the film.
Please share any off-cam anecdote about JaDine. They always help each other out. For instance, even if it’s Nadine’s solo scene, James will still be in character off-cam. He helps her nail the scene.
Do you feel any pressure to outdo yourself in each project? Not exactly outdo. I just make sure that it’s a story worth telling each time, because I don’t want to waste the audience’s money and time.
What’s more important to you, box-office success or awards? I want both. But, it’s the sense of fulfillment that matters most … the feeling of satisfaction when I watch the film that all the hard work was worth it. The positive feedback I get from the people who watched it.
How do you and Dan (Villegas, director) resolve artistic differences? As long as we know who the director is, the one who calls the shots, then everything goes smoothly.
How do you handle writer’s block? I watch movies, sleep and eat. I let others read what I’ve written so far. Their comments enlighten me and rev me up to continue writing.
What changes would you like to see in the movie industry? Lower ticket prices so watching movies won’t be a luxury to most people. Better working conditions for film workers. And that writers get paid better. Without writers, there will be no stories to tell.
Katy Perry in PH
KatyCats shall once again prepare for a compelling visual spectacle as pop goddess Katy Perry makes her Manila return on April 2, 8 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena for the Asian leg of her “Witness: The Tour” (call 532-8883 or visit www.smtickets.com). Kudos to my friend, Renen de Guia, for making it happen. It’s Perry-fic!
Katy Perry