Aloy Adlawan returns to his indie roots

TRILLO. Portrays a caretaker in Cinemalaya entry.

It was Labor Day (May 1) when we visited the set of Aloy Adlawan’s Cinemalaya entry, “Ang Katiwala” in an empty house, previously owned by LVN’s Doña Sisang on Broadway st., Quezon City.

Cinematographer Carlo Mendoza practiced the dolly movement of his camera as we watched Dennis Trillo learn to polish the old and thick wooden floors for his role as the mansion’s caretaker. It was the production’s last shooting day, and the set was quiet and relaxed. Adlawan sat in front of a television monitor, through which he was watching Trillo.

Adlawan shares, “I wrote the script of the movie with Dennis in mind. I worked with him on ‘Magdusa Ka,’ where he was very good. Unfortunately, he isn’t given a lot of opportunities to explore his craft in the mainstream. In this film, he doesn’t hold back; he’s giving me more than I expected!”

Idea

The film is inspired by an article that the writer-director read, about a controversial property that was being sold despite its significant historical value. He explains, “It was valuable because a prominent figure used to reside there. The article mentioned that the house was abandoned, and that a caretaker lived there. That was where I got the idea for the film. So, I read and researched about this person’s life.”

Adlawan made his directorial debut during the first Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in 2005 via “Room Boy.” He followed it up with two more indie features, “Signos” and “Padyak.”

He intimates, “My TV career is stable and comfortable, but the mainstream industry moves in a box. You can only play so much with comedy, romance and horror—and I have other stories to tell!

“Making this film balances my act. I use the money I earn from the mainstream to make indies, so I get to make the films I want. And, since I also write, I don’t pay myself to do that anymore. It’s a practical arrangement!”