ITINAON sa nalalapit na Mother’s Day ang parangal na ibinigay kay Mother Lily Yu Monteverde ng Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairperson na si Liza Diño bilang Ina ng Pelikulang Pilipino dahil sa kontribusyon niya sa showbiz sa mahigit limang dekada.

Mahigit isang libong pelikula na ang prinodyus ni Mother Lily at marami siyang napasikat na mga artista at hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa ring nagpoprodyus ng pelikula at tumutuklas ng bagong mukha sa showbiz.

“There is no greater acclaim that to be honored as a mother,” simula ni Mother Lily sa kanyang thank you speech.

“Yes, in my so many years in this life, I take pride in saying that my greatest achievement is being a mother. I am a mother not only to the beautiful children that I have given life and raised, but I am a mother to so many peope, and I am so blessed by being given such a chance not only to my immediate family but to the Filipino movie industry.

“Even after almost five and a half decades, I still take pride in being called Mother Lily, those who know me will insist that Lily Yu Monteverde is just a diehard fan who loved movies so much that she decided to make her own films.

“Like in the studios of the glory days of Filipino movies in the past, Regal Films was born out of love, a love for movies.

“Yes, moviemaking is also a business, a very expensive and high risk business. But if the producer has no love for movies, then it is so easy to quit. If there is no personal commitment to moviemaking, then it is better to leave.

“But if you take making movies as an act of love like a parent bearing children like a father or mother guiding children in the form of directors, writers, actors, and actresses then it is no longer just a business, it is building a family.

“And I take pride that almost half century, Regal Films now called Regal Entertainment has remained and will always be a family.”

Si Mother Lily rin ang nagsimula ng tinatawag na Magic Kamison na isinuot sa launching movies nina Alma Moreno, Rio Locsin, Cherie Fil, Lorna Tolentino, Gina Alajar at maraming iba pa.

Sabi nga ng lady producer, “The magic kamison brought them stardom.”

Sino ang makakalimot sa mga orihinal na Regal Babies na sina Maricel Soriano, Snooky Serna, Dina Bonnevie, William at Albert Martinez, Alfie Anido, Richard Gomez at Gabby Concepcion na marami pa ang sumunod?

Halos lahat ng mga sikat na direktor ay nakatrabaho ni Mother Lily, tulad nina Mike de Leon, Lino Brocka, Chito Roño, Joel Lamangan, Mel Chionglo, Maryo J. de los Reyes at iba pa.

Si Mother Lily rin ang nagsimula ng tinatawag na ‘indie films’ sa pamamagitan ng ‘pitu-pito movies’ na sinimulan nina Lav Diaz at Jeffrey Jeturian.

“Ask any director, both young and veteran as to who is the producer who has highest respect for the artistic integrity of the filmmaker?

“Regardless of what others think, we look up the filmmaker, whether commercial o independent because for me, I only believe in Philippine cinema and not labels.

“I believe that the true success of any film is not only its box office harvest or its critical success. A film can only be successful if it finds its audience or the audience discovers it. You cannot force an audience to watch your film by telling them this is good and their other choices are bad. That is the perfect way to lose your audience.

“I know because movies are also my children. As a kother and not only a producer, I should understand what they are all about and meant for.

“And I pray that there will come a time when there is no more mainstream or indie movies, we will just call them Filipino Cinema because they is what they are all about.”

Hindi lang sa trabaho maraming natulungan si Mother Lily kundi may mga pinag-aral din siyang direktor, at isa na sa kanila si Jun Lana na habang sumusulat ng mga pelikula sa Regal ay nangarap maging direktor at sa tulong ng Regal matriarchj ay nag-aral ng filmmaking sa ibang bansa.

Ang premyadong direktor na si Maryo J na pagdidirek lang ang gusto, ngayon ay realtor na dahil kinumbinsi ni Mother Lily sa build and sell business.

Si Direk Perci Intalan na dating TV5 executive ay binigyan ng pagkakataon ni Mother Lily na makapagdirek sa Shake, Rattle and Roll XV dahil nagustuhan niya ang Dementia na unang pelikulang idinirek nito.

At si Direk Joel Lamangan na umaming nagsawa nang magdirek ng pelikulang pare-pareho ang tema ay nakiusap kay Mother Lily na bigyan ng naiibang project at pinagbigyan siya at simula noon ay hindi na iniwan ang Regal matriarch.

Lahat sila nagpasalamat sa generosity Mother Lily sa pagtulong sa kanila at sa ibang tao.

Nabanggit ni Liza Diño na si Mother Lily rin ang nagbigay sa kanya ng break sa mainstream at sa pagiging sexy star sa mga pelikulang Two Timer (2002) at Xerex (2003).

Naikuwento rin ni Liza na ang lady producer din ang dahilan kaya nabili ni Aiza Seguerra ang bahay niya.

Bukod sa award na tinanggap mula sa FDCP, masaya rin si Mother Lily dahil kasalukuyang humahakot ng pera sa takilya ang pelikulang Our Mighty Yaya ni Ai Ai de las Alas na “Graded A” sa Cinema Evaluation Board mula sa direksiyon ni Jose Javier Reyes. (REGGEE BONOAN)