MAGKASUNOD ang post sa Facebook nina Erik Matti at Roselle Monteverde tungkol sa binabalak na biographical film ni Mother Lily Monteverde.
Si Erik Matti ang direktor ng mga pelikula ng Reality Films na pag-aari ng anak ni Mother Lily na si Dondon Monteverde. A few years ago, si Roselle naman ang ipinakilala ni Mother Lily na nagpapatakbo sa Regal Entertainment dahil aniya’y semi-retired na siya.
Younger at stronger si Mother Lily kumpara sa ibang 80 years old, kaya aktibo at enjoy pa rin siya sa film production na nagpayaman sa kanya nang husto. Mas enjoy siya sa pakikihalubilo sa entertainment reporters na naging kaibigan na niya sa dalas ng press conferences ng mga pelikula niya.
Makulay ang buhay ni Mother Lily, ayon na rin sa mga kuwento ni Manay Ethel Ramos na mas nakakakilala sa kanya. Ayon sa dean of entertainment writers, anak ng comprador ng kopra at iba pang agricultural products sa Bicol si Mother Lily. Noong late 50s ay naging importer siya ng maliliit na foreign movies. Nagsimula siyang magprodyus ng pelikulang Tagalog noong 1960, at naghatid ng aliw sa milyun-milyong manonood sa pamamagitan ng mahigit 300 proyekto. Nakabili ng maraming sinehan at real estate properties, nagtayo ng sariling hotel, at naging empire ang kanyang film outfit.
Needless to say, naging popular culture icon at local entertainment industry leader si Mother Lily. Marami siyang napasikat na mga artista at pelikula. Lahat ng malalaking artista ng pelikulang Pilipino, nagtrabaho na sa kanya at naigawa niya ng pelikula. At tiyak na lahat sila ay nakahandang sumuporta sa biopic ng Regal matriarch.
Kapag nagawang maayos ang kanyang biographical film, tiyak na marami ang mai-inspire at may matututuhang mga aral sa buhay at negosyo ang audience.
Isa si Mother Lily sa mga tumulong kay Kapitan Geny Lopez at “nagpahiram” ng mga artist nang maisaulian nito ang ABS-CBN after Edsa Revolution. May alam na kami tungkol sa medyo maintrigang episode na ito ng buhay niya, at sana ay isama sa biopic.
Ngayon pa lang, excited na ang showbiz sa ikinakasang project.
Naririto ang post ni Erik Matti:
“Dondon Monteverde and I have been courting Mother Lily about this project for quite a few years now. We’ve gathered so much research about this over the years by just being with Mother at parties, dinners and parties and dinners. But there’s still so much to mine from this story. It is epic and very personal. If this will be the only film I will make about movies then we’d better bring everything on this one. Today is the first day in a series of interviews with Mother Lily and the people who know her and Regal all these years. We will interview directors, designers, actors, managers, staff people and everyone who in one way or the other had been part of the growth of Regal Entertainment as the film studio who produced the most number of films in Philippine history. Written by Moira Lang and Mich Yama we present #TheMotherLilyStory to the big screen. This. I. Am. So. Excited!”
Nang i-share ni Roselle ang naturang post, ito ang inilagay niyang caption:
“Finally, we are at the works of doing a milestone movie with Erik Matti and his team. I am more than excited but passionate as well because it is the story of my mom and the mother of a lot in the Philippine entertainment industry. This is the story of ‘Mother Lily’ to everyone that knows her and who has been part of her journey! I will finally announce this officially today.”
-DINDO M. BALARES