Known for making heart-wrenching films like The Loved One, Only We Know, Sid & Aya, and Meet Me in St. Gallen to name a few, director Irene Villamor shared she appreciated getting the chance to write and direct her latest film, Midnight Girls, which veers away from her usual romantic storylines. During the film’s grand media launch and special screening last April 15, she shared her thoughts before writing the film.
“Actually, nung binigay sa akin ‘yung konsepto tapos nag-immersion, sabi ko ‘at least hindi na pag-ibig na kuwento’. Pero siyempre may pag-ibig pa din no. Pero it’s a welcome change sa akin kasi matagal ko na talagang gustong magkaroon ng iba’t ibang paths. So parang sobra akong privileged na makagawa ng kuwentong ito. Mahirap pero parang masaya na at least ibang lane naman ang puwede ko ma-explore. Kasi last time ko mag-ensemble (film), yung Camp Sawi pa eh. But Camp Sawi is also mga sawi so mga brokenhearted, pag-ibig din yun. ‘Pero ito, parang dealing with issues na mas societal so parang sobra akong happy. Sana marami pa (to come),” she shared.
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The Midnight Girls director said that preparations for the film started two years ago and involved her flying to Japan to do interviews with Pinay OFWs who were still based there.
“Parang early 2024 nung pumunta sina Direk Bobot (Mortiz) and Tita Malou (Santos) to ask Cornerstone, ‘yung management ko, kung puwede ako mag-isip ng konsepto for mga entertainers sa Nagoya, Japan. Kasi si Direk Bobot nanggaling dun and had spoken to the entertainers dun and parang interesting ‘yung buhay nila. And then dinala kami dun ni Direk Bobot and Tita Malou sa Nagoya. May kasama akong writer, si Direk Rod Marmol. Kausap namin ‘yung mga girls. Very eager sila. Madami tayong kilalang ganun eh. Anybody na Pinoy ay may kamag-anak, kakilala o kaibigan na OFW. And then after that research, kami ni Rod nag-isip kung what could possibly be a story for ‘yung lives ng mga entertainers dun. So from there, it took one whole year din to write. So matagal siya na proseso. And like lagi ko namang ginagawa (laughs), ilang taon siyang nabubuo. Then we finally developed a concept na na-approve ng mga producers,” she explained.
While writing the film, Irene revealed that she already had actress Jodi Sta. Maria in mind to play the lead role of the older Pinay hostess who mentors her younger colleagues in the bar. Other members of the cast include Loisa Andalio, Jane Oineza, and Sanya Lopez.
“For the cast, si Jodi talaga ‘yung Vicky. Siya talaga ‘yun. And then from her, dun ‘yun isip ng may magkakaroon ng chemistry with her. So ‘yun. Sa kanila, wala sila siyempreng audition. Nag-pitch lang kami na hopefully tanggapin nila. So dasal-dasal yun. Nung tinanggap ni Ms. Jodi, sumunod na ‘yung mga iba na yes sila, parang ganun. So I was so happy. For the Japanese cast, audition ‘yun. Nagpadala sila ng mga tapes, audition tapes,” she said.
Direk Irene explained why she chose Japan again as the setting for the film, just like her 2018 film Sid & Aya.
“Dahil dun sa mga babae, dahil sa mga nakilala namin nung first time naming pumunta nung wala pa talaga kaming idea. Puwede naman kaming lumipat ng ibang location, pero we wanted to be truthful dun sa mga nakilala namin, sa kasama namin sa cast. Kaya ako rin nga, sa original script ko wala ‘yung mga interviews tapos linagay ko talaga siya nung iniisip ko kung isasama ko ba talaga ‘yung mga interviews or hindi. But I felt na mula sa boses talaga nila, sa sarili nila ‘yung kuwento. Kaya Japan, Japan tayo,” she added.