Philippine storyteller’s ‘Family of Two’ hogs limelight in UAE

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Many desire to be in tinsel town with the klieg and limelight all around.

Keep in heart a storyteller’s wisdom though should you want to survive and prosper in tinsel town because of the klieg and limelight all around.

The storyteller is Melissa Mendoza-Del Rosario.

More known as Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario with 80 films plus another long list of TV credits and 12 industry awards in Philippine show business, Gulf Today recently interviewed her as another movie which bears her name and among the more popular at the “Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023” — “Family of Two” is currently showing in the UAE.

The Cineko Productions film is about widowed Maricar and her 28-year-old son Mateo, among the brilliant minds behind the concept and storyboards of print to broadcast ads.

It was a reunion of sorts for Mendoza-Del Rosario and lead actress Sharon Cuneta. It was the first for the creative consultant of ABS-CBN, a Metro Manila-based media outlet also into TV, radio and movie production, and lead actor Alden Richards.

“My very first job in Viva Films in 1984 was with Sharon Cuneta. Sharon and I already worked together. So it was a happy reunion for us. She is always a delight to work with. Smart, passionate, giving her 100 per cent,” said Mendoza-Del Rosario whose over 102 stories and screenplays include “Magkapatid” (“Siblings,” 2002, Cuneta and Judy Ann Santos), “Pagdating Ng Panahon (“In Time,” 2001, Cuneta and Robin Padilla), and “BFF: Best Friends Forever” (2009, Cuneta and AiAi de las Alas).

She continued: “It was my first time to work with Alden. I had only observed the development of his career from a distance. He is dedicated to his craft and hardworking too. Working on this project together made me understand why he is successful. His talent is complemented by genuine kindness.”

The photoplay, shot in 25 days, also joined the creative forces once more of Mendoza-Del Rosario with production designer Elfren Vibar.

Self-confessed Sharon Cuneta fan, director Nuel Crisostomo Naval, had also been responsible in springing to life the plot and characters of storyteller Mendoza-Del Rosario for six other movies that include “Family Matters,” under Cineko Productions that went home with the “MMFF 2022” Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award and from the “FAMAS 2023,” Best Picture, Best Actor (Noel Trinidad), Best Supporting Actress (Nikki Valdez) and Best Editing (Ben Bandong).

Over 30 years in the business, Mendoza-Del Rosario, whose penchant for telling stories stemmed from her elementary days at St. Scholastica’s Academy in Marikina City and her pursuit of AB Communication Arts at Maryknoll (Miriam) College in Quezon City, is also rooted from her deep closeness with her mother Luningning: “I enjoy telling stories in general. But what really pushed me to persevere is my mother. She had a stroke when I was in Grade 7. Whenever I have a film showing in the cinemas, it would make her go out to watch. It gave her a reason to go out. That coffee in ‘Family of Two’ is because Mommy and I are coffee lovers.”

Mendoza-Del Rosario said it was “Family Matters” that encouraged her to pen another movie about the significance of family values: “Parent-child relationship is universal. We cannot over-emphasise how parents, especially mothers mould the character of a child.”

“Family of Two” premier night guest Siklab Pinoy/OFW Premier Magazine founder Nino Medilla Sabio’s take on the movie: “It is relatable to all overseas Filipinos. Let us make our presence be felt by all our loved ones.”

As among the behind-the-scenes people, Mendoza-Del Rosario said: “It is always a joy and honour to be able to tell a story and send out valuable message to our audience. It is inspiring and at the same time a humbling responsibility. Entertainment and content creation industry is hard work and at the same time fun. One has to approach each project with enthusiasm and passion because in every story we tell, we share a part of who we are.”

“It is humbling because it is a collaboration to mount a film. A writer starts with an idea that eventually becomes a script; dependent on the interpretation of the director, actors (and others involved). There are also the critics who could be so harsh. We should know how to cope with the criticism. That apart, humility is the strongest virtue to keep,” Mendoza-Del Rosario added.