BOX office director Cathy Garcia-Molina is set again to deliver a new film that will surely capture the hearts of the Filipino moviegoers.
Molina is the person behind “Miss You Like Crazy” -- Star Cinema's post valentine offering topbilled by the unbeatable loveteam of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo.
Sun.Star was able to interview Molina during the press visit of the new movie.
She said “Miss You Like Crazy” has a different tone if compared to her other movies.
“I break conventions in this film. Inaantay ko na nga lang na tawagan ako ng management. Matagal ko na kasing dream yun, it’s not just I wasn't allowed to do it before, but ngayon lang kasi sumakto sa project,” she said.
The director admitted it is her constant fear that the moviegoers are still into conventions and she is hoping the audience will love not only the plot but also the movie as a whole.
“It's a usual romantic movie that is thought differently,” Molina said of her latest film.
She also said everyone who will get the chance to watch this movie will get a different level of “kilig.”
Molina meanwhile shared that even though Bea and John Lloyd weren't able to work together for quite some time, the chemistry is still there. “They still have the magic, nandun pa din (It's still there).”
The director, who is behind box office movies like "One More Chance," "A Very Special Love," and "You Changed My Life," said that box office wasn't top of their priority at this point.
“Who wouldn't want a box office, but it's not on the top of my list. At the end of the day I want to tell a good story because I am judged by my product,” she said.
Molina added that she is pressured to deliver something good and better to the viewing public. But she promises that "Miss You Like Crazy" is by far the best film she did.
When asked on her observations with the pair in this movie, she immediately said that Bea matured a lot not only as an actress but also as a person.
“Mas klaro sa akin ang pagbabago kay Bea. Nagulat ako, nagmature ang acting nya. I was proven right nung kami na yung nagtrabaho, na nagmature na yung bata maybe because ngayon lang tumatanda si Bea. She has matured as a person and an actress. She amazes me, she surprises me,” Molina said of Bea.
According to her, Bea now knows how to control her emotions, she's more aware of her character, when to give everything in a scene and she now understands the film.
Molina said though Bea was a little bit anxious at first because the latter thought that she missed a lot between Molina and John Lloyd, Bea was able to build again the working relationship with the whole cast and crew.
On John Lloyd's part, the box office director said it was a hard time for the two of them because much is expected by the moviegoers and their supporters.
“Si JL medjo hirap na kami kasi marami na kaming na try, marami na kaming napagsamahan together so ano nanaman this time. We always challenge each other, ourselves and we try na iba naman,” Molina said of John Lloyd.
She added that during their first shooting days, they (John Lloyd and her) struggle to meet the character of John Lloyd in the movie.
“Hirap kami pareho nung first few days. Nahihirapan syang pumasok, sabi nya sa akin na it is not me,” said Molina. “This is something that never happened in his personal life, ito ay isang bagay na hindi pa nya napagdaanan which is falling in love while with someone else. Kaya hindi nya agad mailagay yung sarili nya dun sa character.”
The director said it was really not her style to get emotions from the actors’ personal experiences.
She tries to look into the characters own progress and will only inject something from her or the actors personal journey if only they can't do the scene anymore.
“Hindi ako humuhugot sa personal experiences, it is base on the characters own journey. From the time they were born, who they parents are up to what they become.”
But with their dilemma in John Lloyd's role, Molina said she went to even sharing her emotions and experiences just to be able to help John Lloyd get into the character.
Though still scheduled to shoot some scenes in Malaysia, Molina said they are almost done with all the scenes and the whole cast is very excited in this new project. “We are more of excited rather than nervous at this point.”
“Miss You Like Crazy" is set to premiere in big screens on February 24. (Glaiza Jarloc/Sunnex)