Despite the fact that the protagonists in his latest Vivamax film project 69+1 are in a lesbian relationship, director Darryl Yap wasquick to clarify that the film should not be branded as just about lesbian love.

“As much as possible, I don’t want the film to be tagged as lesbian love or lesbian love plus one. It’s just love. For me sa totoo lang, simula nung gawin ko yung Jowable hanggang sa Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam, hindi ko kinonsider na love story yung mga yun. Tapos when I pitched Ang Manananggal Na Nahahati Ang Puso na gagawin ko after 69+1, sabi ko this is my first love story tapos bigla akong nag-hold back and sabi ko no actually this is my second because the first love story that I did was 69+1. Because I wanted to be legit and I wanted it to be put on record that this is not a lesbian love but this is a love story of three people trying to find love in their own stories. This is actually also a revelation to myself. Akala ko hindi ko siya magugustuhan. This story is a celebration of love and this is not lesbian love but this is just love,” he shared.

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During the recent mediacon for the film, the 69+1 director was passionate in sharing why he does not use the saying often used by the LGBTQ community “Love wins.”

“As a writer, I don’t sanitize or I don’t choose words lalo na if the words are very appropriate for what I’m describing. Hindi ko na pinapahirapan yung sarili ko magsulat, yung mga taong magbasa, at yung mga taong makinig at manuod. The scandal will be coming from the truth that sometimes love doesn’t have to win because in this film, binubura namin yung quote na ‘Love wins.’ This film will teach us that love doesn’t win because everyone who happens to love somebody, we all lose. Hindi tayo laging masaya. Lagi tayong nabibigo but 69+1 will prove that if love doesn’t win, love will surely survive and love survives and that is 69+1,” he said.

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Direk Darryl also explained that the concept that one has won can be misleading for people.

“Never kong ginamit yung quote na yan na love wins kasi if you claim that love wins then ano yung natalo? Yung hate? Yung indifference? Yung discrimination? It’s like fooling ourselves. It’s still around. Hindi pa siya natatalo. So ako as a reality rooted scriptwriter and director, I always go for the truth. And it’s not true that we have won the battle against hate and discrimination. So I don’t want to put it love wins. I want to put it love survives. Na in this day and age, kahit na napakaraming tumutuligsa, napakadaming nagsasabing bawal, hindi maganda, at hindi akma, pinagbabawal ng Diyos, ng simbahan o ng lipunan, real love true love survives. Hindi mo kailangan manalo, ang kailangan mo lang magpatuloy and I think that’s what’s important in a relationship,” he added.

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Watch 69+1 on Vivamax. You can also download the app and subscribe via Google Play Store, App Store, and Huawei AppGallery. Starring Janno Gibbs, Maui taylor and Rose Van Ginkel. Written and directed by Darryl Yap.