Mentorque CEO John Bryan Diamante. Photo by Josh Mercado

MANILA -- Some outsiders might say that show business is all glitter and gold. However, behind each brilliant moment is an executive producer who funds the project.

It's not just the glamour; it's also the passion and courage of every producer who takes tremendous risks, whether they succeed or fail.

Mentorque CEO John Bryan Diamante, often known by his showbiz name Bryan Dy, chose film production after working for Senator Ralph Recto because he wanted to elevate the Philippine movie industry and create a benchmark.

Dy's movie "Mallari," distributed by Warner Bros., put him on the map as a major film producer in the country. The horror movie was pricey, yet he made money from it.

For the 50th anniversary of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), Dy produced the film "Uninvited,” which stars Aga Muhlach, Nadine Lustre, and Vilma Santos. The star-studded movie, according to him, is expensive, but that's fine with him as long as he's making great films that people deserve.

When asked how expensive the movie is, the Mentorque CEO told ABS-CBN News, “Cast pa lang. I’m really fortunate that every organization, company, and person na tinap namin to do this film, lahat naman sila nag-yes. We’re very fortunate of that. Kung expensive? Definitely. The Filipino audience deserves this type of caliber ng pelikula.”

The producer went on to reveal more over-the-top aspects of the MMFF 2024 entry.

“Kung mapapansin mo, there’s a difference sa itsura (aesthetic) niya. Sabi nila, parang iba. It’s because we invested sa technical. Actually, sa ‘Mallari,’ Alexa 35 was first used in the country. We’re also using Alexa 35 now pero gumamit pa kami ng customized/specialized lens. Nagpagawa kami ng lens for this. Kung magkano? Tumatagingting din ‘yun. Lente pa lang ‘yun. Ang presyo nun ay puwede nang ipang-produce ng isang pelikula. That’s how invested we are. Makikita mo talaga ‘yung difference. Bukod sa artista, lahat ng trips ng technicals and creatives namin ay ibinibigay namin,” he said.

Working with the Star For All Seasons 

Dy has been a close friend of the Recto family for many years. He stated that working with Santos has been a dream of his.

“Itong pelikulang ito, never namin naisip na magkakatotoo. Kami ni Ate Vi, nung nag-uusap kami, she just wanted to create a film. Ako naman, gusto kong gumawa ng pelikula na ibibigay namin ang lahat. We were able to submit sa MMFF. Natanggap,” he shared.

Regarding his connection with the movie legend and Recto, he said, “Very supportive sila. They just empower you. Matagal ko na silang mga boss. Very supportive si Sen. Ralph at sabi niya nga to keep myself sane kasi baka raw umay na umay na ako sa politics. May personal po akong relasyon sa kanila. Halos doon na po ako sa kanila lumaki.”

With all of his triumphs and now hooking viewers with "Uninvited," how does he feel?

“It’s overwhelming. The pressure is on. The other entries are really good too so we have to up our game. Ang lalim ng pelikulang ito. Nakita niyo ‘yung grandness. When you watch the film, makikita niyo kung gaano kalalim. Marami siyang sasabihin at marami siyang sinasabi,” he responded. 

The Mentorque founder hopes to produce more films that will draw attention from an international audience. He also told ABS-CBN News about his collaboration with Warner Bros.

“We really hope to co-produce but marami pa kaming kakaining bigas. Unti-unti kaming kumakain ng bigas na sana sa mga susunod na proyekto ay confident na sila to really invest also. Warner is Warner. Dumadaan din sila sa butas ng karayom. So, right now, distributor namin sila at hopefully maging co-producer na,” he said.

Produced by Mentorque, “Uninvited” also stars Mylene Dizon, Ron Angeles, Ketchup Eusebio, Gabby Padilla, RK Bagatsing, Gio Alvarez, Lotlot de Leon, and Tirso Cruz. It is directed by Dan Villegas. 

Nadine Lustre to delve into darker characters beginning with 'Uninvited'

RELATED VIDEOS: