Director Antoinette Jadaone | Photo from Film Development Council of the Philippines

It was a full circle moment for director/writer/producer Antoinette Jadaone when Sunshine won the Crystal Bear for Best Film (Generation 14plus - Youth Jury Awards) at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where the Filipino film had its European premiere. 

The success of the movie she wrote and directed is sweeter because Berlinale occupies a special place in her heart. It was in February 2014 when Antoinette first attended the film festival as a participant at the Berlinale Talent Campus. “They fly in filmmakers from all over the world. Before, hindi pa professionals e, parang budding filmmakers,” she shared. “So, du’n ko na-meet ’yung editor ko hanggang ngayon, si Ben Tolentino. We were like three or four Filipinos there, pero all over the world, iba’t-ibang lahi, iba’t-ibang bansa.” 

At the time, she also joined her partner, fellow director Dan Villegas, who attended the 64th Berlin International Film Festival as the cinematographer for Quick Change by director Eduardo Roy Jr. 

In November of that same year, Antoinette released That Thing Called Tadhana, which won awards and is one of the highest-grossing independent films that was instrumental in shaping what modern Philippine rom-com is. It was a breakthrough project that helped establish her as a rising director. Benjamin Tolentino, whom he met at Berlinale, worked on the film’s editing. 

In 2020, Antoinette returned to Germany for the Berlinale Co-Production Market where she and her film production company, Project 8 Projects, presented the film Boldstar. “Ito naman ’yung mga films in development, in production, in post-production pero hindi pa released. So, ang goal nu’n ay to get financers, get funding, get film festivals, get producers,” Antoinette explained. The project then in development won the CJ Entertainment Prize at the Asian Project Market in 2019 in Busan, South Korea. 

Antoinette Jadaone at the movie premiere of Sunshine at the Berlinale | Photo from Fil Development Council of the Philippines

Time to shine

Fast forward to 2024, Antoinette released the sports drama movie Sunshine, starring Maris Racal, and it helped shine the light on Filipino artistry globally through its recognition at the Berlin International Film Festival. Sunshine is about a young gymnast who discovers she is pregnant during a crucial time in her budding career as an athlete. 

While they’re proud and confident of their output, they did not expect to win. Maris only attended the opening, while Antoinette (who also had to leave to attend her friend’s wedding) only made it to their movie’s premiere and a post-screening Q&A session alongside Sunshine cast member Elijah Canlas at a 1,000-pax theater; none of them made it to the awarding ceremony, so they sent a video acceptance speech instead. 

“We were very surprised,” Antoinette said. “Super happy kasi parang dati nanonood lang ako ng mga pelikula sa Berlinale. Doon ko napanood ’yung Boyhood, Nymphomaniac—ang dami kong napanood na mga films. Nanonood lang talaga ako pero ngayon parang full circle moment kasi from being an audience or being part of the Co-Production Market and the Talent Campus, ngayon, pelikula na namin ’yung pinapalabas.” 

Being surrounded by fellow creatives from different parts of the world was an incredibly inspiring experience for Antoinette. “It’s nice na for four days, we were just cinephiles or just filmmakers watching each other's films and attending talks and workshops,” she recalled, citing South Korean director Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 as one of the films she got to watch at the recent Berlinale. 

The opportunity to showcase Sunshine on a global platform was already a form of achievement for Antoinette. “I’m super happy na naipalabas ang Sunshine pero parang next level talaga to win the Crystal Bear kasi it puts the spotlight on Philippine cinema,” she said about what this award means for her. 

Director Antoinette Jadaone with Sunshine lead stars Maris Racal and Elijah Canlas at the congratulatory dinner organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines

From their team’s victory, she turns the spotlight on Filipino filmmakers and storytellers, praising the talent and brilliance of her colleagues in the industry. Summing up what she hopes the ripple effect would be from the wave this award created, Antoinette told Metro.Style, “They say ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’ That's what happens when one Filipino film or one Filipino filmmaker gets some recognition. Parang hindi naman ’yung pelikula lang na ’yun ang nare-recognize kundi nare-recognize ’yung buong industry ng Philippine cinema.”

A project under ANIMA Studios and Project 8 Projects, Sunshine premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and Palm Springs International Film Fest but is yet to be shown in Philippine cinemas.

“’Yun ang inaayos pa namin,” she assured. “’Yun naman ’yung na-e-envision namin talaga—kailangan niyang umuwi sa Pilipinas.” 

The international-to-local approach to the movie release was a conscious decision for the Sunshine team, hoping the buzz it created internationally would entice more Filipinos to support it. 

To contribute to the excitement, Antoinette regaled us with a memorable story that stood out to her during their filming. It was their final frame for the movie, showing an emotional Maris, and it also happened to be their last day of filming. 

“Kinuwento ko lang sa kanya kung ano ’yung gusto kong mangyari, ano ’yung emotions na kakargahin niya. ‘Ikaw si Sunshine pero ikaw din si Maris,’” she recounted, fondly looking back on the trust she and Maris established between them. “Nu’ng ginawa niya ’yung shot na ’yun, filled with emotions talaga siya tapos pagkasigaw ko ng 'cut,' nilapitan ko siya tapos nakita ko umiiyak na lang siya. Naiyak na rin ako. Kasi parang with just one shot, nakita ko ’yung journey niya. Nakita ko na nagkakaintindihan talaga kami as director and actor na kailangan lang namin mag-usap tapos may mabibigay siya na hindi ko in-expect.” 

In a previous interview for her Metro cover feature, Maris said she has always wanted to work with Antoinette whom she considers her idol. The actress loved how Sunshine’s story is so “compelling” and “brave,” which was partly why she was more than happy to take on this project. Maris complimented Antoinette, saying, “She writes the most entertaining and the most riveting stories.”

Antoinette Jadaone during the recent Berlinale | Photo from @tonetjadaone

Pushing the boundaries of Philippine cinema

While Sunshine was having its moment on the international stage, Antoinette also celebrated another win locally. As the writer and producer of Ex Ex Lovers, she ticked something off her bucket list: creating a classic Filipino rom-com movie. 

Starring Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal, one of the OG love teams millennials grew up watching, Ex Ex Lovers showcased the onscreen tandem’s unique brand of chemistry in a storyline that combined drama and comedy. 

The movie was directed by JP Habac, Antoinette’s close friend, collaborator, and partner in “Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast.” A director of both indie and mainstream films, she has always welcomed collaboration. This is partly why she and Dan Villegas founded the film production company Project 8 Projects in 2017. Initially, the company aimed to have more creative control over the films they intended to produce. It was to address one of the things she struggled with, which was finding the balance between creativity and marketability. “’Yun ’yung naging challenge for me, na marinig ko pa rin ’yung boses ko even in making films na hindi na lang ako ’yung nagde-decide for the film,” she admitted.

Antoinette and Dan’s passion project has since evolved into a platform that allows them to collaborate with other directors, both new and seasoned.   

“It evolved from kami-kami lang into something na p’wede namin matulong not just to different directors and storytellers but also to the industry in general,” Antoinette noted, amazed by the variety of genres they can now explore with their collaborators. Rather than get threatened by possible competition, she champions ways to elevate the local movie industry. 

Antoinette Jadaone and her look for the premiere night of Ex Ex Lovers | Photo by @mauisegismar via @tonetjadaone

“It’s like giving back to the kind of support, kindness, alalay that we got from our mentors when we were starting,” Antoinette offered. “And now that we have the capacity to do the same to the directors who need that kind of support, kayang gawin! But, at the same time, we are pushing boundaries for what kind of Philippine cinema we want to see in the future. Unti-unti.”

As they say, be the change you want to see. To offer something different has always been a conscious effort for Antoinette—from her debut feature film Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay and the hit rom-com That Thing Called Tadhana to the buzz-worthy and award-winning Alone/Together and Fan Girl. She has constantly challenged the manner of storytelling and truly deserves attention and recognition for doing so.

She recognizes women directors struggle to get acknowledgment and recognition in markets like Hollywood. Fortunately, in the Philippines, it’s not an issue whether a director is a woman or even a member of the LGBTQIA+. Antoinette declared enthusiastically, “Kaya mong makapasok sa industriya if you have a story to tell, if you have the vision of the director—kayang-kaya!”

Back when she was this petite, newbie director, she did say there was a time when she struggled with getting people to listen to her. She would get hurtful comments like “hindi ako marunong mag-direct, hindi ako marunong mag-mount ng eksena, ’yung pelikula na ito ginaya na naman sa ganito... wala na namang bago, hindi na nag-evolve.” Antoinette acknowledged that it’s people’s right to comment about the film they watched, but she knew it would be best to filter those comments to what could help her improve. She said, ”Ano ’yung noise lang at ano ’yung comments na kailangan kong pakinggan? Parang through the years maiintindihan mo kung sino talaga ’yung nag-comment because gusto nilang mapabuti ka as a filmmaker and as a person.” 

As someone who cares about the future of Philippine cinema, Antoinette reiterated the saying “A rising tide lifts all boats,” as she voices out an aspect of the Philippine movie landscape she hopes would be seen and heard better. “More support sana for regional filmmakers kasi very Manila-centric talaga ’yung industry natin. Everything is here, even our stories are always set in Manila. Kulang pa ng regional filmmaking representation sa atin,” she said.

Antoinette Jadaone on the set of Ex Ex Lovers in Malta

Doing things with love

It seems 24 hours aren't enough for Antoinette with everything she does every day. Aside from her creative pursuits, she also just opened a coffee shop called Basta Café with her friends, including Direk JP. What serves as a constant reminder for her to keep going today and ever since is to "do things with love."

She said it doesn't feel like work when she works on something out of love or when she isn't forced to do it. "In anything, not just in making movies, but in everything, do things with love and it will return to you. It will love you back in one way or another because may binigay kang love, so may babalik sa'yo," she mused, adding that she embraces the same mindset even with her other passion projects, the "Witty Will Save the World" planner (which has been around for a decade), Project 8 Projects, and even Basta Café. 

"Ito namang café, parang unwinding na siya," she replied when we asked her how she spends her spare time. "Hindi ko nararamdaman ang pagod. I'm super happy when I'm here, when I'm writing. Dito ako nagsusulat so parang two birds with one stone. Dito ako nagsusulat ng script pero at the same time nasa café rin ako."

Photo from @basta____cafe

Aside from the food and drinks, Basta Café hopes to offer a community. Although still on soft opening, Basta Café is fast becoming a favorite tambayan or hangout spot perhaps partly because of its positive environment that encourages creativity. "We want it to be an inspiring place," Antoinette said, adding that she loves talking with their customers and enjoys hearing their stories. 

Antoinette loves having conversations with people, and it's something she got from her mom, Aida, whom she considers her role model. Her mom came from a family of architects and engineers but was more of a craftswoman. She shared, "Siya ang nagturo sa akin maging artist in my own way. Parang siya ang nagturo sa akin magkwento. Siya ang nagturo sa akin mag-join ng mga poster making contests dati... Even before, sa bahay, may support na talaga. Maybe she didn't realize she was raising an artist or someone who would be a filmmaker."

"Siya ang sinaunang OA, sinaunang storyteller," she added, laughing. "Magkasama kami sa Divisoria, Quiapo, palengke tapos makikipag-chikahan siya sa mga tao. 'Yung ganu'ng kind of love for stories, love for life, na-push ni Mama sa'kin." 

Antoinette Jadaone at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival | Photo from @tiff_net

She is also grateful to fellow Filipina directors Joyce Bernal and Irene Villamor—the women she considers her mentors in filmmaking; she was part of their team as a script continuity supervisor and  "Ang dami namin ginawa na mga pelikula, mga teleserye. Sa kanila ko nakuha 'yung love for film, love for pelikula, love for the work that we do... They taught by doing."

Antoinette continued, basking on this beautiful women-inspiring-women story, "Kung ano man 'yung work ethics na meron ako as a director, sa kanila ko nakuha. At kung ano man 'yung pagmamahal sa pelikula na meron ako ngayon, sa kanila ko talaga nakuha. Even before, siguro hindi ko siya iniisip na pagmamahal sa pelikula, pero parang nae-enjoy ko lang talagang gawin kasi I was surrounded by these very strong-willed independent women filmmakers na hindi nila alam na na-support nila ako even from before."

With everything she does from different passion points, who knows, somewhere she doesn't realize, she may be inspiring someone to dream passionately and do things with love just like she's always done. It could be that girl sitting quietly in their cafe, that teen going through the same experience as Sunshine, that aspiring creative listening to her podcast. Clearly, the impact Antoinette's stories can make doesn't end when the credits roll. Her story continues and lives on in the people who were touched by her work. 

Lead photo from Film Development Council of the Philippines