Lino Cayetano identifies ingredient needed in Pinoy movies to court local audiences back to cinemas

Lino Cayetano

There is one consideration every Pinoy filmmaker must think about their works that may not have been required of them or as pronounced just 10 years ago: Cinematic experience.

At a press conference tendered by Roselle Monteverde and Atty. Keith Monteverde of Regal Entertainment Inc. in support of Lino Cayetano's candidacy as congressman of Taguig-Pateros (District 1), the director said that with so many movie streaming platforms nowadays, filmmakers must give the audience a reason to watch a film on the silver screen even if it means paying more for it.

And it doesn't necessarily boil down to offering expensive production as an intimate movie "na parang kinakausap ka" can also do the trick.

"That is the challenge to filmmakers," he said. "You have to make movies for the cinema."

Lino pointed out that in the age of collaboration, during which financial and intellectual resources can be shared, coming up with such works could be easier than before.

"Madali na ngayon makatawid ang mga artista (between networks)," he said. "And as example, ang TV5 at Viva andaming ginagawa together."

Lino need not go that far: Even the upcoming movie "The Caretakers" is co-production of Regal Entertainment and his Rein Entertainment. The movie starring Iza Calzado and Dimples Romano opens in theaters on Feb. 26.

Previously, Lino's company has also collaborated with ABS-CBN, iflix, GMA and Viva.

“Naniniwala ako sa kahalagahan ng partnership," the director reiterated. "Noong panahon ng pandemya, naging partner ko ang ilang mga mayor na hindi ko kasama sa politika. Bilang producer, saksi ako na

kahit ang mga magkakaribal na produksyon ay nagsama-sama para sa ikabubuti ng

nakararami."

Despite coming from a family of politicians, Lino is his own man. This could be the reason that when he was Taguig mayor during the pandemic, it was hailed model city of DOH, MMDA and the private sector.

The director only listens to two: his conscience and the people he serves.

Here are videos from our interview with Lino: