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Harlene Bautista makes her directorial debut with the short film ‘Kiss’

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Rhea Manila Santos

Harlene Bautista makes her directorial debut in this year’s Sinag Maynila indie film festival with her short film Kiss which stars Kiko Matos and Mercedes Cabral. The talented actress said she was happy to fulfill the dreams of her father, director-actor Butch Bautista who passed away in 2017. “Siyempre excited ako kasi first time tapos parang legit na legit na legit na, yung ganun? Excited lang. Happy ako kasi natupad ko yung pangarap ni papa kasi nung buhay pa siya lagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Mag-direct ka na. Kaya mo.’ Dream niya na maging next Malou Diaz-Abaya ako, na next Laurice Guillen, yan yung mga gusto niya. Yan yung mga sinasabi niya noon. Basta lahat ng mga female directors gusto niya maging ganun ako. So sabi ko hindi ko kaya yun. ‘Kaya mo yan!’ ganun siya ng ganun . Kahit nung nasa ospital na siya, yun yung dream niya talaga. So happy ako na kahit sa short film lang natupad ko yung pangarap niya,” she shared. Although she is comfortable behind the camera already, having produced the recent Metro Manila Film Festival entry Rainbow’s Sunset, Harlene said she is not going to go into full-length film directing soon. “Siguro mga ilang shorts pa muna bago yun. Nakakakaba kaya. Isa pa lang short film ko pero dati nakagawa na ako isang music video so parang short film na rin yun. Si kuya Herbert gusto rin nun mag-direct. Baka in the future mag-direct siya since hindi naman siya nag-file ng candidacy so pahinga siya ngayon. Baka maisipan niya mag-direct or umarte ulit di ba? Pero babalik siya (sa politics). Time with the kids lang,” she said.Harlene said that one of the actors she wants to direct in a future project is Baron Geisler. “Magaling siyang artista. Tingnan natin kung mabait siya (laughs). Mabait naman siya eh. Si Ping Medina, siyempre Cherry Pie Picache, Eugene Domingo, siyempre yung mga kasama ko sa theater. Pagsama-samahin ko na yung mga barkada ko,” she said.As part of the upcoming TBA Studios film Write About Love, Harlene said embarking on a directing career does not mean she is saying goodbye to acting. “Hindi naman, actually galing ako sa shooting as a guest lang naman sa movie na Write About Love ng TBA Studios. Nanay ako ni Yeng Constantino. Last TV ko na isang episode lang kay direk Brillante Mendoza, sa TV5 two years ako kami ni Romnick (Sarmenta). Meron kaming series, surprise muna. Meron din kaming movie. It’s more of suspense,” she added.Sinag Maynila 2019 opens on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, with Lakbayan, a three-part omnibus film by Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz, and National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik. Film festival proper starts on Thursday, April 4 in select cinemas.