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Olivia Lamasan set to direct Kathryn Bernardo in period drama ‘Elena 1944’

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Rhea Manila Santos

<p>After serving as the head of ABS-CBN’s creative department and managing director of ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc. until last year, Olivia Lamasan revealed she was returning to directing, starting with the upcoming Black Sheep Productions project <em>Elena 1944</em> which will be headlined by Kathryn Bernardo. The talented director talked about her return behind the camera during Kathryn’s solo presscon last March 24.</p><p>“Nakakaloka kasi the last project I did was <em>Barcelona </em>and that was seven years ago and that also starred Kathryn. And then now I’m making comeback as a director after retiring from the corporate world and si Kathryn ulit ang aking magiging artista. So that’s such a blessing and that’s something I’m really, really, very excited about.</p><p>“Na-e-excite ako kasi it’s another transition phase for her. When we did <em>Barcelona</em>, the challenge there was to transition Kathryn from young teenage roles to more adult roles. And then seven years later, heto na naman tayo. Not to transition her again but to really push her as an actress, to doing more edgy and more mature and more daring roles as an ultimate actress,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2023/3/27/kathryn-bernardo-and-dolly-de-leon-set-to-star-in-star-cinema-s-a-very-good-girl-1833"><strong>READ: Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly De Leon set to star in Star Cinema’s ‘A Very Good Girl’<br/></strong></a></div><p>The <em>Elena 1944</em> director shared that a big factor in her decision to take on the project was its lead star.</p><p>“Kaya ako pumayag dahil rin sa kanya. She starts off feeling afraid, feeling uncertain, doubtful, ganyan. But once she commits herself to a project, that’s it. She will do everything. Kaya masarap siya talaga pag-isipan ng project kasi she dares, she commits.</p><p>“Malaki ang tiwala na ibinibigay niya sa amin, sa ABS-CBN, sa Star Magic, sa ABS-CBN Films. With the way kung paano namin inilalatag at saka yung career pathing niya. She gives you her trust, she gives you her commitment. Naniniwala siya kasi. Kaya ang sarap niya pag-isipan. Ang sarap niya i-career path. At saka may tapang siya,” she said.</p><p>She also reminisced about the time when they were still working on <em>Barcelona: A Love Untold</em>. “Naalala ko sa <em>Barcelona </em>hirap na hirap kami kasi in <em>Barcelona </em>she was 19 or 20 but she looked like a 13 year old girl. Kay trinansition talaga namin siya. Pero she commits herself and then she believes and she puts her trust talaga without just letting Star Magic or ABS-CBN do the thing. Hindi. She’s highly collaborative and she’s a very intelligent woman. Maganda ang insights niya. Palagi siyang involved. Ang dami rin naming natututunan sa kanya. Kaya madami kaming na-ki-create na roles for her,” she explained.</p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2021/10/19/fresh-scoops/olivia-lamasan-reveals-hello-love-goodbye-was-196413"><strong>READ: Olivia Lamasan reveals ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ was originally for LizQuen</strong></a></div><p>When asked to share some details about the film, direk Olivia admitted it would definitely be a good acting piece for Kathryn at this point in her career.</p><p>“This is based on a Palanca award-winning screenplay by our writer Patrick Valencia. It is the story os Elena, the story of a comfort woman. So it is a historical drama, Japanese period tapos it’s also an action drama for Kathryn. Ang exciting lang niya. But we wouldn’t want to go much into the story kasi we’re still developing the material. Pero ang masasabi ko lang, it’s a very challenging role for Kathryn and very daring. Gusto ko lang sabihin kay Kath na I’m very, very grateful na tinanggap niya yung role,” she shared.</p><p>Direk Olive also clarified that the solo projects announced for Kathryn does not mean automatically mean the end of her love team with Daniel Padilla.</p><p>“Actually fulfillment din ito ng mga dreams. Not that Kathryn and DJ leaving their love team but to expand at ibuka. And that was the move also of Star Magic at that time under Mr. M and now direk Lauren (Dyogi). So not to leave the love team but to expand it, na i-pair sila sa iba or to do solo projects tapos babalik rin sa pairing ng love team. And si Kath yung nauna. We started it off with <em>Hello, Love, Goodbye,</em> and then DJ also did <em>Kun Maupay</em> [<em>Man It Panahon</em>]. So nagkaroon talaga sila ng courage to commit na ibuka yung love team. And when I say that, it means really to grow as artists,” she revealed.</p><p>With no release date yet set, Direk Olivia said <em>Elena 1944 </em>will be Kathryn’s third film project scheduled for this year.</p><p>“She’s going to do two more projects and then ito. We’re developing the material. Ang dami kasing gagawin sa pre-production. It’s a period piece so madaming builds and costumes, mga ganyan,” she added. </p><div><style rel="stylesheet">.scroll-wrapper {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;}.scroll-wrapper iframe {border: none;}</style></div><div class="scroll-wrapper"><iframe id="MegaControllerIframe-1677806795789" style="width:100%;min-height:480px" src="https://controller.megaphonetv.com/?m=tqu4z&amp;iswebpoll=true&amp;poll_id=active"></iframe></div><script type="text/javascript">!function(){class e{constructor(t,s=null){this.type=null,this.fieldName=t,this.fieldValue=s,this.originMessageID=`${(new Date).getTime()}_${Math.random()}`,this.systemID=e.SYSTEM_ID}toPlainObject(){return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this))}}e.GET="GET",e.SET="SET",e.RESPONSE="RESPONSE",e.LOCAL_STORAGE_CHECK="LOCAL_STORAGE_CHECK",e.SYSTEM_ID="MP_FIRST_PARTY_DATA_BRIDGE";class t extends e{constructor(t,s,a=null){super(t,s),this.status=a,this.type=e.RESPONSE}}function s(){try{if("undefined"==typeof localStorage)return!1;try{return localStorage.setItem("testkey","testvalue"),localStorage.removeItem("testkey"),!0}catch(e){return!1}}catch(e){return!1}}if(window&&window.addEventListener){const a=document.getElementById("MegaControllerIframe-1677806795789");new class{constructor(){this.targetOrigin="*",this.bubblingMessages=new Map,this.beginListeningForMessages()}beginListeningForMessages(){window.addEventListener("message",this.messageListener.bind(this),!1)}messageListener(a){if(a.data.systemID!==e.SYSTEM_ID)return;let i=a.data.type,n=a.data.fieldName,r=a.data.fieldValue,g=new t;if(g.originMessageID=a.data.originMessageID,i===e.GET)g.fieldName=n,s()?this.handleGet(n,a.source,g):this.checkForBubble(a.data,a.source,g);else if(i===e.SET)s()?this.handleSet(n,r):this.checkForBubble(a.data,a.source,g);else if(i===e.LOCAL_STORAGE_CHECK)s()?this.handleLocalStorageCheck(a.source,g):this.checkForBubble(a.data,a.source,g);else if(i===e.RESPONSE){const e=this.bubblingMessages.get(a.data.originMessageID);null!=e&&(this.bubblingMessages.delete(a.data.originMessageID),e.source.postMessage(a.data,this.targetOrigin))}}handleGet(e,t,s){s.fieldValue=localStorage.getItem(e),s.status=200,t.postMessage(s.toPlainObject(),this.targetOrigin)}handleSet(e,t){localStorage.setItem(e,t)}handleLocalStorageCheck(e,t){t.status=200,e.postMessage(t.toPlainObject(),this.targetOrigin)}checkForBubble(e,t,s){!function(){try{return window.self!==window.top}catch(e){return!0}}()?(s.status=403,s.fieldValue=null,t.postMessage(s.toPlainObject(),this.targetOrigin)):this.bubbleMessage(e,t)}bubbleMessage(t,s){this.bubblingMessages.set(t.originMessageID,{message:t,source:s}),t.type!==e.GET&&t.type!==e.LOCAL_STORAGE_CHECK||setTimeout(this.handleBubbledMessageTimeout.bind(this),4e3,t,s),window.parent.postMessage(t,this.targetOrigin)}handleBubbledMessageTimeout(t,s){this.bubblingMessages.has(t.originMessageID)&&(this.bubblingMessages.delete(t.originMessageID),t.status=404,t.type=e.RESPONSE,s.postMessage(t,this.targetOrigin))}};window.addEventListener("message",function(e){e.data.hasOwnProperty("height")&&(a.style.height=(parseInt(e.data.height)+1).toString()+"px")},!1)}}();</script>

<p>Olivia Lamasan marks her directorial comeback with 'Elena 1944' starring Kathryn Bernardo set to start shooting later this year.</p>

Olivia Lamasan marks her directorial comeback with 'Elena 1944' starring Kathryn Bernardo set to start shooting later this year.