Cheyenne Suarez

Jay Altarejos reimagines women of Rizal's 'Noli Me Tangere' in first fashion short film

Article (news)

Josh Mercado

After nearly two decades of acclaimed feature-length work, award-winning filmmaker Jay Altarejos has officially entered the cinematic universe of short films with “Huwag Mo Akong Salingin,” produced by Lynn Bautista. Altarejos hosted a special preview of his first fashion short film last August 19 at the Victoria Sports Cinema in Quezon City, with three screenings.Among the notable attendees were jeweler Mila Imson, whose creations contributed to the film&#x27;s visual impact, and fashion legend Renee Magtibay Salud, who designed the gowns.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756256571472image0 (4).jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-dragging" alt="Special preview of Jay Altarejos’ ‘Huwag Mo Akong Salingin’ at VS Cinema. Handout "/>Special preview of Jay Altarejos’ ‘Huwag Mo Akong Salingin’ at VS Cinema. Handout </div>Other guests included cast members Germaine Gale Salazar, Adam Agustin, Mateo Manabat, Jal Galang, and Victor Bernardino Sy, as well as producers and directors Manuel Garcellano and Marco Bertillo Mata of 2076 Kolektib.According to Altarejos, the short film reimagines the women from José Rizal&#x27;s &quot;Noli Me Tangere&quot; in a dramatic retelling that combines history, literature, and feminist activism.“This film is both a memory and a protest. It is a way of reclaiming Rizal’s women as voices of strength, not silence,” he told ABS-CBN News. “‘Huwag Mo Akong Salingin’ is my first short, but it carries the same urgency that has always defined my cinema,” he added.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756256618410image2 (3).jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Adam Agustin, Jay Altarejos, Lynn Bautista, Germaine Gale Salazar, Renee Salud, Mila Imson, Mateo Manabat at ‘Huwag Mo Akong Salingin’ preview. Handout</div>Highlighting female figures, Altarejos continued, “Through reimagined figures like Maria Clara, Salome, and Sisa, the film envisions a world where women walk free, unafraid, and unbound — claiming dignity, safety, and their own voices.”He collaborated with producer Bautista, a trailblazing woman in the male-dominated construction industry, on his debut short film. He stated that Bautista has always wanted to make a film celebrating fashion and history.“It is a fashion film featuring the elegance and power of the terno. It envisions a world where women walk free without fear, raise their voices for a new revolution, and break the cycle of silence and grief. Through striking imagery and sartorial artistry, they — and the women they embody — claim their dignity, safety, and voices, declaring with unwavering resolve: ‘You cannot touch us,’” he concluded.

After nearly two decades of acclaimed feature-length work, award-winning filmmaker Jay Altarejos has officially entered the cinematic universe of short films with “Huwag Mo Akong Salingin,” produced by Lynn Bautista.

After nearly two decades of acclaimed feature-length work, award-winning filmmaker Jay Altarejos has officially entered the cinematic universe of short films with “Huwag Mo Akong Salingin,” produced by Lynn Bautista.