Prof. Jonathan Jurilla’s full-length directorial debut movie “Love Child” will be featured in the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival starting August 2, 2024, at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, UP Town Center, Greenbelt, and Market Market in Metro Manila.
The story navigates the challenges of raising their autistic son in an increasingly unforgiving world, testing their love and resilience. Love Child is a love letter from Jurilla to his son Oyen, a child on the spectrum. The original script for this film was the script that won first place in the Dulang Pampelikula category of the 71st Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.
The trailer for the movie, which was launched on July 10, 2024, has gone viral and has reached almost 9 million views across all social media platforms of Regal Entertainment Inc. and Southern Lantern Studios in just a week after posting.
This movie, which is a co-production between Regal and Southern Lantern Studios, was shot in Silay, Talisay, and Bacolod. Starring renowned actors Jane Oineza and RK Bagatsing, the cast is complemented by Negros' actors, including John Tyrron Ramos, who plays the couple's child.
Jurilla has been an associate professor of literature at the University of the Philippines Visayas since 1996 and has since focused on film production starting in 2016. His filmography includes: “Isla,” which received a Special Jury Citation at the 2016 CineKasimanwa; “Tiempo Suerte,” which won multiple awards at the 2021 SineNegrense and a Jury Citation at the 2022 Gawad CCP; “Ang Babayi sa Suba,” which was named Best Picture at the 2022 SineNegrense; “De-Lata,” which earned the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Montañosa Film Festival; and “My Boy Superman,” which won a Bronze Award in the 2023 Montañosa Film Festival.
The movie will have the following film crew: screenplay by Arden Rod Condez, Arianna Martinez (with Angel Benjamin); cinematography by Rommel Sales; production design by Kurt Soberano; editor - John Paul Ponce; original music score by Andrew Florentino; sound by Lamberto Casas Jr.; executive producers - Lily Y. Monteverde, Roselle Y. Monteverde, and Keith Monteverde; co-producers - Sheron Dayoc, Sonny Calvento; producer Arden Rod Condez; line producer Jo Andrew Torlao; production manager Angel Benjamin; location manager Jan Phillyn Jagorin; ans assistant director Reeden Fajardo.
The festival runs from August 2–11, 2024. It will have regional screenings, which will be announced soon.
