MANILA, Philippines ? Award-winning actress Jaclyn Jose considers working in independent films like ?Nerseri,? of first-time full-length filmmaker Vic Acedillo Jr., a way of helping new talents make a name.

?It?s an opportunity to make new directors shine. Ed (Instrella, her manager) and I don?t earn much from indie projects, but we still do them ... to give back,? Jose told Inquirer Entertainment recently.

Jose?s filmography includes directorial debuts of Adolf Alix Jr. (?Donsol?), Raya Martin (?Next Attraction?) and Dante Mendoza (?Masahista?), this year?s Best Director awardee (for ?Kinatay?) at the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival in France.

?I?m proud of what they?ve achieved here and abroad. My only wish would be for these young filmmakers not to forget the people who helped them,? said the actress, who is also seen in the Sony Pictures franchise ?Zorro? on GMA-7.

Jose said she saw potential in the work of Acedillo in ?Nerseri,? one of 10 finalists in this year?s Cinemalaya Philippine International Film Festival. ?I?m impressed by the cinematography. Vic has a good pair of eyes. He works quietly, and treats his co-workers with respect,? Jose added.

Acedillo wrote ?Batad: Sa Paang Palay,? which won for him the Cinemalaya 2006 Best Screenplay Award. The first short film he directed, ?To Ni,? won the same award in 2007. In 2008, he made ?Diamante sa Langit? and ?Kalawang na Ginto,? also for Cinemalaya.
He has only good words for his star actress, too: ?Jaclyn always came to the set prepared. I was star struck. I just wish we had more time to work with her. We could have explored more themes.?

?Nerseri? is about 12-year-old Cocoy (played by theater actor Timothy Mabalot), who takes care of his older siblings while his mother, Mai (Jose), goes to the province to get money to pay the hospital bills of her three mentally sick children. While she is gone for two weeks, Cocoy fights for his own sanity.

Acedillo said the story was based on an incident that happened to him 12 years ago. ?I?ve long wanted to tell this story. I thought of writing a book about it at first. A film for Cinemalaya proved to be the best opportunity to share the experience,? he said.

Working on his first full-length feature was tough, he added. ?Come editing time, I became very emotional. I broke down a couple of times because it felt like I was reliving the experience.?

Cinemalaya film fest will run from July 17 to 26 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City.