MANILA, Philippines ? After the special screening of ?Lola? for Adobo magazine last Feb. 2, director Brillante Mendoza, actress Rustica Carpio, and editor Kats Serraon interacted with the audience to share their thoughts about the creative process.

The film is a poignant and bittersweet story about two desperate grandmothers who get entangled in their grandsons? predicaments after a robbery-homicide.

Mendoza shares: ?I tried to pitch this project to producers and organizations, but nobody was interested. After winning in Cannes, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to give this project a little push. I wanted to shoot this as soon as we arrived here, because the script was almost ready by then?plus, the rainy season was about to start. Immediately after I finished shooting, Ondoy happened.?

Situation

How does Mendoza work with his actors? He answers: ?I rehearse before shooting. Initially, I study the location. I tell actors not to mind the camera. Every one around them, including the camera, should disappear in their minds. Then, I film without telling them. Even the script, I don?t show it to my actors. I only tell them what the situation is about.?

Mendoza doesn?t use storyboards. ?I always shoot in chronological order?which allows actors to develop with their characters,? explains the 2009 Dubai International Film Festival Best Feature winner.

Carpio only had good words for her director: ?It was very challenging to be in the film because I was wet and cold most of the time. But, Dante gave us freedom to act. This made us more creative, expressive and real.?

Serraon, who also edited ?Kinatay,? explains the editing process: ?Dante told me what his vision was, and that was my guideline. I present the material to him after every shoot, then he shoots again. He works fast. In ?Lola,? we finished the final edit in just two days.? He is nominated in the Best Editor category of the upcoming Asian Film Awards, whose jury is headed by top Chinese actor, Tony Leung.

What?s next for Mendoza? The filmmaker beams: ?I?m doing research on our Muslim brothers.?