
Award-winning filmmaker Emille Joson praised the GMA Network's international-winning television war drama Pulang Araw. Joson commended the production values, costumes, actor performances, and Suzette Doctolero's impressive screenplay.
After watching some episodes, Joson penned down a tribute to her late grandfather, Eduardo Joson, a young man from a haciendero clan who joined a group of independent Filipino soldiers to take down the Japanese Imperial Armies during World War II.
The filmmaker became more emotional after discovering that her grandfather shares the same name as Alden Richards' guerilla character name in the series.
She admits that Filipino war movies always served as a heavy reminder for her entire clan about their grandfather's post-war survival story.
She wrote, "Seeing their bedtime stories come to life through motion pictures like Aishite Imasu, Oro Plata Mata, Markova, and now the Netflix series Pulang Araw always makes our clan emotional, especially now, that Lolo Dado shares a name with @aldenrichards02's character in Pulang Araw. Two thumbs up to @gmanetwork creatives!"
Joson encouraged the new generation to watch the show as it tackles the importance of Filipino history. She also revealed that comfort women were the reason she loves to write female-centered stories.
"The show is a must!! From production values, costumes, actors performances to Ms. Suzette Doctolero's impressive screenplay! Just wow! This is more than just a teleserye, it's a world class series. The new generation should watch this show para may matutunan kayo sa ating history! 🫶🏻 Ating saksihan ang istorya ng ating paglaya mula sa hindi makataong pananakop noong Dekada '40!"
Well hence, the genre that opened doors for Joson in the movie industry, both locally and internationally. A recent streaming resurgence abroad of her 37th Metro Manila Film Festival nominated campy horror short film Adivino has reassessed and occurred in the wake of the #MeToo Movement.
This is a testament that her grandfather's heroic deeds have a huge contribution to what she's doing now.
Joson's family-owned coperative in Bulacan, called Alaga Producers Cooperative, was a pre-war agricultural foundation planned by their grandfather. Unfortunately, it didn't push through because of the war. Sixty-eight years later, the plan was found and given birth by Direk Emille Joson and her big sisters in 2013.
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Meanwhile, in an interview, Sanya Lopez, who plays the role of Teresita on Pulang Araw, admitted that even she couldn't watch the scenes that show the abuse among women.
"Sabay kami nina Ate Rochelle [Pangilinan] lagi na nanonood ng Pulang Araw. Habang pinapanood namin, hindi kami makakain nang maayos. Naduduwal kami sa sarili naming napapanood," she said.
"Minsan naiisip na lang namin kapag pinapanood namin siya na blessed pa rin tayo na hindi natin naranasan 'yung mga bagay na 'to sa ngayon, na ito, malaya tayo, nagagawa natin 'yung mga bagay na gusto natin."
Watch Teresita being abused by Col. Saitoh Yuta on Pulang Araw: