Reflecting how this is a fulfillment of her dream that dates back to her collegiate days.
Following the launch of her new studio called Ilaya Ilaya Studios last weekend, renowned filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone took to Instagram to share how the journey to its establishment came to be.
She first recalled how the name of the studio, which is a partnership with her long-time collaborator Reign Anne De Guzman, was coined.
“Ilaya ang pseudonym ko nung college. Narinig ko kasi sa SocSci 1 prof kong ang Ilaya pala ay paitaas, itaas ng ilog, kung saan nanggagaling ang ilog, upstream.”
At that moment, she remembered, she fell in love with the said Filipino word and became one she used across her different internet and educational profiles, and even planned to use it to name her future child.
“Simula nun, na-in love na ako sa ‘llaya’. ‘Yun na pinangalan ko sa blog ko (blogdrive, blogspot). ‘Yun na rin gamit ko pag nagsusulat ako. ‘Yun din unang tato ko-baybaying Ilaya. In fact, sinabi ko pa nga sa sarii ko, pag nagkaanak ako, ang ipapangalan ko sa kanya, Ilaya,” Jadaone shared.
Since then, many things changed in her life and she continued, “Ang dami nang nangyari, and I didn’t realize, kala ko di ko na magagawa ‘yun, pero na-realize ko nung Sabado… naipangalan ko pa rin sa anak ko/namin ang Ilaya. Gusto kong bumalik sa UP para ibalita sa patpating college self ko nun na hindi ko siya binigo.”
The director also joked, “Teh, habang kumakain ka ng monay with cheese dyan sa Maskom, share ko lang sa’yo na, tagumpay, eto na si Ilaya. Kakaire pa lang pero ni walang sakit o hapdi kahit normal delivery.”
“Dinoble ko lang (din) para mas pak, lilingunin ko kung di mo narinig the first time, at in the tradition of Market Market, Tokyo Tokyo, at Vanna Vanna,” she quipped.
After thanking people who joined them in the launch, Jadaone shared: “‘Di n’yo alam-at di ko rin namalayan na habang kumakain ng pizza at umiinom ng cocktails kahit hapon pa lang, habang nagtatawanan kasama ng mga taong lagi naman nakakasama at hindi madalas makita, habang nakikinig sa mga panel, sabay pala nung may pangarap na ring natutupad.”
“Nakalimutan lang siguro sa tagal ng mga taon, but trust the universe na ipaaalala niya ‘yun sa’yo, sa pinakatamang panahon-madalas kasama ng mga taong hindi rin naman nakalimot,” she also wrote.
She then quoted a line from the sitcom How I Met Your Mother to conclude her post: “Whatever you do in this life, it’s not legendary, unless your friends are there to see it.”
The first projects already in the pipeline are all female-led such as Chandra Catacutan And The Curse Of The Fuchsia Moon; Birdsong; Boldstar; and Sunshine: The Immersive Stage Adaptation.
