Actress Meryll Soriano to direct her own films

CreaZion Studios’ artists discuss next projects

AWARD-WINNING actress Meryll Soriano is spreading her wings — she will be directing two films, one short, and one full-length, in the near future.

She revealed this plan when the actors and musicians on the roster of CreaZion Studios Artists gathered on Oct. 9 at Glorietta 1 in Makati to talk about their upcoming projects and career trajectories for 2025 and beyond.

“The short film that I’m directing is something that has been brewing for 20 years. This concept has been with me for 20 years,” said Ms. Soriano, who will also star in the film herself.

She explained that the short film will be about post-partum depression, which she clarified that she didn’t experience herself to any great extent aside from the usual “baby blues.”

Ms. Soriano had a baby with her boyfriend Joem Bascon in 2021. She also has an older son with her ex-partner Bernard Palanca.

“It’s about mental health,” she said told the press of the short film, “because that’s my advocacy.”

Aside from that, Ms. Soriano — who has won awards for her acting from Cinemalaya, Gawad Urian, and the Brussels International Independent Film Festival, among many others — is working on a full-length film, which she only described as being “very personal” and that she is being guided by director Mark Meily at the behest of screenwriter and National Artist Ricky Lee.

“I’m happy that Mark Meily is helping me write the script. I had a long journey of finding a writer, until Sir Ricky Lee advised me, isulat mo na! (go write it already!),” Ms. Soriano explained.

“Hindi ko nagustuhan ang sarili kong gawa, kaya naghanap ako ng tutulong sa akin na ayusin ’yung gawa ako (I didn’t like my own work, which is why I looked for someone to help me improve it),” she added.

She hopes to start shooting the short film in the first quarter of 2026, and her full-length directorial debut some time after that. It has been her dream to direct since 2010.

Another dream is to work with her aunt, actress Maricel Soriano. “Nakasama ko na siya noong bata ako (I acted with her when I was young),” said the former child actress. “But now, with our sensibilities as older people.”

A project with her longtime partner, Mr. Bascon, would also be welcome — “something like Marriage Story!” she said, referring to the drama starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.

ARTISTS’ PLANS
Other veteran actors on CreaZion Studios’ roster include Dolly De Leon and Charo Santos-Concio, though neither could make it to the press conference.

The rest were rising artists — including young actor Esteban Mara, who had a minor role in Padamlagan, the all-Bicolano slow-burn period film at the recently concluded Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

“It was a challenging role,” he told BusinessWorld. “I had a limited chance to make people root for me, so it really sunk in that you have to make the most of the small amount of exposure.”

Mr. Mara played Ivan, the son of singer Ely Buendia’s character Doring, and his screentime was limited as his character goes missing early in the film.

“When I watched it a second time, that’s when I realized I could have done things a bit differently here and there,” he said.

In contrast, his breakout project, the boys’ love (BL) series Got My Eyes On You, available on the Puregold Channel on TikTok, saw him with plenty of screentime — though he wants to be known as more than just a pretty face.

“I want to be known as a reliable actor,” he said, “like Dolly De Leon.”

A dream project for him would be something similar to one of his favorite films, Before Sunrise.

Meanwhile, the only musician in the lineup that day was Brei, a former member of the P-pop girl group MNL48. She was there to launch her single, “Digital,” which is set to be part of her upcoming EP.

“Hindi pa buo ang EP, pero pop-rock siya (The EP is not yet complete, but it will be pop-rock),” she told the press.

Brei, whose real name is Aubrey Binuya, said that she hopes to be a relatable artist with unusual lyrics that will catch people’s attention.

As for her dream collaborations, she said that she would love to work on music with singer-songwriter Maki and drag artist Maxie Andreison.

“I love their artistry and I want to explore what I’m able to do with them!” she said.

Updates on CreaZion Studios’ various artists can be seen on their official social media pages and creazionstudios.com. — Brontë H. Lacsamana