‘Quezon’: 50 books, several rewrites, one very public reaction

When your research list looks like a PhD syllabus but your film still stirs drama, you know you’ve made “Quezon.” 

Jerrold Tarog, the director of the now-controversial biopic “Quezon,” said he went through about 50 books while cowriting the screenplay with Rody Vera, just to find the right story to tell.

“There are a lot of available materials, yes. I went through around 50 books—not all of them about Quezon, but about that era,” he told Radar Entertainment in a recent interview. “So we went through a lot to find the right story for the film.”

That “right story,” however, has drawn mixed reactions, particularly from Quezon’s grandson Ricky Avanceña, who publicly criticized the film’s interpretation of his grandfather’s life. During a Q&A session after a screening, Avanceña confronted Tarog and lead actor Jericho Rosales, questioning the movie’s tone and accuracy. The exchange sparked debate online about artistic license versus historical respect—something Tarog has since addressed by saying the film is rooted in extensive research but still aims to be cinematic.

Tarog said the script even went through several rewrites. “The first version was more complicated. The story that we filmed is already complicated, but the first one was even more so,” he recalled. “The original structure had four stories, and it was hard to find a way to sew them together into one seamless narrative. So when we rewrote the script, it became more fluid and easier to understand.”

Why did you think of Jericho Rosales to play Quezon?
“After TJ Trinidad,” Tarog said. “Actually, it was automatic. We really like TJ, but he couldn’t do it. I didn’t even think about it. When TJ quit, I was like, okay—Echo, go.”

And he agreed right away?
“He did,” Tarog said with a laugh. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. When TJ backed out, Echo suddenly came to mind. I told Daphne Chiu (producer under TBA Studios), and I was surprised when he said ‘yes’ right away.”

Did you give Jericho specific instructions—to imitate Quezon’s voice and mannerisms, for instance?
“No, I let him do it first. When he came and read the script, I was like, okay, it’s complete,” Tarog said. “The only thing I had to work on was how to match the energy between Echo and Ben.”

Benjamin Alves plays the young Quezon in the film, and Tarog said the continuity between the two actors was crucial. “Ben’s part isn’t just a flashback. He has another kind of role in the movie. So even if Echo and Ben don’t look alike, their energy had to match. We worked hard to make sure of that.”

What did Jericho say when you first approached him?
“I called him,” Tarog recalled. “He was surprised, but we talked. I told him to read the script first because the story is a bit spicy—just to make sure he was up for it.”

Speaking of the story, what chapter in Quezon’s life did you focus on? It’s not a full-life biopic, right?
“It’s not,” Tarog said. “We focused on specific turning points—the 1920s, when Quezon clashed with (Serigo) Osmeña and Leonard Wood, and finally, the presidential election where he went head-to-head with Aguinaldo.”

After premiering on Oct. 15, “Quezon” is still screening in cinemas nationwide. 

READ: