Ricky Lee taps Jericho Rosales, Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado for Ishmael Bernal tribute film

Jericho Rosales, Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado lead tribute blending biography and magic realism.

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee is developing a biopic and tribute film on fellow National Artist Ishmael Bernal, assembling an all-star cast that includes Jericho Rosales, Judy Ann Santos and Iza Calzado.

The project, which Lee has returned to after years in development, is among the top priorities on a personal list of long-delayed works he now hopes to complete at this stage of his career.

“Actually, at this stage of my career and my life, I’m trying to look back on all the things I didn’t do before. So, I made a list of things that I wanted to do and didn’t do… And then, at the top of the list is the script that I wrote long before the pandemic,” Lee told radar Entertainment on Sunday.

The script, now with a completed first draft, traces its origins to a concept initially proposed by filmmaker Chris Martinez, who suggested focusing on the making of the 1982 classic “Himala.” Lee, however, opted for a broader and more unconventional approach.

Blend of historical truth and dreamlike events

“When I was sitting down, I said I didn’t want to talk too much about ‘Himala.’ The scope was too small… So, I suggested to him, can we do magic realism? Can we do a different kind of biopic?” he said.

Lee’s concept centers on Bernal’s final hours, unfolding in a fluid, imagined space shaped by the filmmaker’s own mind. “My idea was, during the last hours of Bernal’s life, while he was in the hospital, lying on the bed, he imagined that I’m in front of him, interviewing him,” he explained.

“So, the movie is not a usual biopic, because there’s magic realism… it’s more fluid, because it’s in his mind, until the last hours of his life.”

While grounded in real events—including Bernal’s family life and personal relationships—the narrative departs from a traditional chronological structure.

“Malaking percent kasi buhay ito ni Bernal. It’s still a biopic… Not chronological, because everything is happening in his mind,” Lee said, adding that the film also reflects on the act of filmmaking itself.

Multiple actors to portray Bernal

Casting is currently underway, with multiple actors set to portray Bernal at different stages of his life. Rosales is among those confirmed to take on one of the roles.

Santos has been tapped to play Nora Aunor, Bernal’s frequent collaborator, while Calzado is set to portray actress Rita Gomez. Lee said discussions are ongoing for other key figures from the era, including Vilma Santos.

The film is envisioned as both a tribute to Bernal and a celebration of the Golden Age of Philippine cinema, with contemporary actors portraying iconic personalities from the period.

“Inisip namin all-star cast para tribute talaga. Karamihan d’yan workshoppers or friends,” Lee shared, noting the collaborative nature of the production.

He added that the team has been actively involved in imagining casting choices for other notable figures. “Enjoy kami ng production team. Sino kaya ang Rio Locsin? Sino kaya ang Alma Moreno? We all want to know.”

An award-winning indie filmmaker, described by Lee as a close friend, is being eyed to direct the project, which is currently in pre-production.

Lee said the Bernal film is just the first among several long-planned projects he hopes to bring to life, working closely with a circle of collaborators and former workshop participants.

Though still in development, the Bernal biopic is shaping up to be an ambitious, layered portrait of one of Philippine cinema’s most influential filmmakers, told through memory, imagination and the enduring language of film.

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