MANILA - Sunshine, written and directed by Antoinette Jadaone, is set to have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, under the Centrepiece Programme.
Sunshine tells the story of a young gymnast who finds out she is pregnant on the week of the national team tryouts. On her way to a seller of illegal abortion drugs, she meets a mysterious girl who eerily talks like her.
When her self-induced abortion fails, she comes face to face with the harsh reality of how pregnant women of all ages and backgrounds in the Philippines are violently robbed of the chance to choose for themselves and their bodies.
Jadaone aims to bring to the forefront not-often talked about issues affecting Filipina women daily.
In the Philippines, roughly 1,000 women die yearly because of lack of access to safe abortions, with others going to jail. On the taboo topic of the film, she says: “Sunshine represents the hundreds of thousands of girls who became pregnant in their teens. About 500 Filipino teenagers become mothers every day.”
In order to fully understand the conditions of these young women, she shares: “I interviewed poor, young mothers who contemplated abortion but decided to continue with their pregnancy. Their chilling stories mirror a reality we don’t face. The abortion ban may be protecting the unborn, but it’s killing our women too – both literally and figuratively.”
And as cases of teenage pregnancy and unsafe self-induced abortions rise every year, it has become abundantly clear that abortion needs to be talked about.
“The Philippines is in a dire political, economic and social turmoil. This story goes beyond abortion. Behind every pregnant teenager after all, is a society that let this happen to them.”, Jadaone says.
The film also aims to bring to light the struggles athletes (especially those playing in underfunded sports) face every day. The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) partnered with Jadaone and the production team to make sure that the depiction of the gymnasts and the sport is accurately and fairly represented in Sunshine. With the meteoric rise of Filipinos going for gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics, now more than ever is the time to tell stories about local athletes fighting everyday for their dream.
Jadaone, a Manila-based filmmaker known for That Thing Called Tadhana (2014), Never Not Love You (2018), and Alone/Together (2019), was last in the director’s chair for Fan Girl (2020), which had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival, being the lone Filipino film in the Tokyo Premiere 2020 section. She continues to tell bold and untold stories about women in Sunshine - produced by Project 8 Projects, Anima Studios, Happy Infinite, and Cloudy Duck. The project was also supported by international and local film support programs organized by Busan Asian Film School, Full Circle Film Lab, Film Development Council of the Philippines, and CreatePH.
Jadaone is also one of the founders of Project 8 Projects, a young and rapidly rising Filipino production company which just recently produced The Missing - the Philippines’ Best International Feature entry to last year’s Academy Awards.
Jadaone brings the character of Sunshine to life with actress Maris Racal. On her experience of tackling the story and themes of Sunshine, Maris shares:
“I am grateful to have played this important role especially since abortion is such a sensitive topic in the Philippines. I learned the weight that you carry when you are an athlete, the things that you have to give up and the hours that you have to dedicate to training.”
Despite knowing what’s at stake upon doing this movie, Racal remained motivated to do the film. She says: “I still feel so empowered to do this film, to send a message and to educate people on the plight of the female youth who are in the same situation as Sunshine.”
Bianca Balbuena, Producer from Anima Studios talks about her continued partnership with and support of Jadaone: “As a producer, I’ve always supported Antoinette Jadaone’s voice as she pushes the boundaries of women stories in cinema in a way that reaches a wider audience.”
Balbuena is a Filipino producer and co-founder of Epicmedia, which has produced over 30 features, most notably Venice Film Festival Lion of the Future Engkwentro, Berlinale Winners A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery and Cu Li Never Cries, Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard title Viet and Nam, Sundance Film Festival Midnight title In My Mother's Skin acquired by Amazon Studios, and Jadaone’s That Thing Called Tadhana, and Fan Girl.
As a long-time collaborator, she further supports Jadaone’s drive to bring an important issue to the forefront: “Sunshine tackles a taboo subject that is of paramount importance in a world that constantly hinders women’s freedom over her own body.”
Dan Villegas, Producer from Project 8 Projects adds: “Working with Antoinette is nothing short of inspiring. The way she directs, her predisposition on set, and her passion to tell a compelling story is such a great deal. Though Sunshine was a series of ups and downs, her leadership steered us in the right direction that allowed us to make this film.”
Villegas is also a Filipino Producer, Director, Cinematographer, and co-founder of Project 8 Projects, with over 20 directing and over 30 producing credits to his name. Of note is The Missing - the Philippines’ entry to last year’s Academy Awards, Netflix’s first original Filipino series Replacing Chef Chico, and Jadaone’s internationally-acclaimed Fan Girl.
In order to sensitively and masterfully tell the story of Sunshine, Jadaone assembled a team of the Philippine cinema industry’s best of the best.
Director of Photography Pao Orendain (Cattleya Killer, Almost Paradise, Maria) shares his experience of capturing the struggles of Sunshine: “Tackling sensitive issues like abortion within the context of a third world, predominantly Catholic country was undoubtedly challenging. Our intention wasn't to provide definitive answers but to spark thoughtful conversation and encourage audiences to ask crucial questions.”
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