Luis Alandy and Precious Lara Quigaman star in period film Buenavista

Kamakailan lang ay natapos na ni director Felino "Lino" Tañada ang principal photography ng Buenavista (Ang Kasaysayan ng Lucena). Isa itong indie film, ngunit malawak ang scope and concept. Isa itong "period movie" na sumasaklaw sa mga pangyayari noong 1800s.

Upang ipagdiwang ang 50th anniversary ng pagkakatatag ng Lucena bilang isang lungsod sa August 2011, ngayon pa lang ay matindi na ang ginagawang preparasyon ng mga taga-Lucena para sa isang matagumpay na selebrasyon.

At isa nga sa highlights ng pagdiriwang na ito ay ang pagpapalabas ng Buenavista (Ang Kasaysayan ng Lucena).

Tatangkain ng pelikula na ipakita ang mga importanteng pangyayari sa history ng Lucena mula nang ito ay itinatag bilang isang baryo ng bayan ng Tayabas noong 1580, hanggang sa panahon ng panghihimagsik laban sa mga Kastila noong 1890.

Mula sa script and direction nga ni Direk Lino (isang indie film director na tubong Lucena mismo) ang Buenavista (Ang Kasaysayan ng Lucena) ay pinangungunahan ng mga beterano at batikang artista tulad ni Eddie Garcia at Delia Razon.

Kasama rin dito and beauty queen turned actress Precious Lara Quigaman (Miss International 2005), Luis Alandy, Neil Ryan Sese at maraming members ng Lucena local theater groups.

Gaganap din ng importanteng papel ang mga respetadong aktor na sina Ricky Davao at Roy Alvarez.

Ang pelikula ang una sa mga nakalinyang proyekto na gagawin ng BJB Productions, isang bagong tatag na production company, in cooperation with Book Media Press, Inc.

Nasa likod ng proyektong ito si Councilor Benny J. Brizuela, ang executive producer ng film na isang negosyante at member ng Sangguniang Panglunsod ng Lucena, kasama ang malaking suporta mula sa Department of Education-Lucena at iba't ibang civic organizations.

Ang iba pang staff ng Buenavista (Ang Kasaysayan ng Lucena) ay sina: Norman Ragudo (production designer), Landon Cabañeros (art director), Romeo Reynoso (production manager), Peter Paul Pacheco (director of photography), Raul Manalo (editor).

SYNOPSIS: Fifty years after Ferdinand Magellan landed on the shores of the archipelago now known as the Philippines, came another Spanish conquistador, Captain Juan Salcedo. In 1583, Salcedo encouraged the exploration of more unchartered territories south of Manila. Two Franciscan priests, standing at the foot of Mt. Banahaw, saw a most beautiful virgin terrain and called it "buena vista" which literally means ‘good view' in Spanish.

"Buenavista" eventually became a barrio of Tayabas and through the centuries it has been called by other names like ‘Oroquieta,' ‘Cotta,' and finally ‘Lucena,' through an Orden Real Superior Civil issued in November 5, 1897 as a tribute to Father Mariano Granja, the town's first parish priest, whose birthplace was Lucena in Andalucia, Spain.

During the eve of the people's final revolt against the Spanish regime in the late 1890's, many parts of the country were already in turmoil as sporadic uprisings occurred amidst the growing concern of the Spanish authorities to quell such rebellions.

Lucena was a calm and peaceful town but the threat of being overrun by the insurectos put the town on edge as nearby provinces fell into the hands of the Katipunan rebels one by one.

Against this historical backdrop, a story of enduring love, passion and scarred loyalties is woven into actual events and real situations that happened during its tumultuous history.

This fictionalized story revolves around a wealthy family of Lucena trying to live a normal existence amidst the growing insurrection going on around them.

Don Mariano Zaldeña (Eddie Garcia) and his wife Doña Caridad Zaldeña (Delia Razon) are avid supporters and loyalists of the local Spanish authorities (led by Ricky Davao as Gobernador Militar De Lorite) but their grandchildren have their own ideological persuasions that do not conform with their grandparents' beliefs.

Horacio Zaldeña (Luis Alandy), the eldest of the grandchildren, has just returned from Spain after studying medicine in a Madrid university. Upon reaching home, he learns to his dismay that his long-time sweetheart Conchita (Precious Lara Quigaman) and her family had joined the underground rebel movement of the Katipunan.

Horacio tries hard to persuade her to come with him to Manila so they could live as husband and wife, but Conchita is committed to the movement's struggle and rejected his offer.

Find out what happens to the characters in this period film.

DIRECTOR'S PROFILE. Si Direk Lino Tañada ay hindi na bago sa daigdig ng sining. Through the years, naging mayaman na rin ang kanyang karanasan sa teatro, television at film productions.

May degree ng Bachelor of Arts (Major in Film and TV Productions) mula sa Columbia College sa Los Angeles, California, si Direk Lino ay nanirahan at nagtrabaho sa Hollywood for 15 years, bago tuluyang umuwi dito sa Pilipinas noong 1995.

Sa kanyang pag-uwi, nagtrabaho siya bilang direktor, writer, at producer para sa iba't ibang production outfits sa Manila.

Siya ay hindi newcomer sa indie film production, dahil gumagawa na rin siya ng experimental digital films mula pa noon.

Way back in 1993, ang kauna-unahang "indie" film na sinulat at dinirek niya ay ang Rich Boy, Poor Boy, a ‘coming out' film na pinagbidahan ng dalawang young non-actors, shot in two-twelve hour days.

Ginawa niya ang film for a talent fee of only P25,000 ngunit naibenta niya ito sa isang American distributor for $10,000.

Kabilang sa kanyang past films as writer-director ay ang Hanggang Dito na Lamang at Maraming Salamat (2007) starring Noni Buencamino and Jon Santos, Lukaret (2008) na solo Philippine entry sa New York International Film Festival last year, pinagbidahan nina Glydel Mercado, Ralph Mateo, at Johnron Tañada.

In 2008, ginawa rin niya ang Hi-Skul Life na tinampukan ng 50 real- life students. Early this year (2009), dinirek niya rin ang Fausta topbilled by Perla Bautista and Tommy Abuel.

Nakagawa rin siya ng ilang television-movies (o "telesine") bilang writer-director sa U.S.: One Hand, One Heart (1988), Blacksheep (1989), Ina, Anak, Asawa (1990), Sigaw Sa Dilim (1992), Hiram Na Manyika (1994), Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin (1995).