The phrase "Life begins at 40" holds true for director Mark Reyes.
Mark—who is currently the director of GMA-7's primetime series, Zorro—went through a delicate medical procedure late last year making his birthday celebration extra special and more meaningful.
"I didn't have a Christmas because I was in surgery, I was in pain," direk Mark told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
The celebration was held at the Oceana restaurant along the Seaside Boulevard in Pasay City.
At 40, the amiable director is simply grateful for all the blessings and opportunities that come his way despite the recent health scare.
"I feel young not old [and] I don't feel 40 at all," he confidently gushed.
An AVP was prepared to give all the guests a glimpse of Mark's inspiring life journey, which in its entirety was full of wit, wisdom and pop culture references all woven together to present Mark's colorful tale.
He pensively shared: "When you see the video later, you'll understand my life story na, literally, I was drawn by God to do show business, to become a director, to become a writer.
"In so many aspects when you reached this point and then more than hitting 40-years-old, I had a surgery last December so it was risky and it could have gone either way and I was a candidate for cancer if that was not arrested. So this is a night of thanksgiving for the people that supported me, for all the friends in the business GMA [Network], TV5 are here and then I have Regal, GMA Films, Imus Productions, so nandito sila lahat."
Mark's growing credentials as a director include the TV programs T.G.I.S. (1995), Pintados (1999), Love to Love (2003), Hanggang Kailan (2004), Forever In My Heart (2004), Encantadia (2005), Atlantika (2006), Philippine Idol (2007), Kamandag (2007), and Codename: Asero (2008).
Mark's big screen projects were Takot Ka Ba Sa Dilim? (1996), Silaw (1998), Mulawin: The Movie (2005), Moments of Love (2006), Eternity (2006), Till I Met You (2006), Tiyanaks (2007), Resiklo (2007), My Bestfriend's Girlfriend (2008), and I.T.A.L.Y. (2008).