Director McArthur ‘Mac’ Alejandre affirmed that he doesn’t believe in censorship at the media conference for the last three weeks of ‘Wag Mong Agawin Ang Akin with the press, including LionhearTV, on September 2, 2022.
Alejandre stressed that artists and viewers should be free to choose their platforms.
“Unang-una hindi ako naniniwala sa censorship, naniniwala ako sa kalayaan ng artist at ng viewers na mamili ng kung anong gusto nilang panoorin, at kung anong gusto nilang gawin ng mga artist.”
As for the sexy genre, Alejandre viewed it as a platform or springboard to tell a story, similar to other genres.
“Ikalawa, ang tingin ko sa sex ay isang genre lang, hindi mas mataas, or hindi mas mababa sa ibang genre katulad ng drama, comedy, horror, or kung ano man–action, or ano mang genre. Isa lamang itong platform or isa itong springboard, isang paraan para mailahad mo ang kwentong gusto mong sabihin.
“So wala–hindi ako negative doon. Open ako sa lahat, laging nagkakatalo sa anong klaseng– ano mang genre ‘yan, bold man ‘yan, sex man ‘yan, drama man ‘yan. Ano ang gusto mong sabihin, at ano ang gusto mong pamamaraan whereby sinasabi mo ‘yung gusto mong sabihin. ‘Yun ang mahalaga sa akin.”
He then listed his past and upcoming projects with Viva that had a variety in genre.
“Ikatlo, totoong maraming sex films na ginagawa ang Viva films na mas inclined towards sex, pero kunwari, I can only speak sa kaso ko. Nagawa ng ilan, ‘My Husband, My Lover,’ is bold but is not sexy sa standard ng Viva, ‘Silip’ is very graphic, my third is ‘May, December, January’ which is drama, hindi pa siya pinapalabas, but it will have a cinema release soon.
“And then I did ang ‘Wag Mong Agawin Ang Akin’ ito. I did ‘Selina’s Gold,’ which I wrote, natapos ko na siya. It’s sexy. And then next week, I will do another Ricky Lee script, ang title, isang gabi sexy siya. Then, I’m doing another Ricky Lee script, no sex at all. Straight love story siya.
“Noong pinitch ko ‘yung mga movies na ‘to, hindi dahil sex movies siya. Pinitch ko ‘yung mga movies na ‘to kasi ito ‘yung mga materials na gusto kong gawin, itong ‘yung mga materials na pareho naming gustong gawin ni Ricky. Parang ‘yung ‘Selina’s Gold’ na katatapos ko lang, materyal ko siya over I think twenty years go, because this was years before ‘Sukdulan’ pinitch ko na ‘yan sa Viva years and years ago. Noon pa lang sexy na siya, ngayon ko lang siya nagawa.”
He then acknowledged the demand for the sexy genre, but it is a matter of choice for the viewers, platforms, and filmmakers.
“Ang ibig kong sabihin, hindi ko sinasabi ang lahat ay ganito, ‘yung lahat ay ganoon ‘yung focus, inaamin ko na yes sex sells, yes tinatangkilik siya ngayon, yes maraming audience ang Vivamax, pero ang tingin ko diyan, it’s just a matter of course, nadidiyan siya, binibili siya, wala siyang–it’s a matter of choice, ‘yun ang gusto kong sabihin.
“If Vivamax chooses films like that, it’s their choice. If filmmakers want to do films– they want to do, that’s their right. If the audience decides to patronize films like that, it’s also their choice, naniniwala ako sa freedom ng expression.”
McArthur Alejandre helms the Vivamax series, ‘Wang Mong Agawin Ang Akin starring Jamilla Obispo, Angeli Khang, Felix Rocco, and Arron Villaflor.
Catch ‘Wag Mong Agawin Ang Akin’s finale via the Vivamax app.