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Erik Matti is one of Asia’s most ambitious filmmakers. An assistant director to Peque Gallaga, he made his debut with Scorpio Nights 2 (1999), a sequel to his mentor’s erotic classic. He has made subversive horrors, world-building fantasy epics, gritty crime dramas and costumed superhero films. While always audience-focused, Matti and his films are becoming more political; they have recently focused on systemic corruption and religious hypocrisy in the Philippines. BuyBust is his headiest achievement yet, spinning high-octane action tropes into a scathing commentary on the ongoing drug war. Here are his favorite Filippino films, in no particular order

1. Of the Flesh

2. Oro, Plata, Mata

3. Scorpio Nights 4. City After Dark

5. Misteryo sa Tuwa 6. High School Circa ’65 7. Rage

8. Itanong Mo Sa Buwan 9. Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 10. Bunso: The Youngest (Ditsi Carolino, 2005 )...

Jun Lana started his career in film writing screenplays for directors Marilou Diaz-Abaya and Maryo J. de los Reyes, among others. In the several years where the country was starving for quality films, he penned films like Diaz-Abaya's Sa Pusod ng Dagat (In the Navel of the Sea, 1998), Jose Rizal (1998), and Muro-ami (1999), tasteful alternatives to the crass, titillating films that were being produced by the dozens. Interestingly, Gigil (2006), Lana's directorial debut, capitalized largely on babes clad in bikinis, parading both their bodies and loose morals in the beach. He then dabbled in various other genres, directing disposable horrors like Mag-ingat ka sa... Kulam (2008) and Tarot (2009) and sleazy dramas like Roxxxanne (2007) and My Neighbor's Wife (2011) for various...

Jun Lana started his career in film writing screenplays for directors Marilou Diaz-Abaya and Maryo J. de los Reyes, among others. In the several years where the country was starving for quality films, he penned films like Diaz-Abaya's Sa Pusod ng Dagat (In the Navel of the Sea, 1998), Jose Rizal (1998), and Muro-ami (1999), tasteful alternatives to the crass titillating films that were being produced by the dozens.Interestingly, Gigil (2006), Lana's directorial debut, capitalized largely on babes clad in bikinis, parading both their bodies and loose morals in the beach. He then dabbled in various other genres, directing disposable horrors like Mag-ingat ka sa... Kulam (2008) and Tarot (2009) and sleazy dramas like Roxxxanne (2007) and My Neighbor's Wife (2011) for various studios...