Jun Lana

Writing career

He was born Rodolfo Lana Jr. in Makati, and attended local schools.

Interested in writing from an early age, he began to write and submit plays in Filipino language to competitions. He has adopted Jun Lana as his pen name. At age 19, he received an "Honorable Mention" citation in the 1991 Palanca Awards in the category Dulang May Isang Yugto (One-Act Play in Filipino), for his play Eksodo. The following year, Lana won Third Prize in the same category for Churchill.

In the next eight years, Lana won nine more Palanca Awards for his Filipino-language screenplays and teleplays, including First Prizes for the screenplays Karinyo-Brutal (1995) and Mga Bangka sa Tag-araw (1996); and for the teleplays Sa Daigdig ng mga Taksil (1995), and together with Peter Ong Lim, for Pula (1997).

In 2006, Lana's teleplay Milagrosa won his fifth First Prize Palanca Award and his 11th overall. With his fifth First Prize, Lana was inducted into the Palanca Hall of Fame.

Film and television work

Since 1998, Lana has written screenplays for such directors as Marilou Diaz-Abaya Mel Chionglo and Maryo J. de los Reyes. His screenplay for Diaz-Abaya's Sa Pusod ng Dagat (1998) won Lana the Best Screenplay award from the Brussels European Film Festival|Brussels International Film Festival in 1998.

He has won two FAMAS Best Screenplay awards — in 1998 for Jose Rizal (shared with Ricky Lee and Peter Ong Lim) and in 1999 for Soltera (shared with Jerry Lopez Sineneng). His screenplay for Jose Rizal also won awards from the Metro Manila Film Festival and the Star Awards for Movies. In 2005, Lana's Palanca-award-winning play Mga Estranghero at ang Gabi (1994) was adapted for film by Rody Vera. Renamed Pusang Gala and directed by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, the film was nominated for several FAMAS awards, including a Best Story nomination for Lana.

Lana made his film directorial debut with Gigil (2006), starring Katrina Halili. The following year, he wrote and directed Roxanne. From 2006 until 2014, Lana was employed by GMA Network, where he served as a creative consultant for the drama department, and as head writer of Magpakailanman and other shows. Lana also directs for television, sometimes in collaboration with actor Cesar Montano. For GMA Network, he directed his Palanca Award-winning teleplay Milagroso, which was aired as a television special and became a finalist at the 2006 Asian TV Awards. Lana has also directed television episodes for Love2Love, Wag Kukurap, and Fantastikids.

His 2012 film Bwakaw was selected as the Filipino entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.

In 2014, Lana and frequent filmmaking partner, Perci Intalan, established The IdeaFirst Company, a creative content creation and consultancy company. The company has produced many films, which have been awarded in numerous screenings in the Philippines and overseas.

In the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival, his 2016 film Die Beautiful won the festival's Audience Choice Award, and also the Best Actor award for Paolo Ballesteros.

In 2019, he won the Best Director Award for his feature film Kalel, 15 at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The film had its world premiere in the Estonian capital where it was screened in the official selection.

In 2023, his new feature Your Mother’s Son was screened at the Toronto Film Festival.{{cite web | access-date =2023-09-22}}

Personal life

Lana is gay and married Direk Perci Intalan, a former TV5 executive, in a same-sex wedding ceremony in New York City on October 14, 2013. Lana and Intalan were in an open relationship until their separation in December 2021. They consider themselves as best friends and co-parents to their content creation and artist management company, IdeaFirst. Lana is the vice president of IdeaFirst.

Credits

Film

Accolades

Film and television awards

Honors and state recognition

References

References

1. "Jun Robles Lana is Best Director at Estonia filmfest".
2. (29 November 2022). "'About Us But Not About Us' wins Best Film in Tallinn".
3. "Jun Lana's historic win in Russian fest".
4. (September 10, 2006). "Jun Lana: A Winner in Two Worlds". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
5. (September 23, 2015). "Jun Robles Lana, LJ Reyes win top honors at Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Russia".
6. (December 13, 2015). "Lana wins in India". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
7. "The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature – 1991".
8. "The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature – 1992".
9. "The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature – 1995".
10. "The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature – 1996".
11. "The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature – 1997".
12. Sol Jose Vanzi. (November 11, 1998). "ALBERT MARTINEZ IS BEST ACTOR IN BRUSSELS FILMFEST". Philippine Headline News Online.
13. (September 17, 2012). "'Bwakaw' to compete at the Oscars". Philippine Star.
14. salleh. (June 16, 2015). "Multi-awarded film duo opens The IdeaFirst Company".
15. "Welcome to The IdeaFirst Company -".
16. Aava, Hannes. (November 30, 2019). "Awards of the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival".
17. (October 15, 2013). "Former TV5 executive Perci Intalan marries director Jun Lana in New York". Philippine Entertainment Portal.
18. "Perci Intalan reveals he and Jun Lana remained "best friends, co-parents" after breakup".
19. "Eat Bulaga! holds Dabarkads Awards for Lenten special presentations today, April 26".
20. Shackleton, Liz. (2025-01-10). "First Look At Hilda Koronel’s Return To Acting In Jun Robles Lana’s ‘Sisa’ Set Against Philippine-American War".
21. "Paolo Ballesteros, Die Beautiful nominated in Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2017".
22. "Bwakaw wins Golden Screen, Pasado awards".
23. ayap. (2016-07-19). "Jun Lana film gets July 20 playdate".
24. Inquirer, Philippine Daily. (2013-02-25). "‘Bwakaw’ in Switzerland and HK".
25. Jr, Bayani San Diego. (2013-05-01). "List of nominees for Gawad Urian 2013".
26. "38th Gawad Urian nominees revealed".
27. (2016-05-19). "39th Gawad Urian announces nominees".
28. (2020-11-10). "FULL LIST: Winners, Gawad Urian 2020".
29. Zinampan, Tristan. (2020-08-27). "FULL LIST: Nominees, Gawad Urian 2020".
30. Jr, Bayani San Diego. (2016-12-04). "Four PH films in Kerala".
31. "Jun Lana bags Best Director award in India for Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan".
32. Zinampan, Tristan. (2021-01-19). "'Pearl Next Door' is official entry to London International Web and Short Film Festival".
33. "Die Beautiful leads winners of 35th Luna Awards 2017".
34. Pata, Danny. (2017-08-27). "‘Die Beautiful’ dominates 35th Luna Awards".
35. Evangelista, Jessica Ann. (2024-07-02). "Kathryn Bernardo, Cedrick Juan among 40th Luna Awards nominees".
36. Mallorca, Hannah. (2024-08-04). "Maricel Soriano, Roderick Paulate win top acting honors at 40th Luna Awards".
37. Quilingguing, Uriel C.. (2014-07-20). "Jun Lana wins best director at Madrid film fest".
38. Roque, Nika. (2022-06-17). "‘Big Night!’ is part of the 20th New York Asian Film Festival".
39. "MMFF 2023 Awards: Vilma, Cedrick, Firefly Win".
40. Purnell, Kristofer. "'I'mPerfect' wins top MMFF 2025 prize as 'Manila's Finest,' 'Unmarry' dominate".
41. Showbiz, Manila Standard. (2022-08-09). "Jun Lana’s ‘Big Night!’ in Prime Video Southeast Asia, bags major plums in FAMAS".
42. (2019-09-15). "LIST: All the winners at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019".
43. ""Baler" leads with 13 nominations in 25th Star Awards for Movies".
44. "28th Star Awards for Movies nominees revealed".
45. "Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos compete for Best Actress in 29th Star Awards for Movies".
46. Jimenez, Joyce. "Check out the nominees of the 31st PMPC Star Awards for Movies".
47. Villano, Alexa. (2016-03-06). "FULL LIST: Winners, PMPC Star Awards for Movies 2016".
48. Sunnexdesk. (2016-03-07). "2016 PMPC Star Awards for Movies Winners".
49. "32nd Star Awards for Movies nominees unveiled".
50. Bukas, Leo. (2019-05-18). "Mga nominado sa 35th PMPC Star Awards For Movies inilabas na".
51. Villano, Alexa. (2019-06-03). "FULL LIST: Winners, PMPC Star Awards for Movies 2019".
52. Purnell, Kristofer. "'Firefly,' 'Rewind,' 'Mallari,' 'GomBurZa' lead 40th PMPC Star Awards for Movies nominees".
53. "41st Star Awards for Movies nominees announced".
54. Batislaong, Acer. (2023-04-11). "Here Are The Winners of the First Summer MMFF 2023 Awards".
55. Cruz, Jemima. (2023-04-12). "Summer MMFF 2023: Historic Wins in Filipino Cinema".
56. Asilo, Rito P.. (2019-12-22). "‘Kalel, 15’: Fusion of disturbing themes in must-see HIV drama".
57. "Jun Lana, best director sa Estonia filmfest".
58. Navarro, Mell. (2021-09-19). "Jun Robles Lana's 'Big Night' to premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Europe".
59. "Jun Robles Lana bags award at 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival".
60. Cruz, Marinel. (2022-12-05). "Jun Lana’s psychological thriller wins best film in Estonia festival".
61. (2016-11-03). "Paolo Ballesteros's movie 'Die Beautiful' wins Audience Award in the Tokyo International Film Festival".
62. Festival, Asian Film. (2016-11-03). "Winners of the Tokyo International Film Festival 2016".
63. Jr, Bayani San Diego. (2013-12-04). "Bravo, indie spirit!".
64. Jr, Bayani San Diego. (2014-12-07). "5th Indie Bravo! on Dec. 11 celebrates best of 2014".
65. "Nora Aunor, Eugene Domingo, Eddie Garcia, and others honored at 6th Ani ng Dangal Awards".
66. "NCCA Spearheads Arts Month, Bestows Ani ng Dangal".
67. besguerra. (2015-02-01). "Vilma Santos leads awardees of NCCA’s Ani ng Dangal".
68. Banal, Ruston. (2016-03-02). "Ani ng Dangal Awards: Nora Aunor urges more support for filmmakers".
69. Aguilar, Krissy. (2020-02-26). "Judy Ann Santos, Alden Richards among NCCA’s Ani ng Dangal awardees".
70. (2021-08-14). "Dingdong Dantes, Cristine Reyes lead NCCA’s Ani ng Dangal awardees".