There’s an Antoinette Jadaone Heroine in All of Us

Filipino filmmaker and director Antoinette Jadaone is known for stories that spark conversations, win awards, and shape Filipino culture. From That Thing Called Tadhana to Never Not Love You and now Sunshine, her films have consistently centered women—flawed, relatable, and fiercely complex.

As her latest film hits cinemas, we look back at the unforgettable women who’ve anchored her stories and stirred something real in all of us.

RELATED: 4 Times Maris Racal’s Sunshine Trailer Got Real on Women’s Struggles

Christine Lazaro

Alone/Together (2019) introduces Christine Lazaro, a magna cum laude art studies graduate played by Liza Soberano. Once idealistic and full of purpose, she loses her way after becoming entangled in a work scandal. Estranged from her passions and the man she once loved, she must rebuild her identity and career—and reclaim her love for art on her own terms.

Joanne Candelaria

In Never Not Love You (2018), Nadine Lustre gives a multi-awarded performance as Joanne Candeliara, a woman who navigates the tightrope between love and ambition. Torn between staying with her passionate boyfriend in London and pursuing her career in Manila, Joanne wrestles with the complex realities of sacrifice, distance, and growing up.

Mika

Julia Barretto plays Mika, an eccentric woman who sets out on a road trip to find aliens—and to find the meaning of the universe. Titled Love You to the Stars and Back (2017), the film goes on a literal and emotional road trip, where she meets a terminally ill boy who offers her unexpected companionship. Through him, Mika learns that connection and purpose can be found even in life’s most painful detours.

Estelle Suarez

In Beauty in a Bottle (2014), Estelle Suarez, played by Angelica Panganiban, becomes the face of a beauty brand that promises transformation. But as the satirical film unravels, so does Estelle—caught between the societal demand to look perfect and the emotional toll of trying to stay youthful in a society obsessed with appearances.

Mace Castillo

Panganiban returns as Mace Castillo in That Thing Called Tadhana (2014) a woman nursing heartbreak as she returns to the Philippines. What begins as a spontaneous road trip with a stranger turns into a journey of emotional release. Amid the misty mountains of Baguio and Sagada, Mace slowly begins to find herself again.

Chinggay Villanueva

The Achy Breaky Hearts (2016) centers around Chinggay Villanueva, played by Jodi Sta. Maria, a woman in her 30s who’s been single for seven years. Torn between a man from her past and a new love in her present, she’s forced to confront the expectations around marriage and the deeper truth: that the love she truly needs might not come from anyone else, but from herself.

Jane

In Fan Girl (2020), Charlie Dizon plays Jane, an impressionable teenager obsessed with her matinee idol. What starts as an adventure quickly turns into a harrowing awakening. Stripped of fantasy, Jane realizes the painful truth: sometimes, meeting your heroes means shattering the illusion entirely.

Lilia Cuntapay

Played by the Philippine horror icon herself, Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay (2011) follows the story of the bit player, known for portraying ghosts in countless Filipino films. As she prepares for her first-ever acting award nomination, she reveals a quiet longing: to be seen beyond her bit roles and heard beyond her signature scream. Through this mockumentary, Jadaone paints a portrait of a woman aching to be recognized on her own terms.

Sunshine

Then comes Sunshine (2024), where Maris Racal embodies the titular character—a soft-spoken yet determined gymnast training for the Olympics. Just as her dream inches closer, she learns she’s pregnant. Faced with limited options and a test of her morals, she must confront her hardships head-on to pursue her Olympic dream.

Antoinette Jadaone’s heroines reflect real Filipino experiences—whether in love, career, or society. They’re messy, honest, flawed, and empowering in their own right.  And with Sunshine continuing this legacy, the director reminds us that women’s stories, especially those left unspoken, deserve to be front and center.

Catch Sunshine in SM Cinemas now—and witness another unforgettable woman take the spotlight.

Featured Image: VIVA FILMS, PROJECT 8 PROJECTS (via YouTube), AMAZON PRIME

Moira Del Rosario

Digital Content Writer

Once immersed in fictional writing at UP Diliman, Moira del Rosario eventually traded imagined worlds for the fast-paced landscape of digital media as a Digital Content Writer for MEGA Asia, covering women’s stories across the region alongside the latest in beauty.

They spotlight women shaping culture today through profiles, exclusive features, and roundups on Asian representation at global fashion events. They also write about beauty through a growing lens—covering makeup, skincare, wellness, nails, and fragrance with curiosity and a strong eye for emerging trends.

Having worked in digital media for years, Moira is drawn to stories that beg to be unraveled—from the ever-changing landscape of pop culture and the inner workings of beauty to queer voices that deserve to be seen, celebrated, and championed.

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