THE INTERVIEW
June, 2026
MIGUEL S. REGAL
DIRECTORS OF NNC
BEST ENSEMBLE
Miguel, tell us a bit more about yourself. Where does your desire to be a director come from?
I am a lawyer and filmmaker. I have been an avid fan of cinema ever since my mother brought me to a theater when I was five years old. As I grew older, my parents introduced me to a wide range of movies and filmmakers—from Alfred Hitchcock to George Lucas.
What is your background?
Well, I have been practicing law since 2011. In 2019, I had the opportunity to pursue one of my passions – filmmaking. So I took a break and paused my law practice for about a year and went to film school. Since then, I have been involved in different projects while simultaneously continuing my legal practice.
What were your references for NNC?
“NNC” was inspired by the socio-political milieu that existed in the Philippines during the mid-2010s. The story serves as my commentary on how Philippine politics and social media experienced a paradigm shift during 2015 / 2016. NNC, the fictional network company, represents an amalgamation of all the political pundits, vloggers, and influencers of that era. Regarding the visual style, I studied several films to figure out how to shoot “NNC”: David Fincher’s The Social Network, Adam McKay’s The Big Short, and Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men.
Debby Gerber won an Award – BEST ENSEMBLE at the RED Movie Awards, what does that mean to you?
I have not worked with Debby Gerber yet, and I congratulate her on winning an award. If you are referring to “NNC”‘s cast who won the Best Ensemble Award for the Red Movie Awards’ Spring Edition, I would say that I am extremely proud of all of them. I had a wonderful time working with the cast. It was actually my first time working with veteran actors and actresses. I first saw the entire cast together during the table read. I must admit that I was nervous and intimidated in the beginning. However, as soon as we completed our first read-through, I immediately felt assured that they would give excellent performances. Each cast member certainly deserves the award.
What was the most challenging scene for the actors emotionally, and why?
The board meeting scene. This meeting featured monologues and arguments which necessitated emotional shifts from the cast. It also took multiple takes, as I needed different shots and angles. Ultimately, I felt that the cast had to portray a wide range of emotions at different intensities throughout the shoot.
How did the chemistry between the principal cast evolve throughout production?
It only took one read-through for me to know that I had made the correct casting choices. In fact, I only had one or two notes. So, it was no surprise that the entire shoot went smoothly. We actually finished ahead of schedule!
The conflict between financial reality and public perception is central to the film. Why was this theme important for you to explore?
I wanted to explore the sad fact that public figures/entities sometimes compromise truth and integrity in exchange for financial/monetary considerations. I sought to feature the harsh reality that disinformation/misinformation, fake news, and black propaganda can alter the history of an entire nation if a person or an entity is powerful and influential enough to convince a large sector of society. I also wanted to discuss the theme of media evolution. Sometimes, a cultural evolution can produce socio-political regression instead of actually improving the lives of ordinary people.
As both a filmmaker and a lawyer, did your legal background influence the way you approached the screenplay?
Yes, I hoped to portray characters that sounded and appeared authentic. My goal was to make the interactions between characters look natural and faithful to practices and procedures under Philippine corporate law. My challenge was to portray the emotional intensity needed for certain scenes even if these feature a lot of legalese and corporate jargon.
Do you have an anecdote to share with us in particular?
My friends from film school and I are big fans of “Sabagay Life,” a Filipino comedy mini-series. Two of our “NNC” cast members, Brian Sy and Kate Alejandrino-Juan, also star in that series. Additionally, NNC is the first project I have ever submitted to international film festivals.
What is your next project?
For now, I’ll be directing the Manila unit for a short film that my friend in Toronto, Ryan Puzzle Termoso, is making.