Yahoo Lifestyle Manila Love Motel Sets Scene for Anthology Series at Taiwan Creative Content Fest
Philippines filmmaker Joel Ruiz and producer Maria Madonna Tarrayo are pitching their anthology series “Love at 310” at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF), bringing an intimate look at relationships through stories set in a Manila love motel.
“All the stories in ‘Love at 310’ are inspired by real stories from people in my life,” says Ruiz, whose previous film “How She Left Me” topped Netflix charts. “What happens between couples when they are naked, when they are completely vulnerable, when there is nowhere to hide?”
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The series aims to break new ground in addressing sexuality in Asian media. “Asian culture is very reserved when it comes to sexuality, but it is such a huge part of relationships,” Ruiz notes. “We need to be able to talk about it and embrace it.”
Tarrayo, president and CEO of Philippines production house UXS, sees the project as filling a gap in current programming. “I haven’t seen a series that looks at the rawness and honesty of love, sex and relationships,” she says. “As a producer, I invest in stories that are authentic, relatable and universal. ‘Love at 310’ is exactly that because you meet all these characters in your daily life and you share their truths. And just like these characters you are intrigued about the lives they lead behind closed doors. I believe it is time that we shed our inhibitions about sex and the realities that surround it.”
The creative team includes award-winning writer Fatrick Tabada (“Chedeng and Apple”). Production is planned for the second quarter of 2025 with a targeted fourth-quarter release. At TCCF, the team seeks international co-production partners to bring the anthology to global audiences.
UXS, known for producing award-winning films like “100” and “The Woman in the Septic Tank,” brings substantial experience in both local and international productions to the project.
“We hope to meet the right partners to bring this story out into the world,” says Ruiz, who describes the series as exploring how “terrifying, wonderful, ugly, exhilarating, exhausting, and hilarious love really is.”
“The series teaches us to confront these emotions and not be constrained by it,” adds Tarrayo.
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