Malaking factor pala sa pagtanggap ni Judy Ann Santos ng bagong movie nila ni Sam Milby na The Diary of Mrs. Winters ang location shooting nito sa Canada.

Pag-amin ng aktres sa presscon ng pelikula kahapon, kinailangan niyang ihanda ang sarili dahil may trauma pala siya sa snow.

Matataon ang Canada shoot ng cast at production crew sa winter season.

Kaya pag-amin ni Juday, “Takot ako sa lamig. Tinanong nga ako ni Sam nu’ng nag-look-test kami, ‘do you like cold?’ ‘No.’ ‘Do you like snow?’ ‘No.’ Why did you accept this? Exactly!

“Parang more than anything, i prayed for a project that will help me face my fears. I’ll be turning 45 this year and I think it’s the perfect time for me to face my fear of heavy snow and may matindi akong trauma sa snow. Siguro para sa iba, napakababaw nu’ng rason na ‘ano ba naman, ‘yun lang ang rason, napakababaw, sa snow, natatakot?’ Nu’ng bata kasi ako, nu’ng nasa Toronto ako with my mom, ang feeling ko talaga, wala na akong tenga. After that, I was 14 years old since then ayaw ko nang maka-experience ng snow. But then again our children, gustung-gusto nilang maka-experience ng snow. So, I want to, gusto kong ma-surpass ‘yung takot na ‘yon para ma-enjoy namin as family ‘pag nagka-chance na makakita kami ng snow with them, ma-enjoy namin pare-pareho and at the same time, si Ryan (Agoncillo), ano kasi siya, eh, ‘pag may fear siya of something, ano ‘yan, eh, head first. Tatalunin niya talaga.

“Takot siya sa deep water, nag-diving siya. Takot siya sa trailbiking, nagma-mountain biking siya. So na-inspire ako doon na parang pwede palang ganu’n, gawin mo siyang hobby and you face your fear and, you know, you get something out of it.

“So, before I turn 45, parang I want to, with this perfect project, parang napakatanga ko naman kung ‘eto na ‘yung dasal, sinagot na, hihindian ko pa ba? Meron akong mga tao na ibinigay ni Lord sa akin to be comfortable with working in Canada. It’s something na these people will help me conquer my fear and at the same time make me do my work as an actress na sapat at tama.

“So, para sa akin, that’s more than enough reason to enjoy this film even if takot na takot ako sa… ayaw ko munang isipin… kasi ‘pag iniisip ko siya, literal na nilalamig ako, kaya lagi akong may alampay,” mahabang paliwanag ni Juday.

Actually, ang naturang horror-drama thriller film ang reunion nina Sam at Juday matapos ang isang dekada mula nang huli silang magkatrabaho sa teleseryesng Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala.

Unang horror film ni Sam ang The Diary of Mrs. Winters at comeback project din ng box-office director na si Rahyan Carlos.

Isinulat ito ng National Artist for Film at Broadcast na si Ricky Lee kasama si Direk Rahyan.

“When I first started HappyKarga Films with my business partner, Joy Tarce, we knew that we would bank on talents and collaboration both from other film outfits and from the artists. And we couldn’t be more grateful to have found a likeminded individual such as Rechelle Everden of AMP Studios Canada who also believes in the cutting-edge Filipino talent in terms of bringing stories into the big screen,” sabi ni Direk Rahyan.

Ang The Diary of Mrs. Winters ay tungkol sa isang Pinay bio-forensic assistant cleaner sa Canada na si Charity at gagampanan ni Juday, na isinumpa matapos itago ang diary ng isang matandang babae na nag-commit ng suicide.

Maraming kamalasaan ang nangyari sa kanya kabilang ang pagkamatay ng mga mahal sa buhay at ipaglalaban ang kanyang true love, na si Victor na gagampanan ni Sam.

“To say that this is a dream project is an understatement. Not only because of the fact that I will be reuniting with Ricky Lee as this is our second collaboration, but also because we will be joined by Judy Ann and Sam. We are looking forward to work with both of them as we know that they are artists of world-class caliber. This is also the first full-length Filipino film to be shot amidst the panoramic Ontario, Canada,” dagdag pa ni Direk Rahyan.

Produced ng AMP Studios Canada at Happy Karga Films, ang The Diary of Mrs. Winters ay ipapalabas sa 3rd quarter ng 2023 dito sa Pilipinas at abroad.

Kasama rin sa cast sina Liza Diño-Seguerra, Issa Litton, Guji Lorenzana at Robbie Walche.