Andoy Ranay admitted he is happy to hang up his director hat while shooting the film Broken Hearts Trip in various locations in the country. 

Andoy is more popularly known for his work behind the camera in top-rated ABS-CBN shows like Senior High, Dirty Linen, and The Broken Marriage Vow. 

“It’s fun. It’s like coming home because I am a theater actor. Hindi niyo rin naitatanong, nagsimula ako bilang talent dati nung 1990s. Nag-ta-talent ako nun. Dun ako nagsimula na gusto ko maging direktor balang araw kasi ayaw nila akong kunan kagad," he shared during the Broken Hearts Trip presscon held earlier this month. 

"Kasi nga talent lang naman ako di ba? So dun ako nagkaroon ng batas ng api moment na balang araw magiging director ako, ganun (laughs). So it’s like coming home. Good thing because this year I went back to acting for theater,” he added. 

READ: Director Andoy Ranay is proud of the legacy of ‘The Broken Marriage Vow’: ‘Yung pagtaas ng standard ng paggawa ng isang teleserye’

In Broken Hearts Trip, Andoy plays the role of an advertising executive named Alex who gets his heart broken after finding out his partner was cheating on him. He then ends up joining a travel reality show along with other similar individuals who are given a chance to heal in some of the most beautiful places in the country. 

Even if the film is LGBTQIA+-themed, Andoy reassured that everyone watching will be able to relate to their story. 

“Universal naman ang heartbreaks. Lahat naman tayo nasassktan. Walang gender ang heartbreak. So ito, kung anong experiences ng characters namin na nagkaroong ng heartbreaks, na-experience 'yun for sure ng ibang gender. Meaning, makaka-relate sila at ma-a-identify nila na ganun din sila sa boyfriend nila sabi ng babae," he said. 

"Because i’s all about love and it’s all about heartbreaks. So universal naman 'yung kuwento. Ito nga may family pa. Ang maganda dito, diverse 'yung kuwento. Hindi lang basta sa nilokong bading, hindi lang sa ganun eh," he added.

He went on: "I would also like to commend the writers for writing different types of LGBTQIA in that community na nag-re-represent dito sa kuwento. Hindi lang sa straight pumapatol or sa bading lang pumapatol. At least dito maiintindihan pa lalo ng mga tao, lalo na 'yung mga hindi pa nakakaintindi kung ano ba y'ung LGBTQIA, kung ano ba ito, sino ba sila, ano ba ang transgender? Paano sila magmahal at masaktan. It’s the same. Tao rin kami (laughs)."

As one of the eight major film entries that made it into the MMFF this year, Andoy said he and the rest of their team are very proud of their project. 

“I think it’s also because of the diversity of the casting because the casting is itself is very diverse and hindi siya yung the usual. Hindi naman kami sikat. Hindi naman ako si Vice Ganda. The usual na nakukuha ay 'yung mga malalaking artists," he said. 

"But this time, I believe the MMDA kasi di ba sila yung namili? And yung ibang mga tao, siguro diversity rin nung mga films na kasama dahil it’s a festival 'di ba? Iba’t ibang klase, iba’t ibang putahe. At saka pasko. Merong maihahandog ang Metro Manila Film Festival na for LGBT," he added. 

"Meron tayong pelikula para sa inyo sa pasko, parang ganun. Para nagiging inclusive naman sila. So I believe isa yun sa dahilan kung bakit napili ang Broken Hearts Trip,” he continued. 

Broken Hearts Trip also stars Christian Bables, Teejay Marquez, Iyah Mina, and Petite. 

Written by Archie Del Mundo and produced by Benjie Cabrera, Omar Tolentino, Power Up Workpool Inc., BMC Films, and Smart Film, Broken Hearts Trip is part of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival starting December 25 in cinemas nationwide.