For Paul Soriano, entertainment runs in his blood. For three generations, his family has found themselves thrust in an industry of storytelling—from his grandfather, Nestor de Villa’s acting career to his father, Jeric Soriano’s, creativity in the field of advertising. Now, Soriano follows in their footsteps with an award-winning resumé of directorial projects. He also co-founded Ten17P, the production company behind such films as Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis and Siargao, both of which have been awarded accolades in their own right.

Even amid the pandemic, Soriano continued to direct. At the time he worked on Real Life Fiction, a work he considers incredibly personal, The ExorSIS, Arisaka, and My Sassy Girl. Though this seems surprising, knowing Soriano can clear up the rationale behind his decision to keep working. The director, who is also married to actress Toni Gonzaga, is committed. For the 15 years he’s been a director, Soriano continues to learn and thrive, never letting up the opportunity to grow and learn more of his craft.