What began as a rejected film entry for the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival is now a compelling standalone digital series on Puregold Channel. Si Sol at Si Luna, written and directed by Dolly Dulu—celebrated for The Boy Foretold by the Stars and Love Beneath the Stars—has found new life beyond the festival circuit.
The project was originally selected among the top 16 entries for CinePanalo but ultimately didn’t make the final cut. Still, the story’s potential didn’t go unnoticed.
Puregold Channel saw something special in Dulu’s script and decided to develop it into a full digital series—an opportunity that transformed what seemed like a setback into a creative breakthrough.
For Direk Dolly, Si Sol at Si Luna had long faced rejection before finally landing where it belonged.
Direk Dolly initially felt dejected. “Siyempre nalungkot ako sa rejection ng CinePanalo. Naniniwala ako na maganda ang script namin kaya masakit na hindi siya natanggap. Sabi ko noon, mukhang last hurrah na ng film dahil ang dami na niyang pinagdaanang mga festivals, mga sinalihan na muntik nang magawa, pero hindi pa rin magawa-gawa. Kaya sabi ko, siguro ipa-park ko na lang muna ang script na ito.”
In time, however, Direk Dolly restored her faith in the story of Si Sol at si Luna. “May bitter moments din, but given enough processing . . . bumalik ang paniwala ko na things happen for a reason; whatever is meant to be, will be. Take your loss with grace. Inisip ko rin na hindi ito ang end game ng Si Sol at si Luna.”
True enough, the well-crafted narrative of heartache, grief, healing, and love’s many incarnations stood out so strongly that the festival organizers decided to move forward with the project, but in a different form. Si Sol at si Luna was greenlit as a weekly digital series, allowing the story to expand and unfold over time, and making beautiful cinematography accessible to a larger audience.
When asked what changed in her creative approach, Direk Dolly disclosed that the movie version was a slow-burn story. Changes were made to make the narrative more apt for a series, which requires a hook in each episode to keep viewers wanting for more.
“In a way, ganoon pa rin ang series maski marami kaming binago. For example, dapat there is more conflict dahil requirement ‘yon ng series. Kailangan, mayroon kang binabalik-balikan, pero may overarching conflict pa rin ang kuwento na dapat i-resolve.”
According to Direk Dolly, it helped that Si Sol at si Luna had many side characters and turning it into a series meant enhancing and exploring the stories and conflicts of these characters. “Na-excite ako, pero naging malaki ang change.”
When asked how she handled rejection from Puregold CinePanalo, Direk Dolly gave very helpful advice. “You have to give yourself time to grieve. Kinailangan kong tanggapin na hindi ako natanggap, at sa pagtanggap nito, makaka-let go ka at makaka-move forward. Kung hindi, you will become bitter. Masaya rin ako kasi marami akong kaibigang nakapasok sa CinePanalo.”
Rejection, Direk Dolly asserts, deepens character. “Kailangan natin ng rejection at redirection bilang filmmaker. It takes a lot of tenacity, willpower, and processing to convert what you’re feeling into something more positive. Pero sa totoong buhay, ang pagtanggap natin sa rejection deepens our character, makes us more driven, and makes us more hungry for our story to be told. Kung naniniwala ka sa sarili mo, sa story mo, hindi mo siya dapat sukuan.”
And because Direk Dolly did not give up on Si Sol at si Luna, the story is now making waves in the entertainment landscape for its enchanting cinematography and rich narrative.
Now streaming on the Puregold Channel on YouTube, the show stars Zaijan Jaranilla as Sol, a film student determined to make a documentary about love, despite never having experienced it himself.
This journey changes drastically when Sol notices Luna, portrayed by Jane Oineza, quietly crying on a bus—an encounter that leaves a lasting impression on Jaranilla’s character.
Direk Dolly notes how the episodic format gave the story more room to breathe: “It became more intimate and more real.”
Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad notes how this redirection seems like the right choice for the series. “The decision to turn Si Sol at si Luna into a digital series is proving successful, as we see how the story has generated strong interest from viewers, with many YouTube commenters expressing their anticipation and appreciation of the narrative. We always believed that Si Sol at si Luna will touch and heal a lot of hearts.”
The series’ pilot episode, “Babae sa Bus,” opened the complex love story with Sol musing about a love that seems impossible—like the sun and the moon ever meeting. He then met the grieving Luna, who he was instantly drawn to in a way he could not explain.
In the next episode, “New Management,” we’ll find out if Sol would find the courage to speak to the woman who has moved him so deeply.
What will Sol and Luna discover as their story unfolds?
Don’t miss a single moment! Catch the next episode of Si Sol at si Luna on Saturday, June 7, on the Puregold Channel on YouTube.
CinemaBravo 
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