'Sunshine' director Antoinette Jadaone reveals original ending for Maris Racal starrer

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Sunshine.

In the 2024 drama Sunshine, Maris Racal's character closed her story with an empowering move for herself. But did you know that’s far from the ending that director Antoinette Jadaone initially thought of?

That's what the filmmaker shared in the second episode of The Generations Podcast, where she talked about the making of her hit movie.

Sunshine tells the story of a young gymnast whose preparation for national tryouts gets upended after discovering she’s pregnant. Following a series of events, the film concludes with her getting an abortion and competing in an international gymnastics competition, as her family and coaches cheer her on.

"This wasn't supposedly the original ending of Sunshine. It was a very different ending," Jadaone shared in the interview. "The first draft ending was pinanganak niya 'yung bata. Umuwi 'yung nanay niya galing Canada at pinagalitan siya at minake sure na ipapanganak niya 'yung bata."

"Tapos 'yung last eksena sa pelikula ay nanonood siya ng Olympics—'yung mismong event niya. Tapos hawak-hawak niya 'yung bata. Umiiyak 'yung bata, sobrang ingay. 'Yung routine na ginagawa niya, iba na 'yung gumawa. Umiiyak siya tapos wala siyang pakialam doon sa anak niya. Alam mong hindi siya ready maging nanay," she continued.

Jadaone said that she came up with this ending as she wanted to point out how Racal's character was not ready to be a mother.

"Kaso nung binasa ko siya at pinabasa ko siya sa mga tao, parang na-realize ko, parang mali. Unang-una, baka maging iba 'yung interpretation ng ibang tao, especially ng mga conservatives na sasabihin, 'Oh, at least ipinanganak niya. Pwede naman siyang mangarap ulit," she said.

"Hindi 'yun. Sobrang iba. Tapos parang na-realize ko, 'Oo nga 'no?' Ang daming nagsabi sa'kin, 'Teh, huwag mo naman gawin 'yun kay Sunshine,'" she added.