Early life and acting career

Guillen studied at St. Theresa's College, Cebu City

St. Theresa's College, Cebu City

St. Theresa's College, Cebu City, Philippines, is a Catholic institution of learning founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 1, 1933 upon the invitation of Monsignor Gabriel Reyes, then Archbishop of Cebu....

, before working on a Masters in Mass Communication at Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo de Manila University

The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...

, followed by a television production course under Nestor Torre, in 1967. She then began work as an actress, starring in productions of Mrs. Warren's Profession

Mrs. Warren's Profession

Mrs Warren's Profession is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893. The story centers on the relationship between Mrs Kitty Warren, a brothel owner, described by the author as "on the whole, a genial and fairly presentable old blackguard of a woman" and her daughter, Vivie...

, before crossing over to film and television work, playing a seductress in Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang

Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang

Weighed But Found Wanting is a 1974 Filipino drama film by Lino Brocka, starring Christopher De Leon, Hilda Koronel, Lolita Rodriguez and Eddie Garcia.-Plot:The story begins with a flashback of Kuala's past...

, and Corazon Aquino

Corazon Aquino

Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...

 in the drama A Dangerous Life

A Dangerous Life

A Dangerous Life is a 1988 English-language Australian film about the final years of the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos' rule, from the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1983 to the People Power EDSA Revolution in 1986 that ousted Marcos...

, In 2009 she accepted a role in the indie film Karera, her first role in an independent production. Other credits include in the film Sister Stella L and Moral.

Directing career

A protege of Lino Brocka

Lino Brocka

Catalino Ortiz Brocka is known as one of the greatest film directors of the Philippines. Brocka was openly homosexual and many of his films incorporated LGBT themes into their often dramatic storylines....

, Guillen began her first major work as a director with Init sa Magdamag. In 1984 she directed Salome, which was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival

Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...

 and described as "the kind of cinematic discovery that single-handedly justifies the festival's existence". Ipagpatawad Mo was also directed by Guillen, as was Dahil Mahal Kita: The Dolzura Cortez Story in 1993, before her retirement from filmmaking. Dedicating herself to the Marian movement, Guillen made pilgrimages to churches and cathedrals throughout the Philippines with her husband, believing that Mary

Mary (mother of Jesus)

Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...

 had called on her to experience a spiritual renewal. By 1998 she was thinking about returning to filmmaking, and following a good reception of Ipagpatawad Mo by a group of priests, who encouraged her to back into filmmaking, along with an appearance on Kris Aquino

Kris Aquino

Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino , commonly known as Kris Aquino, is a Filipino television and movie personality who gained prominence from her talk shows, game shows, and numerous endorsements. Known as the Queen of All Media and Philippines' Queen of Talk, she is the youngest daughter of...

's talk show, she did so.

Her first new production was Tanging Yaman, released in 2001, which won several awards at the Metro Manila Film Festival

Metro Manila Film Festival

upright|thumb|320px|Metro Manila Film Festival Official LogoThe Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines is the annual film festival held in Manila...

. Following 2002's American Adobo, Guillen directed Santa Santita

Santa Santita

Santa Santita, or Magdalena, The Unholy Saint, is a 2004 Filipino film starring Angelica Panganiban and Jericho Rosales, directed by Laurice Guillen. The film follows Malen, the daughter of an intercessor, her love affair with a hustler and gigolo, and her confrontation of the evil within her life...

in 2004, which represented the Philippines at the Bangkok International Film Festival

Bangkok International Film Festival

The Bangkok International Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to film screenings, seminars, gala events and the Golden Kinnaree Awards.-First years:...

. In 2006 she was awarded the Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi by Ateneo de Manila University for services to the Arts. In 2009 she directed I Love You Goodbye

I Love You Goodbye

I Love You Goodbye is the first track on the fourth Thomas Dolby album Astronauts & Heretics. It was the second of three singles to be released from the album and reached #36 in the UK singles chart in July 1992....

, following it up with Sa Yo Lamang in 2010, starring Lorna Tolentino

Lorna Tolentino

Victoria Lorna Aluquin-Fernandez, better known as Lorna Tolentino , is a Filipina actress, host, executive producer and widow of actor Rudy Fernandez. Together, they bore two sons named Ralph and Renz.She was born on December 23, 1961 in Concepcion, Tarlac and later moved to Manila...

. As well as working as a director, Guillen also served as Chief Exeutive Officer of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, before her appointment was unexpectedly not renewed in 2005. After breaking away from the previous Filipino directors guild due to a desire for reform, Guillen helped found the Directors Guild of the Philippines, resigning on March 26, 2001 due to her feeling that this reform had not been carried out.

Personal life

Guillen was married to Johnny Delgado

Johnny Delgado

Johnny Delgado , born Juan Marasigan Feleo, was an award-winning Filipino television and movie actor and writer....

, with whom she had several daughters, including actress Ina Feleo. Following his diagnosis with lymphoma

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...

, Delgado died in November 2009.