Filmmaking is often associated with glamour, but behind the camera, actors navigate pressures that few audiences ever see. For performers tackling sensitive or traumatic roles, the emotional demands can be intense, and until recently, the industry relied on a “grin and bear it” approach. While safety officers have long protected physical well-being, mental and emotional health often went unguarded.
That is changing. Productions committed to authenticity are redefining ethical filmmaking, insisting that a film’s beauty extend beyond the screen to the well-being of everyone who brings it to life.
The Experts Behind the Scenes
Leading this shift on one of the year’s most anticipated independent films, The Garden of Earthly Delights, are psychologist Rainier Ladic and intimacy coordinator Missy Maramara.
Ladic, a clinical psychologist, previously worked as a behavioral therapist for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. On set, he serves as a “psychological safety officer,” developing protocols to support actors’ mental well-being. “I see my role as a security officer for their psychological safety,” he says.
Maramara, a veteran actress, acting coach, and president of the Theater Actors Guild, ensures that sensitive and intimate scenes are handled with consent, respect, and emotional awareness. Trained internationally, she adapted best practices to the Filipino setting, carefully navigating cultural nuances and communication barriers on a multicultural set.
A Story Rooted in Reality
Directed by Morgan Knibbe, The Garden of Earthly Delights is an international collaboration between the Netherlands, the Philippines, and Belgium. Set in Manila, it follows eleven-year-old Ginto, a streetwise scavenger who dreams of becoming a gangster, whose path collides with Michael, a disillusioned Dutch tourist.
The story confronts viewers with a stark reality: the collision of Western wealth and postcolonial poverty. To achieve authenticity, Knibbe cast non-professional actors, including street-cast children whose lives mirrored the characters they played. This raw approach made ethical and psychological safeguards essential.
Psychological Safety on Set
For Ladic, preparation began months before filming. He assessed the children and their families, implemented behavioral training, and conducted emotional readiness programs, including art therapy and self-regulation exercises.
On set, his role expanded to real-time intervention: monitoring emotional well-being, coaching children, guiding parents, and bridging communication gaps between the local cast and foreign crew. After filming, Ladic led de-rolling sessions to help the young actors separate from their characters and transition back to daily life, extending support to the crew as well.
Intimacy with Care
Maramara’s work ensured that intimate or sensitive scenes were approached ethically. She introduced the Five Pillars of Intimacy: Context, Consent, Communication, Choreography, and Closure. Workshops with the cast, crew, and parents emphasized that consent is ongoing, not a one-time formality.
During filming, she was present on set to guide choreography, maintain boundaries, and debrief actors afterward. Her work was especially critical when child actors froze or withdrew consent, requiring sensitive mediation and emotional processing in collaboration with Ladic.
A Blueprint for the Industry
The Garden of Earthly Delights proves that psychological and emotional safety can coexist with uncompromising artistry. Ladic’s methods are now informing additional projects, while Maramara’s contextualized approach demonstrates how intimacy coordination can scale in the Philippines.
Their work highlights an urgent reality: mental and emotional safety is no longer optional. Just as productions safeguard physical health, on-set psychologists and intimacy coordinators should become industry standards. Protecting the people behind the camera ensures the integrity of the work on screen.
The Garden of Earthly Delights screens in the Before Midnight category at the 13th QCinema International Film Festival until November 23 at Gateway, Eastwood, Trinoma, Fisher Mall, Cloverleaf, and Robinson’s Galleria.
