Why does John Lloyd Cruz like working with Lav Diaz? Observers note that the 39-year-old matinee idol underwent a remarkable transformation as an actor when he played Hollanda — a gay character in Diaz's Ang Babaeng Humayo, which also marked Charo Santos' return to acting. The film won the Golden Lion, the highest prize at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival in 2016.

In the same year, Diaz released Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, where Cruz played the El Filibusterismo character Isagani, who figured in long scenes with another heartthrob, Piolo Pascual (as Simoun/Crisostomo Ibarra). The film won the Silver Bear (second prize) at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival — whose jury head, Meryl Streep, famously referred to Diaz: "This film. This guy. He changed the molecule system in my body."

In 2021, Cruz starred as Hernando, a bodabil ventriloquist and ex-socialist cadre in Diaz's Historya ni Ha, which won Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruz at the Young Critics' Circle.

The Cruz-Diaz collaboration continues this year with Servando Magdamag — an eight-episode TV series based on National Artist for Literature Ricky Lee's short story of the same title, and whose full version is the film Isang Salaysay ng Karahasang Pilipino, in which Cruz plays Servando Monzon III, heir to a hacienda with a violent history at the beginning of the Marcos regime.

Now comes project no. 5 with Diaz, Kapag Wala nang Mga Alon— with Cruz as Police Lieutenant Hermes Papauran, a top investigator who witnesses the drug war — which will have its second Philippine screening on 26 November, 1 p.m. at Gateway Cineplex as part of the 10th QCinema.