Behind the Spell: Emille Joson's bold casting in 'Adivino'

At just 19 years old, Emille Joson made waves at the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival with her psychological horror short, Adivino — a genre-defying project that would cement her status as a visionary filmmaker and earn her the nickname “the Filipina Argento.” Representing the Asia Pacific Film Institute in the Student Short Film category, Joson’s directorial debut became a breakout hit, winning awards internationally and capturing the attention of both horror enthusiasts and Hollywood celebrities in the wake of the global #MeToo movement.

The film centers on a con-artist fortune teller who must reckon with death after a series of deceptive readings. But beyond the chilling narrative, it was Joson’s casting choices that drew critical attention. Eschewing big-name stars in favor of her film school classmates and seasoned crew members, Joson made a deliberate artistic decision that paid off.

“I wanted to maintain a sense of narrative danger,” Joson explained. “If audiences see A-listers, they assume they’re safe. I wanted to break that expectation.” By casting fresh, unfamiliar faces and bringing in respected industry veterans like ABS-CBN’s Ludwig Peralta as cinematographer and editor, she created a film that looked like a mainstream production while preserving narrative unpredictability.

The lead role of the fortune teller went to Joson’s classmate and close friend Sarah Olano, whom she envisioned as a beautiful mestiza with an "aura of complexity." This casting wasn’t just aesthetic — it was symbolic. The character’s beauty functioned as both a narrative tool for manipulation and a critique of the Philippines’ colonial mentality and obsession with foreign features.

"Adivino was on another level," Olano recalled. "This wasn’t glam horror — it was raw. The blood wasn’t sexy; it was disturbing. And it needed to be." A real-life encounter with a fake fortune teller gave Olano a personal anchor for the role, adding depth and authenticity to her performance.

Supporting roles went to Annalyn Navasero, who Joson first noticed on ABS-CBN, and fellow student Santino Del Castillo. Navasero played the innocent client, a stand-in for young people idolizing false heroes — a reference to the rise of political fanaticism. Del Castillo portrayed a self-righteous antagonist, symbolizing how morality can be twisted into a tool for abuse and control.

With its sharp social commentary, daring cast, and studio-quality execution, Adivino became the most expensive student short film ever made in the Philippines — and the only one of its kind to push the boundaries of horror storytelling with such fearless ambition.