Writer-director Dante Balboa has lived many lives — from daring sexy star to dedicated professor — and he wouldn’t change a single chapter of it.

Writer-director Dante Balboa (Images courtesy of Facebook)

"Hindi ko pinagsisihan. Sobrang thankful ako sa Seiko Films at sa Bentria Productions sa mga opportunities na ibinigay nila sa akin. We all know the saying that opportunities knock only once. Kapag pinalagpas mo 'yan, hindi mo masasabi na babalik pa 'yun. (I don't regret it. I'm very thankful to Seiko Films and Bentria Productions for the opportunities they gave me. We all know the saying that opportunities knock only once. If you miss that, you can't say it will come back)," said Dante during an interview at the premiere of his directorial job for the film "Graduation Day" held at Trinoma Mall recently.

Before stepping behind the camera, Dante made a name for himself appearing in bold and sexy films. But his ambitions stretched far beyond the screen. He eventually made a pivotal shift into academia, lending his knowledge and experience to students at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the University of Makati, and Far Eastern University. It was in the classroom, he says, where he truly found his calling — convinced that he was born to be a teacher.

"That time, yung mga students ko pa ang nagbibigay ng mga sexy photos mula sa tabloid. Masaya ako na ipinapakita nila sa akin. (At that time, my students were the ones who provided sexy photos from the tabloids. I was happy that they were showing them to me)," he recalled.

Now, Dante channels all of that lived experience into his latest project — the drama film "Graduation Day," starring Jeric Gonzales. The director, who carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who has reinvented himself more than once, revealed that the story draws heavily from his own life, making it a deeply personal work.

"I'm a simple person. Gusto ko yung may maiiwan akong marka. As a writer-director, gusto kong mag-iwan ng pelikulang tatatak. Yung hindi ka mapapahiya sa pelikula mo dahil may kapupulutan ka ng aral. Gusto ko ng mga philosophical movies. (I like movies that leave a mark. As a writer-director, I want to leave a lasting impression. Movies that you won't be ashamed of because they teach you something. I like philosophical movies)," said Dante about his film.

Dante Balboa poses in one of his past sexy movies.

The conversation inevitably turned to one of the more controversial subjects shadowing the local entertainment industry — the string of sex scandals that have plagued a number of Filipino actors in recent years. Dante, who lived through the height of the bold film era, counts himself fortunate that he never found himself at the center of such a controversy during his prime.

"Wala pa naman akong sex scandal. Ang hirap magsalita tungkol diyan kasi ang dami ng actors na nai-involve either sinadya o hindi sinasadya. Mag-iiwan yan ng mantsa. Kahit na ano pa ang gawin mo, nakatatak na 'yan sa'yo. (I've been fortunate enough to avoid a sex scandal. It's a difficult subject to address, given how many actors have been caught up in them — whether by choice or circumstance. Once that happens, it follows you. No matter what comes after, that mark never fully goes away.)"

"Halimbawa may kausap kang tao, yung kausap mo, at the back of his mind, maaalala nila na involve ka sa scandal. Sa pictures naman, yung mga lumabas noon, hindi ko naman sinasadya kasi sumama sila sa advocacy project ko. Proud naman ako sa looks ko. At artistic naman ang mga shots ko. If you have it, flaunt it. (Take any conversation — no matter how ordinary — and somewhere in the other person's mind, that scandal will always surface. It becomes the lens through which people see you. As for the photos that circulated, Dante is unapologetic: they were never meant to be scandalous, but were taken as part of an advocacy project. He owns his appearance with pride, viewing those images not as something shameful, but as artistic expressions of confidence)," Dante added.

The cast of 'Graduation Day.' From left: actor Jeric Gonzales, veteran actress Elizabeth Oropesa, Engr. Benjie Austria, and writer-director Dante Balboa.

Drawing on his own experience navigating the murky waters of the bold film industry, Dante offered candid and measured advice for male actors — particularly those currently active in the sexy film scene or entangled in scandal.

"Damage has been done. Dalawa lang naman ‘yan eh. Sinadya at hindi sinadya. Kung victim ka, wala kang kasalanan. Ang gawin mo, idemanda mo yung mga taong sumira sa pagkatao mo. Kung sinadya mo naman ‘yon, pangatawanan mo. Be intelligent enough to reason out kung bakit mo yun ginawa. (The damage is done — but at the end of the day, it really comes down to just two things: whether it was intentional or not. If you were a victim, the fault is not yours to carry. Stand up for yourself and go after the people who tore your reputation apart. But if you choose to do it willingly, then own it. Have the intelligence and the courage to explain your reasons)," the director added.