Mandala Productions expands with intent, focused not on scale but on choosing the right markets, collaborators, and stories.
With more than two decades of global production experience, Mandala has established itself as a production services provider, co-producer, and collaborator across international formats. That foundation now extends further into original content development, anchored by a strengthened creative team and continued presence in key global markets.
A central development in this phase is the addition of director Ianco de la Cruz into Mandala’s creative fold, contributing to a growing slate of original intellectual properties across docu-series, short films, and feature-length projects.
Ianco brings two decades of directing experience in advertising, having created some of the most recognized and emotionally resonant television commercials for a global fast-food brand. His work is defined by clarity, pace, and an ability to connect with audiences through story and precision. He now brings that discipline into long-form storytelling, strengthening Mandala’s ability to translate ideas into precise, finished work across formats.
“I was a writer at heart, cranking out screenplays and TV scripts,” Ianco shares. “It was a writing gig that landed me my first TVC. I had written the copy, but the director backed out, and I got asked to step in. I said yes, and things just snowballed from there.”
What began as an unexpected transition evolved into a sustained career shaped by the discipline of advertising.
“I wasn’t planning on becoming a director. But the professionalism and pace of advertising hooked me. Films take months from prep to post, but TVCs wrap in weeks. I thought I’d try a few projects, but here I am 20 years later.”
His integration into Mandala marks a deliberate move to bridge film and advertising. The approach combines narrative depth with structural efficiency, allowing stories to be both emotionally grounded and sharply executed.
“A good story is the backbone of every film,” he notes. “Whether it’s a movie, a series, a commercial, or a documentary, the story is key. Every subject has something to say. The work is in how we translate that into something audiences can connect with.”
The collaboration is built on long-standing familiarity and aligned vision.
“I’ve been a friend of Mandala since the beginning,” Ianco adds. “I’ve always admired the projects they’ve produced. Bringing a client-facing perspective, combined with the discipline of advertising, offers a different lens in shaping and delivering stories.”
For Mandala, this is not a shift. It is a continuation.
Founder and Producer Johanna Kirsten Lagman, together with business partner Amelia Perez, continue to lead with a focus on sustained collaboration and purposeful development. The direction remains consistent: to build projects grounded in lived experience while remaining accessible to global audiences.
Bring local stories to the world. Make global stories relatable.
This expansion unfolds alongside Mandala’s continued participation in international markets, including its recent presence at Hong Kong Filmart.
Filmart provided a platform to align with producers, territories, and incentive frameworks that support cross-border production. For the first time, Mandala participated as a unified team, reinforcing its approach to industry engagement. The focus remains on building strategic alliances, co-production partnerships, and long-term cooperation with like-minded companies and territories.
Mandala now operates as both partner and originator, presenting its slate while engaging with new collaborators across regions. This dual position reflects a clear understanding: content requires structure, partnership, and a defined path to execution.
Ianco echoes this direction.
“The world has become smaller. There’s no reason to stay closed off creatively. There’s so much to learn from different people and cultures. The work now is to keep growing and continue sharing.”
He also recognizes the shift in audience behavior.
“Stories today are faster and always within reach. The challenge is not just to capture attention, but to sustain it. The opportunity is in creating work that holds people.”
Mandala’s response remains measured. Rather than follow trends, the company continues to build with intention. Its slate reflects projects developed over time, shaped by real encounters, and refined through years of working across cultures and formats.
At its core, Mandala remains a team built on alignment.
From its earliest years, the company has operated through long-standing collaboration, evolving into a network that moves across regions while maintaining a consistent internal structure.
This is not expansion for visibility. It is expansion through selection.
Chosen waters.
Projects are developed with consideration for who they are made with, where they are produced, and how they are sustained beyond completion. Partnerships are built with the understanding that alignment is developed over time.
Mandala continues to operate globally while deepening its commitment to original content. The addition of Ianco de la Cruz reinforces this direction, strengthening the bridge between concept and execution across formats and territories.
Develop stories that matter. Build alliances that endure. Produce work that travels.
Mandala Productions continues to expand across global platforms while aligning with partners who share the same discipline, vision, and intent.
Mandala Productions
Johanna Kirsten Lagman
Founder and Producer
For collaborations and co-production inquiries:
www.teammandala.com
jo************@****ud.com
