Fans may check with their favorite theaters for ticket prices and screening schedule.
Based on the best-selling novel by Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. “Delia created a classic, timeless story with this book,” says the film’s director, Olivia Newman. “A romance, an underdog story, a murder mystery, a criminal trial, with a distinctive setting that lends to the drama and scope. We wanted to honor that with a faithful adaptation.”
Today’s announcement of the sneaks by Columbia Pictures coincides with the milestone that Where the Crawdads Sing has just achieved last week — the film has crossed the $100 million benchmark globally. The gripping drama has now amassed $78.8M domestic (US) and $21.5M from the international box office (Australia, New Zealand and Europe).
Photo Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
It has also been embraced by fans and critics alike with an Audience Score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. “This is a movie about fighting back against male intransigence that has the courage of its outsider spirit,” says the review in Variety, while The Chicago Sun Times writes “Daisy Edgar-Jones’ performance and the gorgeous imagery redeem the book adaptation.”
Underscoring the film’s rich literary origins, The Washington Post likens the film to “a Southern-fried `The Blue Lagoon’ meets `Murder, She Wrote’ — and topped off with a sprinkling of `To Kill a Mockingbird.’”
Photo Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Finally, Coming Soon attests that “a captivating lead performance and a powerful ending ultimately keep this movie watchable for any fans of Delia Owens’s fascinating novel,” while National Post concludes, “over its two-plus hours I sat spellbound and intrigued. If a film can be described as a page-turner, Where the Crawdads Sing is that.”
3000 Pictures presents in association with HarperCollins Publishers a Hello Sunshine production, Where the Crawdads Sing. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer, Jr., and David Strathairn. Directed by Olivia Newman. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter. Screenplay by Lucy Alibar. Based upon the novel by Delia Owens. The executive producers are Rhonda Fehr and Betsy Danbury. The director of photography is Polly Morgan, ASC. The production designer is Sue Chan. The editor is Alan Edward Bell, ACE. The costume designer is Mirren Gordon-Crozier. The music is by Mychael Danna.
Where the Crawdads Sing is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #CrawdadsMovie
If you feel like spending some of your free time this month of September on the couch, watching films, PBO Channel has you covered with their lineup of Pinoy movies. And to make it even easier for you, we’ve rounded up eight movies from their lineup that you might want to catch on your TV!
Check them out below:
Girlfriend for Hire
September 2, 11:30 PM | September 14, 5:30 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVNglZTD5Do
Mañanita
September 4, 7:30 AM | September 19, 1 PM | September 30, 10:30 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zYHp3Eto5Q
Unforgettable
September 5, 3:15 PM | September 18, 5:15 PM | September 23, 11 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggIFDFczwA&t
Mang Kepweng Returns
September 5, 11 AM | September 16, 5:15 PM | September 24, 6:30 PM | September 27, 6:15 AM
This Guy’s In Love With U Mare
September 5, 7:30 PM | September 17, 12:30 PM | September 30, 1 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6FynHpSOm4
Wang Fam
September 7, 1:30 PM | September 18, 7:15 PM | September 26, 5:30 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCNdndSQcgQ
The Write Moment
September 7, 5:45 PM | September 17, 12 AM
Double Barrel
September 9, 11:30 AM | September 14, 9:30 PM | September 19, 3:30 PM
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For more Movies on PBO Channel this September and for the daily schedules of PBO, click here.
[Note: schedules are subject to change without prior notice]
“Emergency Declaration”, which now sits comfortably at the number 5 spot in the Highest Grossing South Korean films of 2022, is about to hit Philippine cinemas come August 31st.
Written and directed by the multi-awarded writer-director Han Jae-Rim (The King, The Face Reader, The Show Must Go On), this aviation disaster action thriller brings together some of the biggest actors that reign in Korean moviedom.
Song Kang-Ho (Parasite, The Drug King, Broker) portrays a veteran cop named In-ho who cancels a trip to Hawaii because of work. His wife, however, pushes through with the planned vacation. Alas, the flight that’s supposed to lead to a Hawaiian escapade suddenly becomes a flight of terror as a fellow passenger starts coughing up blood and then meets a gruesome death, the reason unknown. Unable to escape from a plane that has already taken off, not only the passengers but also the flight crew are unable to avoid the slowly impending disaster.
On the ground, In-ho receives a tip about a man threatening a terrorist attack against a plane. Realizing that the man and his wife boarded the same flight, and becoming aware that the plane is being refused to land anywhere, In-ho devotes everything he has to solving the crisis.
Lee Byung-Hun (The Man Standing Next, Ashfall, Keys to the Heart) plays Jae-hyuk, a man who has aerophobia, but flies anyway for the sake of his daughter who needs medical treatment. And now that their lives are all in danger, Jae-hyuk’s courage will be put to the test.
Jeon Do-yeon (Beasts Clawing at Straws, Ashfall, A Man and A Woman) is Sook-hee, the Transport Minister who has the overwhelming responsibility of ensuring the safety of Flight KI501 that is currently travelling between countries.
Kim Nam-gil (The Closet, The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale, Memoire of a Murderer) plays Hyun-soo, the co-pilot who must land the plane safely at all cost. Keeping in close contact with the crisis management center on the ground, he tries his best to keep the plane aloft, but with no solution in sight he finds himself having to make an ‘emergency declaration’.
Yim Si-wan (The Merciless, One-Line, A Melody to Remember) plays Jin-seok, the cause of all the chaos. After loitering about Incheon International Airport and asking for a flight with the most number of passengers, Jin-seok boards Flight KI501. With his innocent-looking face, nobody would have guessed what evil deed he’s capable of.
Kim So-jin (Escape from Mogadishu, Spring Song, The Man Standing Next) plays Hee-jin, the head flight attendant. She’s been thinking of wrapping up her career in the sky after this flight. But will she even live past this? Would she be able to save lives if this would be the last flight of her life?
Park Hae-joon (The 8th Night, Bring Me Home, Believer) plays Tae-Su, the head of the presidential crisis management center who is expected to make the most realistic decisions to protect the nation during this unprecedented disaster. As the news about the bioterrorism on the plane leaves the general public in shock, Tae-su is forced to choose between the safety of the passengers and the crew or the safety of the people on the ground. So many lives depend on him.
Director Han Jae-Rim wrote the screenplay back in 2019, before the Corona virus pandemic. In a statement that he released, he said, “I couldn’t help but be shocked to see the events which I had imagined in my mind become reality. Disasters always strike when we least expect them. Those of us living in this era are already accustomed to the way in which people easily lose strength and become self-centered in the midst of a disaster or crisis. But despite the turmoil faced by humanity during this pandemic, the situation is slowly improving. I hope that this film can provide a small measure of comfort and hope to those who suffered in this tragedy, to those who bravely fought against it, and to all of us who at this moment are exhausted from dealing with the pandemic.”
“Emergency Declaration” premiered at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in 2021 in the non-competing section of the event.
Catch it on August 31 in cinemas nationwide. From Viva International Pictures and MVP Entertainment.
In celebration of the second Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM), the annual month-long fete honoring the heritage and legacy of Philippine Cinema, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) will be holding a wide array of local and international events for the whole month of September including free film screenings, networking events, book launch, workshops, and many more.
This year’s PFIM theme “Tuloy Ang Kuwento: Ang Pagbabalik ng Pelikulang Pilipino,” aims to gather the different stakeholders, especially the film community and film audiences, and rally the nation behind the Philippine film industry as it regain its momentum upon the easing of pandemic-related restrictions and as cinemas and theaters become fully operational. Most of the events will be held in-person.
The month of September will consist of main events such as the Tuloy Ang Kuwento: PFIM Opening Ceremony, PFIM Gala, and the Filmmakers and Shakers Night: PFIM Closing Event, where special screenings of Filipino gems, live performances, and special announcements will take place.
In honor of their significant contribution to the industry, films of National Artists for Film Fernando Poe Jr. and the three new National Artists, Nora Aunor, Ricky Lee, and late director Marilou Diaz-Abaya, will be screened for free under the Archive Focus event and the FDCP banner Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) Classics in TriNoma Mall and Cinematheque Centres nationwide, respectively. PPP will also be returning for this year’s edition to offer fresh perspectives from the youth and regional narratives featuring the finalists from Sine Kabataan Short Film Lab and Festival and Sine Isla: LuzViMinda Short Film Competition.
Since its inauguration last year by former President Rodrigo Duterte through the Presidential Proclamation 1085, s. 2021, declaring September as the Philippine Film Industry Month, the FDCP, as the lead agency in observing the PFIM, has organized programs and activities to recognize and celebrate the invaluable achievements of all the stakeholders and sectors of the film industry. September 12 marks the birth of Philippine Cinema as the first Filipino-directed and produced feature film Dalagang Bukid by Jose Nepomuceno was premiered on this day in 1919.
Activities for Philippine Film Industry Month 2022
August 31 to September 3 – Free Screening of FPJ Films at Cinematheque Centres (Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao, and Nabunturan)
In line with the celebration of the 83rd birthday of the late actor-director, National Artist for Film Fernando Poe Jr., the PFA will hold free screenings of four of The King of Philippine Movies’ films starting August 31 to September 3 in FDCP Cinematheque Centres nationwide.
PFA’s “Archive Focus: Celebrating FPJ’s 83rd Birth Anniversary feat. FPJ Productions” will screen FPJ’s notable films, some of which he directed and starred in: Ang Padrino, Ang Panday, Pagbabalik ng Lawin, and Asedillo by Celso Ad. Castillo.
September 2 – Opening Ceremony of Philippine Film Industry Month
To kick-off the month-long celebration of the Philippine Film Industry Month in honor of the National Artists for Film, the FDCP will hold the “Tuloy Ang Kuwento: PFIM Opening Ceremony” at Cinema 6 of TriNoma Mall in Quezon City to be hosted by Ms. Dianne Medina, with guests Dr. Nicanor Tiongson and Mr. Dik Trofeo.
There will be a special screening of the newly-restored film The Moises Padilla Story by National Artist Gerardo de Leon. There will also be a Cinema Books Expo featuring books from National Artist Mr. Ricky Lee, Mr. Doy del Mundo, Mr. Nick Deocampo and Mr. Nestor Cuartero in cooperation with DLSU Publishing House and UST Publishing House.
September 3 to 5 – Venice International Film Festival 2022
The Philippine delegation to one of the most significant and prestigious film festivals in the world, the 79th Venice International Film Festival (VIFF), will be composed of two Filipino co-produced films, one Out of Competition film, two Filipino talents, and one FDCP-led panel discussion at the Venice Production Bridge—the networking side of the festival.
Indonesia-France-Germany-Poland-Singapore-Qatar-Philippines co-produced film and FDCP FilmPhilippines Office’s (FPO) ASEAN Co-production Fund grantee Autobiography by Makbul Mubarak will compete in the Orizzonti section of VIFF. Romanian film To The North by Mihai Mincan, starring Filipino actors Soliman Cruz and Bartholome Guingona, will also compete under the same section.
World-famous Filipino auteur Lav Diaz’s Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon (When the Waves are Gone), an International Co-production Fund grantee of FPO, will have its world premiere under the Out of Competition section of the festival.
The FDCP will host the panel discussion “Fostering Creative Collaborations – Common Strategies and Opportunities” at the Venice Production Bridge, in collaboration with Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual – Ministry of Culture of Italy, Philippine Embassy in Rome, and FDCP’s UniPhilippines Office.
September 7 – Opening of Kidlat Tahimik Exhibit
FDCP will hold an opening ceremony for National Artist Kidlat Tahimik’s exhibit at the Cinematheque Centre Manila titled “Indio-Genius: 500 Taong Labanan Kontra Magellan, Marilyn, Mickey at Padre Damaso,” featuring art installations and a special screening of his Balikbayan #1: Memories of Overdevelopment Redux III. The exhibit is a playful depiction of the resistance/non-resistance, the cultural encounters, of the Philippines to colonial icons.
Homecoming from a six-month exhibit in Spain’s Palacio Cristal, the exhibit is fanned out across six venues: the National Museum of the Philippines, Museo Pambata, Rizal Park Visitor’s Center, Intramuros Administration, NCCA, and at FDCP’s Cinematheque Centre Manila.
September 9 – Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) Opening Ceremony Featuring PPP Classics
FDCP’s flagship film festival, PPP, returns for its 6th edition featuring restored films for PPP Classics and short films from Sine Kabataan and Sine Isla: LuzViMinda.
This year’s PPP Opening Ceremony will hold free screenings of restored classic films starring National Artist actress Nora Aunor—Atsay by Eddie Garcia and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos by Mario O’Hara at TriNoma Cinema in Quezon City.
September 10 to 24 – PPP 6 at Cinematheque Centres
After its opening ceremony in TriNoma, PPP Classics and Sine Kabataan and Sine Isla: LuzViMinda short films will have another free screening at Cinematheque Centres nationwide. For PPP Classics, feature films Atsay and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, will be screened on September 10; Cain at Abel and Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak written by National Artist Ricky Lee on September 15; and Brutal and Karnal by late director National Artist Marilou Diaz-Abaya on September 16. These screenings are supported by Solar Films, ABS-CBN’s Sagip Pelikula, and Viva Films.
PPP Classics PPP will also be screened together with Sine Kabataan and Sine Isla short films starting September 17 to 24 in all Cinematheques Centres.
September 10 to 11 – 3rd Philippine Film Festival (Festival del Cinema Filippino in Italia)
Marking the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines in Italy with the theme “Philippines-Italy: Rising Together,” the Philippine Embassy in Rome and Sentro Rizal Rome, in partnership with the FDCP, will hold the third edition of the Festival del Cinema Filippino in Italia (Philippine Film Festival in Italy) to promote Philippine culture, tourism, cinema, and creative industries in Italy.
September 12 – Philippine Film Industry Month Gala
September 12 is a significant day for Philippine Cinema—it was the release of the first Filipino-produced and directed film Dalagang Bukid by Jose Nepomuceno in 2019. In line with this, the FDCP will hold the “Awit at Pelikula: Philippine Film Industry Month Gala” at Teatrino in Promenade, Greenhills in San Juan City.
Philippine Film Industry Month’s main event will top bill live performances of the unforgettable soundtrack songs of some of the great Filipino classic films, to be performed by the country’s top performing artists including Christopher de Leon, Anna Feleo, Jed Madela, and Bituin Escalante featuring a tribute to Ms. Cherie Gil. The event will be hosted by actor-singer Piolo Pascual.
The PFIM Gala will also feature a new original composition by National Artist of the Philippines for Music Mr. Ryan Cayabyab and written by Mr. Jose Javier Reyes.
September 16 to 18 – PPP Premiere and Awards Night Featuring Sine Kabataan and Sine Isla: LuzViMinda
PPP 6 will premiere the 10 short films from Sine Kabataan and 10 short films from Sine Isla: LuzViMinda, to be followed by the Awards Night for this year’s PPP and a special screening Martika Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die on September 16 at TriNoma Cinema in Quezon City.
On September 17 to 18, PPP will continue to hold free screenings of the in-competition short films with a talkback session with the Sine Kabataan and Sine Isla filmmakers at TriNoma. The September 18 schedule will be succeeded by a free screening of feature film John Denver Trending by Arden Rod Condez.
September 21 – Keeping Memories SEAPAAVA Book Launch
FDCP, in partnership with the South East Asia Pacific Audio-visual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA), will hold a book launch with a film archiving forum for Keeping Memories: Cinema and Archiving in the Asia-Pacific edited by filmmaker and historian Nick Deocampo at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.
The book is a joint publication of SEAPAVAA, FDCP, Ateneo Press, and the Vietnam Film Institute.
September 23 – International Film Industry Conference Press Conference
FDCP’s International Film Industry Conference (IFIC) is an annual conference that consists of a series of sessions and masterclasses that supports the development of Filipino filmmaking and its stakeholders by bringing together experts from the local and international film industries to become panelists and speakers.
For its 6th edition, IFIC will hold an online press conference to announce this year’s lineup of topics and mentors for its public sessions and masterclasses for its hybrid conference in October.
September 24 – FDCP Channel Game Night
FDCP Channel will host a “FDCP Channel Anibersaya Game Night,” an online game night where audiences c
an join and win exciting prizes. This will be streamed live from 7 PM to 8 PM via FDCP Channel, and FDCP’s official Facebook and YouTube pages.
September 24 – UFlix Screening
In order to support students’ films and encourage them to pursue their passion in filmmaking, FDCP will be relaunching UFlix—an exhibition platform where FDCP will be announcing an upcoming incentive program for student filmmakers on the 24th.
The UFlix inauguration at this year’s PFIM will hold screenings for student films for a day at Cinematheque Centres nationwide.
September 28 – Webinar in Film Incentives (WIFI)
To raise awareness and encourage more filmmakers about the film incentives and funding programs they can apply to, the FDCP FilmPhilippines Office (FPO) will hold an online session of the Webinar In Film Incentives (WIFI) to discuss its Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP), International Co-Production Fund (ICOF), ASEAN Co-production Fund (ACOF), and Film Location Engagement Desk (FLEX) and CreatePHFilm Funds for Development (Script Development and Project Development), Production (Small Budget and Large Budget), and Post-Production. FPO will also announce the opening of their new cycle for their incentive and funding programs.
September 30 – Closing of Philippine Film Industry Month
Capping off the month-long festivities, the “Filmmakers and Shakers Night: Closing Event of the Philippine Film Industry Month” programme will be hosted by Robi Domingo, featuring tributes for Queen of Visayan Movies Gloria Sevilla and Queen of Philippine Movies Susan Roces, a Cinema Books Expo, and announcements from FDCP and FDCP Channel. The closing event also serves as an opportunity to honor and thank all the partners, stakeholders, and filmmakers who supported the Philippine film industry.
The film adaptation of a best-selling murder mystery novel. An abandoned girl raises herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands and is isolated from her community because of many rumors about herself. She is drawn to two young men from town, and when one of them is found dead she is Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, the community immediately labels her as the main suspect.
The 15th film from the One Piece series takes place on Elegia, the “Island of Music,” where Uta, the world’s greatest diva, performs her first ever live concert and reveals herself to the public. Straw Hats, pirates, Marines, and fans from all over the world gather to hear Uta’s “otherworldly” voice. However, the event begins with the shocking revelation that Uta is Shanks’ daughter.
A doctor begins experiencing terrifying occurrences after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient. She must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality as an overwhelming terror takes over her life.
A couple lives in a seemingly perfect town that is overseen by a mysterious company. When cracks appear in their idyllic life, the wife begins to question their true purpose.
A mother is torn in a fishing village between protecting her son and her own sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him shatters their family and their tight-knit community.
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[Note: release dates for movies in Philippine cinemas are subject to change without prior notice. For more upcoming movies, click here.]
Stand-up comedian Jo Koy who is best known for his jokes about his Filipino upbringing is heading to the big screen through the film Easter Sunday. It tells the story of struggling comedian and single father Joe Valencia, who reunites with his dysfunctional Filipino family to celebrate Easter Sunday.
Watch the trailer for Easter Sunday below:
If you’re planning to see Easter Sunday in theaters this week, then we’ve got some fun facts for you to check out! Here are some details about the new comedy film you might want to know about.
1. The Steven Spielberg produced the film out of love for Jo Koy.
Steven Spielberg, who brought life to some of the biggest movie franchises in cinema history such as Jurassic Parks, JAWS, and Indiana Jones just to name a few, produced the film because he loved Jo Koy’s performance in the Netflix special Comin’ in Hot.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the comedian recalled how he walked into Amblin and was told that the director loved him. Shares Jo Koy in the interview, “[Steven] wanted to know what kind of movie idea I had and I pitched this one. From the minute he said, ‘We’ll buy it’ to this day right here, he’s had his hand in every step of the way. I love you, Steven.”
2. It’s the first film with an all-Filipino ensemble produced by a major Hollywood studio.
While there have been other US films depicting the Filipino-American experience, Easter Sunday will be the first title produced by a major Hollywood studio, Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, alongside Dan Lin’s Rideback. The latter is known for producing The Lego Movie franchise and the IT franchise. Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures share Easter Sunday’s international distribution rights.
3. Other stand-up comedians join Jo Koy in the new film.
Jo Koy isn’t the only veteran comic to star in the film, as other popular stand-up comedians join him on Easter Sunday. These include Brandon Wardell who plays his son, Joe Valencia Jr.; Tiffany Hadish who plays Vanessa, a police officer that Joe shares a history with; and Jimmy O. Yang, who stars as the hustler Marvin on top of being an executive producer for the film.
Speaking about producing the movie, Yang told Slash Film in an interview: “Of course, I’m like, ‘What about else I can do to bring value to help as an actor?’ And I wanted to play an even bigger part, but I couldn’t because of my schedule with Space Force, so I ended up, still able to do this cameo and was there on the first day of the shoot, which is very special.”
4. Even the director is a stand-up comedian.
The film’s director, Jay Chandrasekhar, is also a stand-up comedian and is best known for directing the Super Troopers film franchise, The Dukes of Hazzard, and episodes of Community and The Goldbergs. Aside from being in the director’s chair, Chandrasekhar is also part of the cast. In an interview with Collider, the director shared how he approached the movie.
“I’m a standup, [Jo Koy] is a standup. So I said to him, ‘We got to make a really funny movie because people are going to expect it to be …’ They’re not like, ‘Hey, Filipinos are in it, it’s great.’ They’re going to want to be a really funny movie. Then we’ll also have all these Filipinos in it, and then that part will advance the cause. So we agreed to just make sure we’ve made a full-on, funny movie,” explained Chandrasekhar.
5. Veteran Hollywood actors Lou Diamond Phillips and Tia Carrere are also part of the cast.
Also joining Joe Valencia’s Filipino cast in the film are veteran actors Lou Diamond Phillips and Tia Carrere. Phillips has starred in multiple movies and shows since the ’80s including La Bamba, Miami Vice, Criminal Minds, and Courage Under Fire just to name a few. He also voiced Mayor Sancho Santamaria in Netflix’s animated series Trese. Meanwhile, Tia Carrere has starred in films and shows such as Wayne’s World, True Lies, Rising Sun, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
“I’ve played Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, everything under the sun, including the silent Asian girl in the corner that looks lovingly at her white boyfriend and says nothing. It’s been a long road to where we get to be front and center,” Carrere told EWin an interview about the new film.
From October 5 to 16, 2022, the 21st edition of PELÍCULA-Spanish Film Festival will return to face-to-face screenings. After two years of having a virtual festival, PELÍCULA will screen around twenty movies in three venues of Metro-Manila including Shangri-La Plaza, Cine Adarna at UP Diliman, and Instituto Cervantes Intramuros branch.
Since its creation in 2002 by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, PELíCULA has been an annual attraction in Philippine theatres. After the height of the Covid-19 crisis which forced cinemas to close worldwide and caused audiences of PELíCULA to migrate online, the festival returns to the big screen, on a first-come, first-served free admission basis. Furthermore, the Festival will also host face-to-face online screenings in Malaysia and Australia, as well as the Philippines.
In the Philippines, the Festival will open on October 5 with El buen patrón (Fernando León de Aranoa, 2021), a comedy starring Javier Bardem. Other comedies in the line-up include La boda de Rosa (Icíar Bollaín, 2020), El test (Dani de la Orden, 2022), Con quién viajas (Martín Cuervo, 2021). The official entries also include documentaries such as A las mujeres de España. María Lejárraga (Laura Hojman, 2022),dramas such as Maixabel (Icíar Bollaín, 2021) or El olvido que seremos (Fernando Trueba, 2020), and thrillers like La hija (Manuel Martín Cuenca, 2021).
PELÍCULA will also feature Latin American films such as the Colombian documentary Jinetes del Paraíso (Talia Osorio Cardona, 2020), the Panamenian comedy Algo azul (Mariel García Spooner, 2021), and Competencia oficial, a Spanish-Argentinean comedy directed in 2021 by Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, and featuring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas,and Oscar Martínez.
Just like in the previous editions, audiences may vote for their favorite films in the Audience Choice Awards. Established in 2004, the award will be given to the film that the viewers have voted as the best of the Festival. Since its establishment in 2004, it has been a very popular tradition in the Festival and is kept alive even through the festival’s transition online. In its 21st edition, both face-to-face and online audiences will be able to rate the films right after having viewed them. The film with the highest ratings will again receive this year’s Audience Choice Award and will be screened again during the closing of PELICULA 2022, on October 16.
To celebrate the 21st edition of the cinematographic showcase, there will be a short series of movies coming from the Basque Country (featuring Handia, and Oreina, among others); plus a special selection of classic Spanish films, to be shown online. These films are Esa pareja feliz (Juan Antonio Bardem & Luis García Berlanga, 1951), Muerte de un ciclista (Juan Antonio Bardem, 1953), Mamá cumple cien años (Carlos Saura, 1979) and El sur (Víctor Erice, 1983).
Since its first editions PELíCULA has programmed activities aiming to be a meeting point between the Philippine and Spanish cultures. In line with this, the Festival is honored to premiere Con tu latido. Fillipinas canta a Aute, the film of a concert-tribute to Spanish-Filipino musician and artist Luis Eduardo Aute, born in Manila in 1943. The screening is scheduled for 11 October, at Instituto Cervantes (Intramuros branch).
Philippine cinema was born in the Spanish language and almost all film-related terms in Filipino are in Spanish (such as pelikula, sine, direktor, aktor, contrabida, etc.), proof of the rich cinematic history shared between Spain and the Philippines. With this in mind, PELíCULA will be holding “En corto: Short films from the Philippines and Spain”, an activity which will feature recent short films from both countries.
PELíCULA 2022 is an initiative of Instituto Cervantes in Manila and Sydney, the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia, and the AECID, in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Instituto Etxepare, Filmoteca Vasca, the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines, the Embassy of Panama in the Philippines, the UP Film Institute, the University of the Philippines, Intramuros Administration, Vibal Foundation, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Rustan’s, and La Pícara.
All the movies are in Spanish (or their original language) with English subtitles. For updates on the Festival, please visit the website of the Festival (https://pelikula.org) or the Facebook page of Instituto Cervantes de Manila: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila
Easter Sunday features an all-star Fil-Am comedic cast who have made a name for themselves globally including Lou Diamond Phillips (Courage Under Fire), Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Broadway’s Hadestown), Tia Carrere (True Lies, Wayne’s World films), Lydia Gaston (Broadway’s The King and I), Eugene Cordero (The Good Place series), Rodney To (Parks and Recreation series), Brandon Wardell (Curb Your Enthusiasm series) and stand-up comedian Joey Guila.
Eugene Cordero, Jo Koy and Lou Diamond Philips
World boxing icon and Philippines’ pride, Manny Pacquiao for his part has shown support for the film and uploaded a photo of the movie’s poster in his Instagram page, to quote, “Support tayo mga kababayan” using the hashtag #PinoyPride.
Rodney To, Joey Guila, Jo Koy and Eugene Cordero
A showcase of Filipino excellence on the global stage and bringing the Filipino culture to worldwide audience, Easter Sunday, from DreamWorks Pictures, is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers, The Dukes of Hazzard, I Love You, Man), from a script by Ken Cheng (Sin City Saints series) and Kate Angelo (Sex Tape) based on a story by Ken Cheng.
Tia Carrere & Lydia Gaston
The film is produced by Rideback’s blockbuster producers Dan Lin (The Lego Movie franchise, It franchise) and Jonathan Eirich (Aladdin, The Two Popes), and is executive produced by Nick Reynolds, Joe Meloche, Jo Koy, Jessica Gao, Jimmy O. Yang, Ken Cheng and Seth William Meier.
Brandon Wardell, Jo Koy,, Rodney To, Melody Bitiu and Joey Guila
From Universal Pictures International, catch Easter Sunday with your family and friends starting August 31 in cinemas nationwide.
James Cameron’s Academy Award®-winning 2009 epic adventure “Avatar,” the most successful film of all time, returns to Philippine cinemas September 21 — now in a remastered version. Check out the new trailer and new poster art to celebrate the re-release of the 2009 film.
Written and directed by Academy Award® winner James Cameron, “Avatar” stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sigourney Weaver. The film was produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau. Nominated for nine Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director, the film won three Oscars®, for Best Cinematography, Production Design and Visual Effects.
Disney’s live-action adaptation of Pinocchio has dropped a new trailer, and it finally gives us a good look at the iconic character from the classic Disney film. Watch the new trailer below:
After Beauty and The Beast, Mulan, Lion King, and Aladdin, the beloved tale of Pinocchio is next to get a live-action adaptation from Netflix. As seen in the trailer, the live-action Pinocchio does not stray away from the classic design, while his father, Gepetto, is brought to life by Tom Hanks.
Pinocchio tells the story of the woodworker Gepetto who wishes that the puppet he made would come to life. His wish gets granted, and he treats Pinocchio like his son. However, the wooden boy would find himself in all sorts of mischief, and would soon be shipped to Pleasure Island where there are no rules for boys like him– a deal that comes with scary consequences.
Alongside Tom Hanks are stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth who will voice Pinocchio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Lorraine Bracco as Sofia the Seagull, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, Keegan Michael-Key as Honest John, and Luke Evans as the Coachman.
The film is set for release on Disney Plus this September 8. It is yet to be announced if the film will be available in Philippine theaters.
Aside from this live-action take on the Disney classic, Netflix is also set to release their stop-motion animated film Pinocchio from Guillermo del Toro. Watch the trailer here. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!
