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  • Jollibee Group Restaurants Named Among America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains

    More wins for the Jollibee Group, as four of its brands made it to the list of America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains for 2023. Newsweek, a premier news magazine and website, together with global data firm Statista, named Jollibee, Chowking, Smashburger, and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) as among the best in their selected categories. 

    “We are honored that our brands are included in this list of most favorite restaurant chains in the United States. We thank our customers for their continued support, resulting in this citation that inspires us even more in our mission of serving great-tasting food, bringing the joy of eating to everyone,” said Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group President and CEO.  

    The 2023 ranking was determined based on the results of an independent survey among over 4,000 customers and employees of restaurant chains in the United States. The respondents were asked to indicate which restaurant chains would they recommend among three ethnic cuisines and 13 dish categories. 

    The three ethnic cuisines include Chinese, Italian, and Tex-Mex; while the 13 dish categories consist of BBQ, burgers, chicken, coffee/tea/baked goods, ice cream/frozen yogurt, juice and smoothies, noodles and ramen, pizza, sandwiches, seafood, soup, steak, and Sushi. 

    Jollibee was cited in the chicken category, Smashburger for burgers, CBTL for tea and coffee, and Chowking for Chinese cuisine category.

    According to Statista, all ratings were transformed into a score value and aggregated towards a final score. The survey respondents rated their experience with the restaurant chains using these nine assessment criteria: taste, cleanliness, hygiene and COVID-19 measures, transparency about ingredients, location, dealing with environmental issues, accessibility, service quality, and treatment of employees. 

    To receive an award, a restaurant chain needed to receive a minimum number of recommendations and an overall score of at least 7 out of 10. In addition, a restaurant chain was required to have at least three locations across different cities within at least two U.S. states.

  • 10 Shows and Films Coming to Netflix This February 2023

    Since its arrival here in the Philippines, Netflix has been continuously bringing us great content to stream on our favorite devices. Whether it’s a compelling drama with interesting characters, a thrilling title that keeps us on the edge of our seats, comedies that give us our much-needed dose of laughter, or just anything that keeps us entertained on the couch or on the go, we surely can count on the streaming service’s rich library of shows and movies.

    If you’re always on the lookout for Netflix’s latest releases, then look no further! We’ve listed down ten shows and films to anticipate and add to your watchlist this month of February!

    Gunther’s Millions (Series)

    February 1 | Stream it here

    This documentary series follows the story of the world’s richest dog, Gunther, and its handler who seem to have built a cult following using the dog.

    Freeridge (Series)

    February 2 | Stream it here

    In this On My Block spinoff, four teens must work together to stop a cursed box from bringing misfortune and more into their lives.

    True Spirit (Film)

    February 3 | Stream it here

    Based on a true story, True Spirit tells the story of Jessica Watson who attempts to become the youngest person to sail the world alone.

    You, Season 4 Part 1 (Series)

    February 9 | Stream it here

    Joe assumes a new identity in London, but as he tries to find his path to redemption, he is drawn in by another dark obsession.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3COY_HrMngc

    Your Place or Mine (Film)

    February 10 | Stream it here

    Debbie and Peter are best friends but are also total opposites of each other. When the two swap houses for a week, they get a peek at each other’s lives, opening the door to love.

    Re/Member (Film)

    February 14 | Stream it here

    Six high schoolers find themselves stuck in a time loop where they must find the remains of an unknown victim in order to get out of being killed over and over by the “Red Person”.

    Red Rose (Series)

    February 15 | Stream it here

    A group of teenagers try to survive a dangerous app that makes deadly demands.

    Unlocked (Film)

    February 17 | Stream it here

    This Korean thriller film by Kim Tae-joon tells follows the story of a girl whose life is upended after she lost her phone, with a hacker using it to spy on her and learn everything about her.

    An Inconvenient Love (Film)

    February 23 | Stream it here

    A working student who dreams to work in Singapore meets a rich boy rebelling against his father. As they fall for each other, the two agree to make a convenient relationship work.

    We Have a Ghost

    February 24 | Stream it here

    Starring Anthony Mackie and David Harbour, this horror comedy flick follows a family who became social media sensations overnight after a ghost haunts their home.

     Stay in the loop and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

  • An Educational and Exciting Interactive Wine and Dine Experience at The Cellar

    Grand Hyatt Manila launches its latest unique wine-tasting experience, Le Grand Casino du Vin at The Cellar, which translates to The Grand Casino of Wines. Entertaining, educational and rewarding, this wine-and-dine experience includes a 4-course specially-curated dinner set menu with a glass of red and white wine and 12 playing chips at PHP 3,000 net per person. The event will be available every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM, starting 1 February 2023.

    Le Grand Casino du Vin at The Cellar 6

    Le Grand Casino du Vin is akin to the game of roulette where guests can bet their chips when they play at any of the three themed wine game tables, which guarantees to test their knowledge about wines, awaken their senses or simply rely on luck. The guests will move from one table to another at the whim of their desire, explore the different themes, and learn a lot about wines while having fun. This event is in collaboration with AWC Philippines, one of the largest wine distributors in the country.

    Game Themes:

    The Type of Wine

    Is it red, white or rosé? Participants will have to use their sense of smell and taste to guess the mystery wine. Mystery wine will be poured into a black, opaque wine glass by our host where players can bet what type of wine it is based on their knowledge and senses. The host will reveal the wine by pouring it into a clear glass and the player who guesses the right answer will win the game.

    Le Grand Casino du Vin Game Table Type of Wine

    The Aromas of Wine

    In this game, players will have to use their sense of smell. The host will present vials of different scents from fruity to floral and the players will guess which wine scent was given to them. With more than 50 options on the board, participants will have to place their bets on the closest scent they think matches.

    Le Grand Casino du Vin Game Table The Aroma of Wine

    The Wine Regions

    Is it from the old world or the new world? Participants of this game will take their taste buds around the world as they travel through wines. Guests will have to determine where the wine comes from by carefully observing, smelling and tasting. Players will place their bets from all the wine-producing regions presented in front of them.

    Le Grand Casino du Vin at The Cellar 4

    Surrounded by glass-enclosed wine cellars and intimate lighting, The Cellar is one of Grand Hyatt Manila’s most sought-out intimate dining outlets which specializes in tapas and small plates, best paired with the hotel’s selection of creative cocktails, handcrafted beers and premium wines. Patrons have been coming over to this restaurant for its best-selling succulent Kurobuta and scrumptious paella. The Cellar is open daily from 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM.

    Le Grand Casino du Vin at The Cellar 2

    For inquiries and reservations, call (63 2) 8838 1234 or email manila.grand@hyatt.com.  For updates on the hotel’s latest promotions, follow Grand Hyatt Manila on Instagram @grandhyattmanilaph and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GrandHyattManilaPh.

  • Asian-led Films on Divergent Cultural Experiences to Screen for Free This February

    Award-winning and critically acclaimed international films on the significantly distinct impact of culture in human relations will be screened for free every Wednesdays of February 2023.  

    The rich collection highlights Asian characters and how tradition shapes one’s perceptions and perspectives of romantic partnerships and connections. 

    Sepet (2004) by Malaysian director and writer Yasmin Ahmad explored how young love withstood social and racial pressures. Set in Ipoh, the capital city of the Malaysian city of Perak, the teen rom-com followed the story of a Chinese boy who sold unlicensed VCDs and a Malay schoolgirl who sought films featuring her favorite Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro. It is on view on February 1. 

    Saving Face (2004), the feature-length debut of American filmmaker and screenwriter Alice Wu, shed light on a secret love that went against cultural expectations. Led by a Chinese-American surgeon, her unwed and pregnant mother and her dancer girlfriend, this rom-com drama was a study on traditional values, stereotypical representation and the fluidity of identity. It is scheduled on February 8.

    Berbagi Suami (Love for Share) (2006), directed by Indonesian filmmaker Nia Dinata, narrated the intersecting accounts of a faithful Muslim gynecologist, a village girl and an ambitious waitress who found themselves in a polygamous life. The drama comedy presented the consequences faced by women who accepted the fate of becoming the other wife. It will be available on February 15. 

    Berbagi Suami Love for Share 2006 by Nia Dinata 1

    Crazy Rich Asians (2018) by American film director, producer and screenwriter Jon M Chu tackled how family can complicate relations between significant others. Based on the international bestselling 2013 novel by American author Kevin Kwan, it introduced a Chinese-American economics professor and New Yorker who traveled to finally meet her boyfriend’s family. In her quest, she discovered that they are among the richest in Singapore. It is set on February 22.

    Curated by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the free and public online screenings will be conducted via Zoom every 12 noon on the scheduled dates. To register, email mcad@benilde.edu.ph. For more information, visit the official Facebook page of MCAD (https://www.facebook.com/MCADManila).

  • Jumpstart your Money Goals this 2023 with Maya

    New year, new goals! We all want to live through the year in a financially secure position. If you’re looking for a way to jumpstart your money goals this 2023, fret not! Maya, your all-in-one digital bank, has got you covered.

    Whether you are looking for ways to save on shopping, travel, boost your savings, or get your bills covered, Maya runs down tips and tricks to master your money and get you closer to your 2023 money goals!

    Boost your savings

    • Grow your hard-earned savings with up to a massive 6% p.a. with Maya Savings for deposits up to P100,000. All you have to do is spend a total of PHP 250.00 on bills, load, or Maya payments (QR code, card, or online). In excess of P100,000, you also earn a base interest rate of 4.5% p.a on your deposits up to P5 million. You also get to watch your money grow as savings interests are credited to your account, daily!
    • Maya Savings also lets you set up Personal Goals and earn a guaranteed 6% interest per annum on deposits of up to PHP1M. What’s more, you can create up to 5 different Personal Goals. Think one for each life goal like emergencies, home, car…  just what being in control of your own finances looks like. 

    Save on fees

    • Get cash in your Maya wallet for a minimum of PHP 1,500.00 via InstaPay and get your InstaPay fee (up to PHP 25.00) as a cashback!
    • No need to worry about transfer fees when you cash in your Maya wallet from any of your linked banks, or from other over-the-counter channels (up to PHP 8,000.00 per month).

    Spend and save

    • Shop at Robinsons Malls and get some money back with Maya! For a minimum PHP 1,000.00 single-receipt spend, you can receive a PHP 100.00 cashback from your first-ever Maya QR transaction and PHP 50.00 consecutively after.
    • Need mobile load? Collect 5% cashback each time you accumulate PHP 500.00 worth of load. New to Maya? Enjoy 20% cashback (up to PHP 50.00) when you load up with Smart or TNT!

    Traveling? Save on these deals!

    • Enjoy 50% off (up to PHP 1,500.00) on hotels and 1,500 AirAsia points by booking a hotel worth at least PHP 1,500 through the AirAsia super app or website. Simply enter your Maya Visa card details upon checkout and input the code “VISA50”.
    • Get 8% off when you book for hotels via agoda.com/visaph and pay using your Maya Visa card.

    Completely free to download and register, Maya packs a feature-rich money app, an inclusive digital bank, and everything else you need to manage your money – save, borrow, spend, invest and more, right from your smartphone.

    Maya’s digital banking services are powered by Maya Bank, Inc., a digital bank supervised by the BSP. Deposits are insured by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) for up to PHP500,000 per depositor. To learn more, visit maya.ph and mayabank.ph. Follow Maya at @mayaiseverything on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok and @mayaofficialph on Twitter.

  • Art Fair Philippines 2023: Everything You Need to Know About this Year’s Premier Art Fair

    After going hybrid due to the pandemic, Art Fair Philippines is finally returning onsite this year, transforming The Link car park in Makati City once more into a multi-level art exhibition venue for the country’s premier art fair which will run from February 17 to 19, 2023.

    Art Fair Philippines 2

    A biophilic design for its venue

    This year, as the Art Fair Philippines celebrates its 10th anniversary, guests can expect a new biophilic design in its venue layout that they created with Leandro V. Locsin Partners for a refreshed experience in an organically designed setting and an enhanced sense of surprise and discovery.

    “They take their inspiration from how nature forms itself, the randomness of some things but with an underlying order. It actually presents to the public a sense of discovery, in the same way, that one walks into a gallery and experiences art.” Andy Locsin, administrator and design consultant of Leandro V. Locsin Partners, told the media in a press conference for the Art Fair.

    Art Fair Philippines 1

    An exciting lineup of exhibitors

    This 2023, Art Fair Philippines welcomes 63 exhibitors from the Philippines and overseas.

    The exhibitors from the Philippines include: 1335/Mabini, Anakbanwa Creative Residency Project, Art Cube, Art Elaan, Art for Space, Art Lounge Manila, Art Underground, Art Verité, Artery Art Space,  Boston Art Gallery, CANVAS, Early Light, FIFTH WALL FEST, FotomotoPH, GALERIA PALOMA, Galerie Stephanie, Gravity Art Space, isTorya Studios,  J Studio, Jes Aznar, Kaida Contemporary, KalawakanSpacetime, KANTINA, Kapitan Kulam, León Gallery, Lunang Mentoring Program, Mark Lewis Higgins, METRO Gallery, MONO8,  Mugna Gallery + Foundation University DAFA, no space, Orange Project, Paint Bukog, Paseo Art Gallery, Pintô Art Museum, Qube Gallery, Secret Fresh Gallery, SILVERLENS, Sitting Room Studios, Sulyap Gallery by Tahanan Pottery, Super Duper Gallery, TARZEER PICTURES, The Crucible, Tom Epperson, TRIANGULUM, Tin-aw Art Projects, Village Art Gallery, White Walls Gallery, and Ysobel Art Gallery.

    Art Fair Philippines 4
    White Walls Gallery (Photos courtesy of Art Fair Philippines)

    These leading galleries from the country will be joined by a wide roster of foreign galleries such as Art Agenda (Singapore and Jakarta), Artemis Art (Malaysia),  Gallery Kogure (Japan), Kobayashi Gallery (Japan), Cayón (Spain), GALLERY SCENA (Japan), La Lanta Fine Art (Thailand), Nunu Fine Art (Taiwan), Gajah Gallery (Singapore), Vin Gallery (Vietnam), Yavuz Gallery (Singapore and Australia), and YOD Gallery (Japan).

    Art Fair Philippines 8
    La Lanta Fine Art (Photos courtesy of Art Fair Philippines)

    Also joining the fair are several art groups from the three main island clusters of the Philippines through a section focused on local regions. These are no Space (Luzon), Orange Project (Visayas), and Panit Bukog (Mindanao).

    Art Fair Philippines 9
    Orange Project
    Art Fair Philippines 10
    Panit Bukog
    Art Fair Philippines 11
    no space (Photos courtesy of Art Fair Philippines)

    ArtFairPH/Digital to highlight AR, VR, NFTs, and more

    Art Fair Philippines also introduces a new section focusing on digital media and works that incorporate computer technology, animation, virtual or augmented reality, the metaverse, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

    It will highlight two special exhibits featuring Filipino digital artists making waves in the global digital art sphere: Skye Nicolas presents Frequencies of Nostalgia, while Mark Inducil, who currently lives and works in Melbourne, mounts Homecoming. These special exhibits are curated by CryptoArtPH artists Bjorn Calleja and Jopet Arias, and this new section is co-presented by Globe Platinum.

    ArtFairPH/Projects & ArtFairPH/Photo further expands the fair

    For ArtFairPH/Projects, Art Fair Philippines works once again with art consultant Norman Crisologo to showcase works that are commissioned for the fair from artists who have made an impact both critically and commercially.

    The artists mounting their special exhibits are Faye Abantao, Kiko Escora, Mark Andy Garcia, Raymond Guevarra, Pow Martinez, Yeo Kaa, and Peter Zimmerman. This section is co-presented by BPI and located at The Link’s Roof Deck.

    “BPI sees the works of these talented artists not only as cultural expressions but also as art forms for investing in the future. Art is also a means to immortalize an idea that defines a generation. It is history in the making,” said Jenny Lacerna, BPI Product & Sales Head of Unsecured Lending and Cards.

    Meanwhile, ArtFairPH/Photo will showcase photographer Wawi Navarroza’s series of striking self-portraits, which also feature in a current survey of Southeast Asian photography at the National Gallery of Singapore, come together for As Wild As We Come for this year’s ArtFairPH/Photo section. 

    Wawi Navarroza for ArtFairPH Photo 1
    Wawi Navarroza (Photo courtesy of Art Fair Philippines)

    In addition to these special projects, the fair will also hold a special exhibition by Indonesian artist Yunizar titled YUNIZAR: New Perspectives, and the works by German painter, sculptor, and object artist Peter Zimmerman.

    Pioneering female abstractionist Rosario Bitanga, who in her 80s still creates art, will be showcasing both old and new works in the show Rosario Bitanga: Past, Present, Participant curated by architect and art consultant Miguel Rosales. 

    Rosario Bitanga will also showcase both old and new work in a show Rosario Bitanga Past Present Participant curated by architect and art consultant Miguel Rosales 1
    Rosario Bitanga (Photo courtesy of Art Fair Philippines)

    Making tributes & showcasing artist residencies

    The Art Fair Philippines will also be paying tribute to two art world personalities who have recently passed away, Norma Liongoren (Liongoren Gallery), and Albert Avellana (Avellana ArtGallery). Both Liongoren and Avellana have left their marks on the local art scene with their works and galleries.

    The art fair will also be exhibiting works from this year’s batch of artists who completed artist residencies in different parts of the country: IC Jaucian for Manila Observatory, Nicolei Gupit for Linangan Art Residency, Aaron Kaiser Garcia for Emerging Islands, ESL Chen and Jonathan Baldonado for Orange Project, and James Clar for Butanding Barrio. ArtFairPH/Residencies was launched in 2021 in partnership with Bleeding Heart Rum Corporation, makers of Don Papa Rum.

    Learning at the Art Fair Philippines

    Enhance your art appreciation and learn straight from the notable artists of the fair with ArtFairPH/Talks. Made in partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery and Museum Foundation of the Philippines, this section will offer visitors a variety of lectures, panel discussions, and talks. See the full details here.

    Get more learning opportunities through ArtFairPH/Workshops which will focus on digital art this year, organized with their educational partner Tezos and its Asian arm, TZAPAC. Learn more about getting into digital art and the local crypto art scene with ArtFairPH/Workshops.

    ArtFairPH/Film will also continue this year, with the Ateneo Art Gallery curating the program with two evenings of compelling selections. Alternative Cinema : History, Theory and Practice will feature renowned filmmaker and film historian Nick Deocampo who will present an overview of how the country’s alternative cinema continues to develop.

    For the second night, ArtFairPH/Film will screen a selection of lumbung films featured for DOCUMENTA 15 in Kassel, Germany.  The lineup for the second film evening is co-organized with Resbak and Lost Frames.

    The 10 Days of Art are back

    Also to complement the fair, the 10 Days of Art initiative which runs from February 10 to 19 will feature a series of events around the Makati Central Business District. Galleries, museums, bars, restaurants, and retail establishments will join in celebrating art beyond the venue of the art fair. The 10 Days of Art will kick off with Gallery Weekend, where visitors are encouraged to visit galleries and see the exhibitions at their respective locations. For the schedule and updates, visit www.10daysofart.com.


    Purchase your tickets in advance at www.artfairphilippines.com. Tickets will also be available at the reception area of Art Fair Philippines from February 17 to 19. For more information, please visit the Art Fair Philippines website and follow Art Fair Philippines on Instagram and Facebook.

    Art Fair Philippines 2023 is co-presented by AyalaLand, Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Globe Platinum, with a special project partner Don Papa Rum. The fair is also sponsored by Rizome. Its official hotel partners are Fairmont and Raffles Makati, and Holiday Inn and Suites.

    —
    Homestream images from Art Lounge Manila, Paseo Art Gallery, White Walls Gallery, and Super Duper Gallery.

  • Ayala Malls Cinemas’ ‘A-List Series’ Spotlights Anna Kendrick’s Best Performance To-Date in the Psychological Drama “Alice, Darling”

    For the avid cinema audience, Ayala Malls Cinemas’ A-List is one of this year’s must-see that offers an interesting lineup of curated titles exclusively for its patrons.  This January 25, the A-List Series brings Kendrick’s finest performance of her career, as hailed by critics, in “Alice, Darling” – a taut thriller about coercion and control, but most importantly, about the power of deeply-rooted female friendships that ultimately leads to resiliency and empowerment. 

    Anna Kendrick in Alice Darling

    When the audience first encounters Alice (Kendrick), she is fully in denial about her fraught relationship with her boyfriend Simon (played by Charlie Carrick) and how damaging it is. “When we meet Alice, she doesn’t really know who she is all. It was actually a really bizarre character to play because the whole point is that she’s sort of lost herself, and that everything in her focus, all her energy, is going toward being kind of small and flexible and to manage her partner’s potential reactivity. And the sense that if she’s just a little bit better, if she is just perfect, everything will be okay. That mindset slowly creeps in, and – before she knows it – she doesn’t recognize herself. Only when she is with her close friends Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku) does Alice have a little more room to breathe. It’s interesting because she’s resistant to that at first – if she fully recognizes and accepts herself and then returns to her partner, she will be in serious trouble – and her carefully constructed, self-sabotaging world will come apart,” Kendrick explains.

    ALICE Unit 210706 00328R.jpg max

    “Alice, Darling” is a unique, compelling film that has to be made according to Babe Nation Films’ Nolan and Tapscot, who’s committed to championing female-identifying voices and stories.  “It was such a unique story we hadn’t seen anything like it. There have been projects that home in on abusive relationships, but nothing this subtle and focused on the friendship between women,” Nolan shares.

    Anna Kendrick Charlie Carrick in Alice Darling

    Watch “Alice, Darling” starting January 25 exclusively at cinemas of Ayala Malls Glorietta, Ayala Malls Greenbelt, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Bonifacio High Street, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls U.P. Town Center, Ayala Malls Trinoma, Ayala Malls Harbor Point, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls Alabang Town Center, Ayala Malls Centrio, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Ayala Malls The 30th, Ayala Malls Central Bloc and Ayala Malls Solenad.

    Watch out for the other upcoming titles to be included in the A-LIST SERIES such as, EMPIRE OF LIGHT and many more.

  • FDCP FilmPhilippines Opens Application for its Incentives Program

    Launching its new campaign tagline “Tell yourStories in our Islands,” the Film Development Council of thePhilippines’ FilmPhilippines Office officially opened the applications for the first cycle of the FilmPhilippines Incentives (FPI) program this 2023. The call is open to foreign production companies in business with a Filipino production company or producer on an ongoing project.

    With the primary goal to promote the Philippines as a highly-viable filming destination, the FDCP FilmPhilippines Office offers location incentives to attract international productions to film in the country.

    FilmPhilippines Cover Photo

    The Philippines also offers co-production funds to foreign producers who are looking to co-produce their respective projects with Filipino production companies and producers.

    Interested filmmakers and production companies may apply to the following incentive programs:

    ● Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP): A selective rebate of up to PHP 10 million per project granted to Filipino production companies that are producing TV/VOD series, music videos, and feature-length or short films with a minimum Qualified Philippine Production Expenditure (QPPE) of PHP 50 million.

    ● International Co-production Fund (ICOF): A selective fund of up to 40% of Qualified Philippine Production Expenditure (QPPE) capped at PHP 10 million per project granted to Filipino production companies who are producing feature-length or short films with a minimum QPPE of PHP 8 million.

    ● ASEAN Co-production Fund (ACOF): A selective fund of PHP 2.5 million to PHP 7.5 million per project granted to Filipino production companies who are producing feature-length films. 50% of the applicant’s production budget must be spent on Qualified Philippine Production Expenditure (QPPE).

    The first cycle of the FilmPhilippines Incentives (FPI) Program is open until March 17, 2023 which will be followed by a Selection Committee Deliberation.

    Some of the most notable film grantees of the FPI include “Ella Arcangel: Awit ng Pangil at Kuko” by Melvin Malonzo, “Arnold is a Model Student” by Sorayos Prapapan, “In My Mother’s Skin” by Kenneth Dagatan, “The Gospel of the Beast” by Sheron Dayoc, and popular television series “Survivor.”

    Through this initiative, the FDCP FilmPhilippines Office aims to provide funding to local and international production companies to foster collaboration between the Philippines and other foreign countries. The incentive program also opens up a lot of opportunities for Filipino talents and service providers to work on international co-productions.

    Now in its fourth year, the FilmPhilippines Incentives Cycle 1 of 2023 comes with a new set of guidelines which interested applicants may download here. For inquiries, kindly send an email to filmphilippines@fdcp.ph.

  • “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” Reunites OG Team for Trilogy’s Finale

    The story finds Mike in Miami at loose ends and with empty pockets, having closed his furniture business.  Taking bartending gigs, however, proves fortuitous when he meets a mysterious woman, Maxandra Mendoza, who, after a night of getting to know each other, presents Mike with an opportunity he can’t refuse—one that could change him, and his life, forever.

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    Soderbergh comments, “What we’ve done with these films, this one especially, is give audiences all the pure fun of watching these amazingly talented dancers perform, but also used dance as a sort of Trojan horse to sneak in other ideas.”

    The director adds that, for this final round, the filmmakers upped the ante by giving Mike the option to really have it all…if only he can reach out and grab it.  “What is desire, what does that mean?  What do love and commitment really mean in our world?  Wrapped up in all the dazzling choreography and exciting dance numbers, the movie tries to explore those real questions about how relationships are defined today.”

    MMLD 01

    Tatum, who also serves as a producer, observes, “The first movie was about Mike realizing, ‘I need to figure out what I’m doing with my life.’  The second one put these guys on a pedestal and let them flesh out their characters, but it was still really about these men.  Since then, women in films have become more open, more conversational about what they want, and we’d also created the live show.  What we learned doing that made us want to make this third movie and to really redesign what Magic Mike is.  We wanted to put the best dancers in the world in the movie, and have a strong female lead who is pivotal to the story and as important as Mike in the plot.”

    Of course, no “Magic Mike” sequel would be complete without ramping up the dance factor.  Soderbergh says that there was no question that for this “Last Dance,” the filmmakers knew they had to “blow the dancing up in a very big way.”

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    A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” slides into theaters across the Philippines beginning February 8.

    Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #MagicMikesLastDance

    Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures”

  • WATCH: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ New Trailer Teases an Epic Journey

    Let the adventure begin. Watch the brand-new trailer for Paramount Pictures’ Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and see the film only in Philippine cinemas this March 29.

    A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.  Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.

    Paramount Pictures Presents In Association with eOne A Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley Film.

    DUNGEONS DRAGONS HONOR AMONG THIEVES Payoff Poster

    Directed by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Michael Gilio. Story by Chris McKay & Michael Gilio, based on HASBRO’S DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.

    The film stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant.

    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures.  Connect with #DnDMovie and tag @paramountpicsph

    Photo & Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”