The road trip adventure comedy film Si Chedeng At Si Apple, starring two of Philippine cinema’s endearing actresses Gloria Diaz and Elizabeth Oropesa, joins Cine Lokal as it celebrates diversity and pride this LGBT month featuring award-winning movies shown on selected theaters starting June 22.
Gloria and Elizabeth reunite to give a fresh and fun narrative in this Cinema One Originals entry as part of the weeklong “PelikuLAYA sa Cine Lokal: An LGBT Film Festival,” led by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with different LGBTQ organizations.
The former Miss Universe (1969) first teamed up with La Oropesa, 1999’s grand slam best actress, in Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa in 1974.
Their exceptional tandem takes moviegoers to a new adventure that centers on friendship, self-discovery, and finding true love. Two old women become accidental criminals after Chedeng (Gloria) decides to come out of the closet in the wake of her husband’s death just as Apple (Elizabeth) beheads her live-in partner. The best friends then embark on an exciting road trip to find their heart’s desires.
Si Chedeng At Si Apple is directed by young filmmakers Fatrick Tabada and Rae Red, best known as the screenwriter of the award-winning films Patay Na Si Hesus and Birdshot, respectively.
Moviegoers of all ages can relate to the film’s overall self-discovery and liberation theme. “It’s about freedom from whatever you need to unshackle yourself from, taking control of your own life, [and] learning to fight for what you want.” shared its directors. The story, they said, aims to depict that “coming out shouldn’t be gloomy and bleak.”
The “riotously funny” movie, according to a review by Megan Purdy of international film site msenscene.com, talks about friendship, love, duty, and scoundrels. She said, “Chedeng and Apple is a funny and refreshing film about older women living for themselves and rediscovering the importance of their friendship.”
Hayley Scanlon of windowsonworlds.com, meanwhile, stressed the fine performance of the leads. “The spiky banter between the two women has an authentic, lived-in quality that brings a degree of realism,” he said.
The movie had its international premiere at Europe’s largest film fest dedicated to Asian cinema—the 20th Far East Film Festival—held in Udine, Italy last April, and was also recently shown in Seattle International Film Festival. It will be screened at Frameline’s 2018 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival this month.
In last year’s Cinema One Originals, Si Chedeng At Si Apple won best-supporting actress for Mae Paner and also earned a special jury citation “for its humorous critique on Filipino macho culture and discourse on the emancipation of gender and age.”
The film’s lead actresses Gloria and Elizabeth got Best Actress nominations at the Gawad Urian 2018. Gloria also got nominated for Best Actress at the 66th Famas Awards.
Catch Si Chedeng At Si Apple on Cine Lokal at SM Manila, SM Sta. Mesa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Southmall, and SM Bacoor from June 22 to 28.
