The film production arm of ABS-CBN Corporation, Star Cinema, is bringing the Berlinale Film Festival Silver Bear-winning Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis closer to the Filipino people through a nationwide screening starting Black Saturday, March 26.
An eight-hour long epic, Lav Diaz’s internationally-acclaimed historical film features two big names from ABS-CBN’s stable of stars – John Lloyd Cruz and Piolo Pascual.
Cruz and Pascual play Crisostomo Ibarra/Simoun and Isagani, character in Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, the novels of national hero Jose Rizal.
Director Lav Diaz examines the myth and legend of Andres Bonifacio who was a prominent figure in the Philippine Revolution.
Diaz also undertakes another expedition into the eventful history of the Philippines.
The film’s various loosely interwoven narrative threads are held together by an exploration of the role of the individual in history and their involvement in political and social developments.
Diaz, one of the country’s most respected filmmakers, described his newest masterpiece as “a more intimate look into an important part of Philippine history.”
“Star Cinema and ABS-CBN have always believed in the artistry of the Filipino. By throwing our full support to this magnificent film, we hope to inspire both filmmakers and film-goers to continue to love and promote our own,” ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer for Star Creatives Malou Santos said.
A special screening of the film will be held at ABS-CBN’s Dolphy Theater on March 20 at 12nn, to be attended by the cast and director, as well as producer Paul Soriano of Ten17 Productions.
Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis made waves in the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival in February where it was awarded the Alfred Bauer Prize, which is given to a feature film that “opens new perspectives on cinematic art.”
Apart from Cruz and Pascual, the picture also features other notable actors and actresses, like Cherie Gil, Alessandra de Rossi, Sid Lucero, Angel Aquino, Ronnie Lazaro, Bernardo Bernardo, and Hazel Orencio, who played Gregoria De Jesus, or Ka Oryang, Bonifacio’s widow.
Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis will be screened in cinemas on March 26.
For more information, visit www.abs-cbn.com or like Star Cinema’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StarCinema) and follow their Twitter account (@StarCinema).
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Tougher competition in ‘I Love OPM’
“The Bump-Off” round continued last weekend with four new Touristars moving on to Gate 3 in ABS-CBN’s original singing competition for 100 percent non-Filipinos who love OPM music, I Love OPM.
Touristars Yohan Hwang (Korea), Moses Akoh (Nigeria), Ryan Gallagher (USA) and band UchuSentai: Noiz (Japan) made the cut and booked themselves a seat in Gate 3 while Touristars Anna Rabtsun (Russia), Jeff James (USA), Marina Lin (Canada), and Sonata Stevenson (India) bid farewell after they were “bumped off.”
Yohan teased the crowd with a smooth rendition of Daniel Padilla’s “Nasa Sayo Na Ang Lahat” and Moses displayed his powerful voice once again with a captivating performance of Rivermaya’s “Himala.”
UchuSentai: Noiz, on the other hand, excited the crowd with an electrifying version of Rivermaya’s “Liwanag sa Dilim” and Ryan stole everyone’s hearts with his rendition of Gary Valenciano’s “Sana Maulit Muli.”
Before competing, Touristars Anna , Yohan, Moses, and Jeff headed to Bohol for their “SoundTrip” while fellow Touristars Marina, Ryan, Sonata,and band Uchusentai: Noiz spent a day going around Manila.
Watch out as 12 more Touristars battle it out in the coming weeks that include Addy Raj (India), Daniel Herrington (USA), DBD (Australia, Korea, Nigeria), Harris Dio Smith (Pakistan), In Seon Jung (South Korea), J-Morning (Korea), Jeena Dimaandal (USA), Jerome McCuin (USA), Jonathan Wagner (France), Matthew May (UK), Montri Bootnak (Thailand) and Nelson Leusam (Samoa).
Who among the Touristars will advance to Gate 3? Who will get ‘bumped-off’ next? Where in the Philippines will our “Touristars” next “Soundtrip” be? Who will make it out of “The Bump-Off Round”?
Don’t miss I Love OPM every Saturday right after MMK, and every Sunday after Rated K on ABS-CBN.
For updates, follow @iloveopmtv on Instagram and Twitter or likehttps://www.facebook.com/iloveopm on Facebook.
