Don’t underestimate Erich Gonzales. She may appear helpless, but beneath her lithe figure and kind countenance is a gentle and persuasive soul. She had wrapped up work on the highly rated pre-primetime show The Blood Sisters in which she played the triplets Agatha, Carrie, and Erika. The show’s final episode aired last Friday and that gives Erich time to think of another film that she could underwrite.
In the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, Erich has an entry, We Will Not Die Tonight. She plays Kray, daughter of a stuntman in the ‘80s, now sick and dependent on her. So, she becomes a stuntwoman while aspiring to be an actor. She does odd jobs as well to make both ends meet.
One night, with her boyfriend and other friends, goes on an adventure to strike it big and make a big hit. But little do they know that their adventure would plunge them into a hellish nightmare.
Richard Somes directed the film.
“This is an action drama that happened only for one night, “Erich explained during the press do for the film and later for the finale presscon of The Blood Sisters.
“And in that situation we all have to make a decision and we all said, ‘We will not die tonight’ because a lot of people are also depending on us,” she added.
That speaks of why she decided to produce movies. “To provide employment to people who depend on the movies for their livelihood,” she said.
The film was completed a year ago and it has been shown at the New York Asian Film Festival in June, so this did not pose a hindrance to Erich’s obligations to The Blood Sisters.
All her co-stars in the series have nothing but praises for the young actress. Tessie Tomas said during the presscon, “It’s not a joke to play three different characters at one given time. When I deliver my character in certain scenes, Erich would do it three times! That’s something not many actors can do, and she did it without complain.”
The series ended after an exciting six-month run that changed the face of primetime
The primetime series also pulled in more viewers compared to its rival program every night, recording an all-time high national TV rating of 28.1 percent on March 1, according to data from Kantar Media. The Blood Sisters has also placed in the top 5 most watched programs on iWant TV since it premiered in February up to July this year.
C1 Originals’ Best Picture in Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino
The Cinema One Originals 2017 Best Picture Paki, a family drama on aging love put to test by time, is showing in the special features section of this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
The multi-awarded film directed by Giancarlo Abrahan centers its story on an old woman played by Dexter Doria, who decides to live out the rest of her life as an old maid, except her husband is still alive, and their children are not about to let her.
“As we grow old, the more we get to understand life. Even older people know how to fight. The movie is a celebration of old age,” Dexter said during the film’s media conference.
“Paki is an appeal for caring,” Giancarlo shared. “In the simplicity of following the journey of an old woman seeking emancipation, it aims to reveal the multiplicity and complexity of an entire family.”
Aside from being hailed as the Best Picture in last year’s Cinema One Originals, the film also got the Best Supporting Actor award for Ricky Davao and Best Screenplay and Best Director wins for Giancarlo.
Must see in PPP
If you’re wondering what movie to watch during the weeklong PPP, which ends on Wednesday, try watching Adolfo Borinaga Alix Jr.’s Madilim ang Gabi”(Dark is the Night). It tackles the Philippine government’s current war on drugs, through the microcosm of a family caught between the crossfire. Unflinchingly gritty in its portrayal of a society that is being purged with blood, the film challenges the viewer to examine the current socio-political landscape, and determine whether the country, may in fact be repeating the sins of the past.
The film cannot be more relevant, as it vividly captures the Filipino consciousness in a time where safety comes with a terrible price. Madilim ang Gabi portrays crime and violence as cyclical, which are both borne out of power. As state-sponsored killings divide the nation, concepts of human rights and due process are thrown out of the window.
The film features an all-star cast, headlined by Gina Alajar and Phillip Salvador, with Bembol Roco, Anita Linda, Perla Bautista, Laurice Guillen, Elizabeth Oropesa, Cherie Gil, Cherry Pie Picache, Rosanna Roces, Alan Paule, William Lorenzo, Angel Aquino, Iza Calzado, Angeli Bayani, Zanjoe Marudo, Sid Lucero, Jason Abalos, Felix Roco, Archie Alemania, Mikoy Morales and Alessandra de Rossi, who play various characters but share the same dismal reality— that each and every one of them is a victim of a dog-eat-dog society, where kindness and compassion go to die.
The film penetrates the psyche of the desperate main characters and those who are part of the cycle, channeling their rage, fears and frustrations as they search in the middle of drug war. One can almost taste the claustrophobia within the narrow corridors of a labyrinthine city. What does it really mean when the president of a republic says “I’ll kill you!” The film tells us that the answer is there all along, only that we have decided to look away.
The film screened in various international film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, Tokyo Filmex, Fribourg International Film Festival and the Warsaw Asian Film Festival.
‘Game Of Thrones’ campaign honored
SKY earned local and international honors at the 2018 PANAta Awards in Makati and the Faxies Awards in New York City for its marketing campaign for Game of Thrones Season 7.
The winning campaign dubbed as ‘#GOTOnSKY’ was recognized in the Marketing of a Continuing Series category for creating innovative multimedia publicity about the award-winning HBO series among Filipino fans at the respected Faxies Awards, which honors the
Meanwhile, the same campaign won a bronze award for Brand Builder Excellence in Marketing Innovation at the PANAta Awards of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers.
In order to create buzz about the return of Game of Thrones on Philippine cable television via HBO, SKY produced creative promotional stunts on various media platforms. Among the executions of SKY was a commissioned cover of the Game of Thrones opening theme by Filipino folk group, Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-GaPi). Featuring traditional percussion instruments, Kontra-GaPi’s unique version made rounds on social media and attracted the attention of both international and local news outlets.