Regal Entertainment’s initial offering for 2020, D’Ninang, is a project for almost two decades in the making.
In an exclusive interview with Manila Standard, seasoned director GB Sampedro revealed that he and the film’s lead star AiAi delas Alas have been planning to make a movie together for 15 years now.
“I’ve been friends with AiAi since Backroom days, maybe around 15 years. Since then we’ve been planning to do a project together. We were talking on what concept and characters we would like to tackle. But it’s only now that our plan became concrete. Regal called me up, then she was talking with them, too, so it was like the stars aligned for us,” the director shared.
In D’Ninang, AiAi portrays a pickpocket with a big heart.
While it is apparent that her character is guilty of wrongdoing, Ninang extends help to her community, where she appears to be everybody’s godmother, thus they refer to her as Ninang.
She is just like the female version of Robin Hood.
She also takes under her wing a couple of protégés, who are also pickpockets (Angel Guardian and Kiray Celis) but still guided by Ninang’s unconventional way of living.
Her life then takes a different twist when she finds her long-lost daughter Mikhai (Kisses Delavin), who decides to live with her.
However, her daughter is unaware of her mom’s illegal business.
The irony of it is that her daughter wants to pursue a career to punish crooks.
Will their love for each other prevail when the mother and her daughter learn more about each other, including their flaws?
D’Ninang is a heartwarming story about human relationships and one’s struggles to keep the goodness in her heart despite hardships in life.
It tackles about continuing the fire of hope burning and one’s unwavering belief to change for the better.
D’Ninang hits close to home as far as Filipino family values are concerned.
With a superb cast headed by the Comedy Queen herself, D’Ninang is expected to appeal to viewers craving for a heartwarming family comedy story and eventually become a box office hit.
It also stars Joey Marquez, Kiray Celis, McCoy de Leon, Kelvin Miranda, Lou Veloso, and Angel Guardian.
D’Ninang will hit cinemas on Jan. 22.