- ‘Quezon’s Game,’ ‘Banal,’ and ‘Finding You’ will premiere on May 29 in cinemas nationwide
- Local movies have been experiencing disappointing sales at the box office this year
- Video streaming sites are affecting movie patronage.
Philippine cinema has three new offerings—namely Quezon’s Game, Banal, and Finding You—which are all opening on May 29. The question is, which one will people be lining up to see?
Quezon’s Game
A historical film directed by Matthew Rosen and stars Raymond Bagatsing, Rachel Alejandro, Billy Ray Gallion, James Paolelli, Audie Gemora, and David Bianco.
Inspired by the events that took place in 1930s, the film centers around Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and his plan to shelter in the Philippines the Jews who were fleeing from Nazi Germany. This is a compelling story which a lot of Filipinos know nothing about.
The film is Graded A by CEB and as of this writing, it has won 23 awards and various recognitions from international film festivals overseas.
Banal
A horror film under APT Entertainment starring Bianca Umali, Miguel Tanfelix, Kim-Michael Last, Taki Saito, and Andrea Brillantes. It tells the story of a group of friends who are trapped as they go hiking in a haunted forest. It was said that the film was based on real-life experiences of mountaineers. A must-see Graded B film by CEB.
Finding You
A romance drama starring Jerome Ponce and Jane Oineza with Barbie Imperial, Claire Ruiz, and Kate Alejandrino. Directed by Easy Ferrer. It follows the story of Nel who is afflicted with a condition called hyperthymesia which is a condition that gives him the capability to remember an abnormally large number of his life experiences down to the very minute details.
Among these movies, which one do you think will be a hit in the cinemas?
For the past few months, the rate of local movie failures has been increasing and has become a cause of alarm for some Filipino filmmakers, including film director Erik Matti.
According to Matti, the Philippine movie industry is in a “dire situation” as local movies are often beaten by Hollywood offerings. Video streaming has also been pinpointed as a reason for the drop in cinema audiences. Here’s hoping these new offerings can turn things around.
