When the film project got announced in October 2022–it stirred some intriguing questions since the producer Dr. Carl E. Balita, in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), envisioned casting nurses to star in the Siglo ng Kalinga.
Siglo ng Kalinga is a film inspired by the life story of PNA founder Anastacia Giron-Tupas (AGT) and the heroic lives of Filipino nightingales. It also commemorates the centennial celebration of PNA.
Due to its groundbreaking efforts of putting together real-life nurses in the film, Dr. Carl Balita Productions had the award-winning actress Angeli Bayani conduct acting workshops for the chosen cast members. After months of filming in Quezon Province and some parts in Manila, the film that Dr. Balita takes pride in, and as his tribute to the heroes during the pandemic–the Filipino nurses, Siglo ng Kalinga will soon hit the cinemas nationwide on May 3.
“Nurses are the best actors in real life. They had to look pleasant even in emergencies and other medical or health challenges a patient had to go through. They live up to Florence Nightingale’s words–‘ignite the mind’s spark to rise the sun in you,’” explained Dr. Balita, a nurse by profession, a multi-awarded entrepreneur, and a bestselling author. He’s the man behind the most successful, biggest, multi-awarded, and the only ISO 9001-2015 certified business of its kind, Carl E. Balita Review Center (CBRC).
The screenwriter Archie Del Mundo shared how the story would take its course, intertwining with the late Tupas’s life and the nurses of today.
“The film is 99% set at present-future. There are a few flashbacks to AGT’s momentous scenes. It’s In medias res (in Latin, it means ‘in the midst of things’). It is the practice of beginning a story in the middle of the action and answering the viewer’s questions through flashbacks or dialogue.”
Taking on the lead roles are Joy Ras as Anna Formantes and Ellener Cruz as Anastacia Giron-Tupas, respectively.
They are joined by Ellener Cruz, Tads Obach, Bambi Rojas, VJ Mendoza, Anna Ellescas, Val Ramilo, Cora Anonuevo, Lorrich De Castillo, Jewell Alano, Abbey Romero, Denmark Mismanos, Frances Cuevas, Nerisaa Gerial, Joel Rey Carcasona, Christian Campos, Gilbert Manzano, Aldrin Samson, and many more.
Siglo ng Kalinga, is directed by award-winning filmmaker Lemuel Lorca and is from the same creators of the 2017 film Maestra (An Educator) with Anna Luna, Angeli Bayani, and the late Queen of Visayan Movies–Ms. Gloria Sevilla.
