This year’s festival offers a variety of films: family drama, horror, romantic comedy, love story and action. Madonna Tarrayo, president of Unitel Straight Shooters Production, is the festival director hosted the festival’s official launch at Gateway. Joey Javier Reyes is the head of competition but he’s absent as he’s busy shooting a movie.
Here are the 8 official entries of Cine Filipino 2018:
DELIA AND SAMMY - about an irascible aging actress with a terminal illness who wants to reunite with the kids she got alienated from before she dies, with her leaving a husband who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Comebacking actress Rosemarie Gil (mother of Michael de Mesa, Cherie and the late Mark Gil) plays Delia. Her last movie was in 2003, “Pangarap Ko ang Ibigan ka”. Playing Sammy is Jaime Fabregas, with Nico Antonio as the security guard who becomes their friend, supported by Dido de la Paz, Lui Manansala, Evan Tan, and Anthony Falcon, written and directed by Therese Cayaba.
THE ETERNITY BETWEEN SECONDS - stars singer-composer Yeng Constantino and actor TJ Trinidad, written and directed by Alec Figuracion. Yeng is Sam, a Korean-Filipino or Kopino who is about to meet her Korean dad for the first time. Andres is TJ, a self help Pinoy author and motivational speaker who is manic-depressive. By chance, the two strangers meet at the Incheon Airport in Korea and they bond, even if only for a fleeting moment, while talking about their feelings and their apprehensions in life.
EXCUSE ME PO - written and directed by Ronald Batallones, this is about today’s world of deceitful people and how will you know the truth about them. With the blurb “to live is to deceive,” this black comedy tells about the story of an old woman, played by Elizabeth Oropesa,who concocts various stories so she can swindle people. Produced by Tara Illenberger, Jedd Dumaguina, and TM Malones, it also stars Matt Daclan, Anna Luna, Angellie Nicholle Sanoy, Chanel la Torre, Sunshine Teodoro, Rener Concepcion, Shandii Bacolod, Dalin Sarmento, Emman dela Cruz, and Ricci Jereza.
MGA MISTER NI ROSARIO - a romantic comedy starring Joross Gamboa and Kate Alejandrino (ex-GF of GMA-7’s Steven Silva), with Kim Molina, Dax Carnay and Rap Robes. The film’s story concept is by Jan Dormyl Espinosa, written and directed by Allan Habon. This is about a woman whose husband is an actor who carries his different movie roles into their home and she has to cope with all his weird characters. The problem is when he plays a killer and really tries to kill her.
POON (The Image) - This horror entry is written and directed by Roni Benaid, starring Glydel Mercado and Shy Carlos with Yayo Aguila, Mon Confiado, Rolando Inocencio, Chanel Latorre, Erlinda Villalobos, and Kriz Martinez. This is a story of a loyal church servant and her daughter who experience terrifying things after bringing a mysterious image of a saint called San Vargas into their home.
HITBOY - directed by Bor Ocampo, this is an action-adventure flick with child star Adrian Cabido in the title role. He won the FAMAS Best Child Actor award in 2014 for Lauriana by Mel Chionglo. He plays a young assassin, Alex (Adrian Cabido), who gets entangled in a game of survival with his involvement in a gun for hire syndicate. Also in the cast are Mon Confiado, Soliman Cruz, Rea Molina, Juan Miguel Emmanuel Salvado, Paolo O’Hara and Rosanna Roces.
GUSTO KITA WITH ALL MY HYPOTHALAMUS (this replaced “Kahit Man Lang Kung Maaari” which was earlier announced)- Set in the very busy Avenida Rizal in downtown Manila, this is the story of four men played by Nicco Manalo, Dylan Ray Talon, Soliman Cruz, and Anthony Falcon, whose lives are intertwined by fate. Each of them are longing for something they cannot quite put their hands on. In the story that missing puzzle piece is a mysterious girl named Aileen. Produced by Bianca Balbuena and Giancarlo Abrahan, it is written and directed by Dwein Baltazar
MATA TAPANG (Brave) - Written and directed by Rod Marmol, who’s also an author and spoken word artist, this dramedy is inspired by the true story of the filmmaker's own dad, a soldier. Sergeant Hardrock (Edgar Allan Guzman) loses his left eye and his entire squad on a military mission, but he gains a third eye to help his fallen brothers fulfill their life missions. Also starring Aaron Villaflor, Jerald Napoles, Ritz Azul and Migs Almendras.
