JINGGOY ESTRADA is glad that “Coming Home”, the film he has produced and stars in for his own company, Maverick Films, made it as an official entry in the Metro-Manila Filmfest that opens on Christmas Day via streaming on Upstream.ph.
This is written and directed by Adolf Alix Jr.
The film had its zoom presscon last Friday night. Only Jinggoy, Martin del Rosario, Julian Estrada, Ariella Arida and Luis Hontiveros were present at the presidential table in Jinggoy’s office in Lt. Artiaga, San Juan.
Sylvia Sanchez and Shaira Diaz were available via online, and Jake Ejercito followed later.
“Dapat, nung April ito ipapalabas sa summer filmfest but hindi natuloy dahil sa pandemic,” he says. “Bagay naman ito sa Kapaskuhan kasi it’s about a family na nagkawatak-watak pero muling nabuo.”
Jinggoy plays Benny Librada, an overseas worker who had a paramour while working in Qatar, Mercy, played by beauty queen Ariella Arida.
Playing the wife he cheated is Sylvia as Salve, with Martin del Rosario, Edgar Allan Guzman, Jake Ejercito, Julian Estrada, Shaira Diaz, Vin Abrenica as their kids. Luis Hontiveros plays Shaira’s boyfriend.
“The story is about redemption, how the power of love and forgiveness can bring back the broken members of a family together again,” adds Jinggoy.
“This is our tribute to OFW’s and the families they left behind. Bale second film ko ito after ‘Katas ng Saudi’ na OFW rin ako at nagpanalo sa’kin ng best actor award sa Metro Manila Filmfest in 2007.
"But the last movie I did is ‘Ang Tatay Kong Sexy’ with Maja Salvador which was released while I was vacationing with my Pareng Bong Revilla.”
Jinggoy feels sad that the local film industry is so badly affected by the pandemic that many stars and crew members are currently jobless.
“May mga lumalapit sa akin at tinutulungan ko naman,” he says. “Siyempre, alam ko naman ang katayuan nila. Kapag walang pelikula or show, walang taping, walang shooting, wala ring kita. Nakakaawa rin, e.
"But I can only give so much, kasi sabi ko nga sa kanila, wala rin naman akong trabaho. Buti sana kung senador ako or mayor ako or whatever, mas makakatulong ako. Gusto ko mang tulungan silang lahat, hindi ko kaya.”
But even if he’s not currently holding any public office, he continues to help the poor, specially those coming from his turf. He has his own Facebook online show, “Jingflix”, where he gives away prizes to lucky viewers.
We’re sure Jinggoy’s “Coming Home” will be compared with his Pareng Phillip Salvador’s “Isa Pang Bahaghari” as they both play OFW’s who return home to the families they have wronged.
They both even have a scene where an irate son of them attacked them and beat them up, Zanjoe Marudo for Ipe and Edgar Allan Guzman for Jinggoy.
The difference is that Jinggoy has an other woman in “Coming Home”, beauty queen Ariella Arida who debuts on the big screen in this film.
