The Filipino crime thriller has a unique approach that includes documentary-like realism in the narrative, in the style dictated by the likes of Lino Brocka, Mike De Leon, Brillante Mendoza and Erik Matti. Sonny Calvento, in his feature debut back in 2017, implemented a similar approach in “The Decaying” a film that won an award for its production design in the 2017 Cinemalaya.
The film begins with a man in a remote area witnessing a Westerner and a teenager throwing and burning parts of a bed in the same field, obviously trying not to be seen by anyone. A bit later on, the man, whose name is revealed to be Jason, buys a sack of cement and returns to his house, where the first thing he does is to fire the housemaid, Ingrid, who happens to be his wife's cousin. The woman is shocked but soon becomes suspicious as her cousin is nowhere to be found,...
The film begins with a man in a remote area witnessing a Westerner and a teenager throwing and burning parts of a bed in the same field, obviously trying not to be seen by anyone. A bit later on, the man, whose name is revealed to be Jason, buys a sack of cement and returns to his house, where the first thing he does is to fire the housemaid, Ingrid, who happens to be his wife's cousin. The woman is shocked but soon becomes suspicious as her cousin is nowhere to be found,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Series projects by filmmakers Kevin Macdonald, Barbera Albert and Erik Matti have won key prizes at the second edition of Seriesmakers, Series Mania’s development lab for film directors moving into series.
Macdonald and producer Femke Wolting won one of two Beta Development Awards worth €50,000 for their series project George Blake which tells the story of the prolific British double agent.
Macdonald has won the Oscar best documentary feature prize for One Day In September, while The Last King of Scotland won an Oscar for lead actor for Forest Whitaker. He was unable to collect the prize which was picked up by Wolting.
Macdonald and producer Femke Wolting won one of two Beta Development Awards worth €50,000 for their series project George Blake which tells the story of the prolific British double agent.
Macdonald has won the Oscar best documentary feature prize for One Day In September, while The Last King of Scotland won an Oscar for lead actor for Forest Whitaker. He was unable to collect the prize which was picked up by Wolting.
- 3/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Projects from Oscar-winning Scottish director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), Philippine filmmaker Erik Matti (On the Job) and Austrian auteur Barbara Albert (Nordrand) have been picked as the most promising new TV pitches at this year’s Series Mania festival.
Macdonald’s George Blake, a real-life spy thriller about the famed double agent, and Matti’s The Squatter, an East-meets-West crime story about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who team up, won this year’s Beta Development Awards and will receive $54,000 (€ 50,000) each in development cash from European production and sales company Beta Group.
In addition to his feature work, which includes The Mauritanian with Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster, and State of Play starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe, Macdonald has helmed several acclaimed documentaries, including the Oscar-winning One Day in September (2000), 2004’s Touching The Void and 2013’s Marley.
Matti’s crime thriller On the Job 2: The Missing 8...
Macdonald’s George Blake, a real-life spy thriller about the famed double agent, and Matti’s The Squatter, an East-meets-West crime story about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who team up, won this year’s Beta Development Awards and will receive $54,000 (€ 50,000) each in development cash from European production and sales company Beta Group.
In addition to his feature work, which includes The Mauritanian with Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster, and State of Play starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe, Macdonald has helmed several acclaimed documentaries, including the Oscar-winning One Day in September (2000), 2004’s Touching The Void and 2013’s Marley.
Matti’s crime thriller On the Job 2: The Missing 8...
- 3/20/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“George Blake,” from Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald, “The Squatter” from Venice-acclaimed Erik Matti and “Sleeping Swans” from esteemed auteur Barbara Albert were the big winners from this year’s second edition of scripted incubator Seriesmakers.
Backed by Beta Group and Series Mania, the mentoring program for feature filmmakers looking to make the leap to TV will return for a third edition, organizers announced at Wednesday’s awards ceremony. The call for admissions will open soon.
Produced by Femke Wolting, the U.K./Dutch series “George Blake” looks into the wilder-than-fiction tale of the most prolific double agent in British history, asking the question of what makes a working class, former resistance fighter turn against everything they ever stood for?
The project will interrogate the multiple identities – and families – of a man who reinvented himself time and again, dying a traitor in England and a national hero in Russia. The project received in €50,000 in prize money.
Backed by Beta Group and Series Mania, the mentoring program for feature filmmakers looking to make the leap to TV will return for a third edition, organizers announced at Wednesday’s awards ceremony. The call for admissions will open soon.
Produced by Femke Wolting, the U.K./Dutch series “George Blake” looks into the wilder-than-fiction tale of the most prolific double agent in British history, asking the question of what makes a working class, former resistance fighter turn against everything they ever stood for?
The project will interrogate the multiple identities – and families – of a man who reinvented himself time and again, dying a traitor in England and a national hero in Russia. The project received in €50,000 in prize money.
- 3/20/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald has won the €50,000 Series Mania Seriesmakers award.
The One Day in September director’s project is one of two winners to take home the prize, which has been forged by the Lille Confab and German major Beta Film.
Macdonald and producer Femke Wolting’s project is titled George Blake and tells the story of one of the most prolific double agents of not just the Cold War, but British history. The other winner is director Erik Matti and producer Ronald Monteverde for The Squatter from The Philippines, about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who have to unravel the mysteries of a crime just as the crime itself unravels who they truly are.
The development lab is for feature film directors sidestepping into series production. Ten projects faced off including those helmed by Kaouther Ben Hania, who directed the Oscar-nominated doc Four Daughters.
The One Day in September director’s project is one of two winners to take home the prize, which has been forged by the Lille Confab and German major Beta Film.
Macdonald and producer Femke Wolting’s project is titled George Blake and tells the story of one of the most prolific double agents of not just the Cold War, but British history. The other winner is director Erik Matti and producer Ronald Monteverde for The Squatter from The Philippines, about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who have to unravel the mysteries of a crime just as the crime itself unravels who they truly are.
The development lab is for feature film directors sidestepping into series production. Ten projects faced off including those helmed by Kaouther Ben Hania, who directed the Oscar-nominated doc Four Daughters.
- 3/20/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: US-based Filipino filmmaker Isabel Sandoval is returning to the Philippines to shoot her fourth feature, Moonglow, starring Arjo Atayde.
Sandoval, who is known for her award-winning 2019 feature Lingua Franca and directing series in the U.S., is scheduled to start shooting the noir crime thriller on April 9.
Set in 1970s Manila, the film follows a jaded female police detective, who unbeknownst to her colleagues is the mastermind behind a successful heist, but who is paired up with an obsessively truth-seeking detective partner to crack the very crime that she orchestrated.
The film is produced by Alemberg Ang of the Philippines’ Daluyong Studios, with Tan Si En of Singapore’s Momo Film Co, Takahiro Yamashita of Japan’s Yaman Films and Ria Atayde of the Philippines’ Nathan Studios.
Arjo Atayde also stars in upcoming Abs-cbn crime series The Bagman and has recent credits including psychological series Cattleya Killer...
Sandoval, who is known for her award-winning 2019 feature Lingua Franca and directing series in the U.S., is scheduled to start shooting the noir crime thriller on April 9.
Set in 1970s Manila, the film follows a jaded female police detective, who unbeknownst to her colleagues is the mastermind behind a successful heist, but who is paired up with an obsessively truth-seeking detective partner to crack the very crime that she orchestrated.
The film is produced by Alemberg Ang of the Philippines’ Daluyong Studios, with Tan Si En of Singapore’s Momo Film Co, Takahiro Yamashita of Japan’s Yaman Films and Ria Atayde of the Philippines’ Nathan Studios.
Arjo Atayde also stars in upcoming Abs-cbn crime series The Bagman and has recent credits including psychological series Cattleya Killer...
- 3/13/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Anima, the Filipino studio behind Venice winner On The Job 2: The Missing 8 and Sundance winner Leonor Will Never Die, is joining with Project 8 Projects to co-produce Antoinette Jadaone’s teenage pregnancy drama Sunshine.
Maris Racal stars in the film, marking her third collaboration with Jadaone. The story follows a young gymnast who discovers she is pregnant on the week of the national team tryouts. On her way to a seller of illegal abortion drugs, she meets a mysterious girl who eerily talks and thinks like her.
Currently in post-production, the film is a follow-up to Jadaone’s Fan Girl (2020), which played at Tokyo International Film Festival and Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival main competition.
Jadaone is known for both indie and mainstream films in the Philippines. She directed one of the highest-grossing indie films in Philippine cinema history, That Thing Called Tadhana (2014), which also played widely at...
Maris Racal stars in the film, marking her third collaboration with Jadaone. The story follows a young gymnast who discovers she is pregnant on the week of the national team tryouts. On her way to a seller of illegal abortion drugs, she meets a mysterious girl who eerily talks and thinks like her.
Currently in post-production, the film is a follow-up to Jadaone’s Fan Girl (2020), which played at Tokyo International Film Festival and Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival main competition.
Jadaone is known for both indie and mainstream films in the Philippines. She directed one of the highest-grossing indie films in Philippine cinema history, That Thing Called Tadhana (2014), which also played widely at...
- 3/11/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Philippines media and entertainment company Abs-cbn is set to launch tentpole co-production The Bagman at this year’s Asia TV Forum & Market (Atf) in Singapore, with the star of the series, Arjo Atayde, also attending the event.
Set to begin production in January, the eight-part action drama sees Atayde reprising his character Benjo Malaya from the original digital series Bagman 1 and Bagman 2, which were sold to Netflix Philippines.
The spin-off of the original digital series also stars John Arcilla, who won best actor at the Venice film festival for Erik Matti’s On The Job 2: The Missing 8, and Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, who won best actress at Cairo International Film Festival for Brillante Mendoza’s Mindanao.
The new series is co-produced by Abs-cbn International Productions, Nathan Studios, Rein Entertainment and Dreamscape Entertainment.
Atayde also previously starred in Abs-cbn’s hit crime thriller series Cattleya Killer and movies including Matti’s...
Set to begin production in January, the eight-part action drama sees Atayde reprising his character Benjo Malaya from the original digital series Bagman 1 and Bagman 2, which were sold to Netflix Philippines.
The spin-off of the original digital series also stars John Arcilla, who won best actor at the Venice film festival for Erik Matti’s On The Job 2: The Missing 8, and Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, who won best actress at Cairo International Film Festival for Brillante Mendoza’s Mindanao.
The new series is co-produced by Abs-cbn International Productions, Nathan Studios, Rein Entertainment and Dreamscape Entertainment.
Atayde also previously starred in Abs-cbn’s hit crime thriller series Cattleya Killer and movies including Matti’s...
- 11/27/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Kathryn Bernardo, known as the Queen of Philippines Cinema, and Triangle Of Sadness star Dolly de Leon are both almost unrecognizable in their new movie, A Very Good Girl, which Abs-cbn and Star Cinema are opening at the U.S. box office today (October 6).
Bernardo, who is famous for her roles in romantic dramas, plays a woman hell bent on revenge against a former employer who sacked her – a glamorous retail tycoon called Mother Molly, played by De Leon. Bernardo’s character switches between her true self – down-trodden, working-class girl Mercy, now forced to scam foreigners online for a living, and her faux persona as high-rolling socialite Philo, out to trick her former boss.
“I specifically asked Star Cinema to pitch me something a bit out of the box for me – something about empowerment or a bit dark,” says Bernardo, when asked what she liked about the project. “My fans...
Bernardo, who is famous for her roles in romantic dramas, plays a woman hell bent on revenge against a former employer who sacked her – a glamorous retail tycoon called Mother Molly, played by De Leon. Bernardo’s character switches between her true self – down-trodden, working-class girl Mercy, now forced to scam foreigners online for a living, and her faux persona as high-rolling socialite Philo, out to trick her former boss.
“I specifically asked Star Cinema to pitch me something a bit out of the box for me – something about empowerment or a bit dark,” says Bernardo, when asked what she liked about the project. “My fans...
- 10/6/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Remember how we mentioned that last week was a bit of a “calm before the storm” situation, as we get closer to the Halloween season and its nonstop onslaught of fresh horror movies?
That orange wave has arrived, and it won’t be slowing down until October 31. In fact, there are so many new releases this week that we’re going to break them up into separate days.
Here’s all the new horror that just released for August 22, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Cinephobia Releasing brings Dane Elcar‘s acclaimed sci-fi thriller Brightwood home today, a time loop horror movie that’s now available on all your favorite VOD outlets.
The indie horror movie centers on a married couple at the end of their rope, and that’s before they get trapped into a loop with a hooded killer in the woods.
That orange wave has arrived, and it won’t be slowing down until October 31. In fact, there are so many new releases this week that we’re going to break them up into separate days.
Here’s all the new horror that just released for August 22, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Cinephobia Releasing brings Dane Elcar‘s acclaimed sci-fi thriller Brightwood home today, a time loop horror movie that’s now available on all your favorite VOD outlets.
The indie horror movie centers on a married couple at the end of their rope, and that’s before they get trapped into a loop with a hooded killer in the woods.
- 8/22/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Death is only the beginning in The Entity. In the film, a family must contend with demonic forces after a tragic death, and an exclusive clip provided to Bloody Disgusting sets up a terrifying scare that highlights the horror ahead.
In the upcoming Filipino horror film, “A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. Now they must try to figure out why she is trying to communicate with them and if it’s really her.”
The Entity releases on VOD and Digital on August 22, 2023.
The exclusive clip below sets up a jump scare, with foreboding signs pointing toward something else reaching out from beyond the grave.
The horror film by Filipino director Erik Matti (“Folklore“), who co-wrote the script with Katski Flores, stars Sharon Cuneta as the family matriach. The Entity, also titled Kuwaresma, marks Filipino star Cuneta’s first foray into horror.
In the upcoming Filipino horror film, “A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. Now they must try to figure out why she is trying to communicate with them and if it’s really her.”
The Entity releases on VOD and Digital on August 22, 2023.
The exclusive clip below sets up a jump scare, with foreboding signs pointing toward something else reaching out from beyond the grave.
The horror film by Filipino director Erik Matti (“Folklore“), who co-wrote the script with Katski Flores, stars Sharon Cuneta as the family matriach. The Entity, also titled Kuwaresma, marks Filipino star Cuneta’s first foray into horror.
- 8/18/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
"A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. Now they must try to figure out why she is trying to communicate with them and if it's really her." From writer Katski Flores (Still Life) and Filipino director Erik Matti (On the Job), The Entity will be released on digital later this month and we have an exclusive look at the brand-new poster for the upcoming film.
Starring Sharon Cuneta, John Arcilla, Kent Gonzales, Pam Gonzales, Guila Alvarez, and Coohleene Cabasag, The Entity will be available on August 22nd on digital platforms, including Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, and DirecTV. Take a look at the poster below and we also a look at the trailer that was exclusively shared by Bloody Disgusting yesterday.
Trailer via Bloody Disgusting:
The post Exclusive Poster Reveal: “Darkness Will Test the Strenth of This Family” in The...
Starring Sharon Cuneta, John Arcilla, Kent Gonzales, Pam Gonzales, Guila Alvarez, and Coohleene Cabasag, The Entity will be available on August 22nd on digital platforms, including Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, and DirecTV. Take a look at the poster below and we also a look at the trailer that was exclusively shared by Bloody Disgusting yesterday.
Trailer via Bloody Disgusting:
The post Exclusive Poster Reveal: “Darkness Will Test the Strenth of This Family” in The...
- 8/15/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Death is only the beginning in The Entity. In the trailer for the upcoming Filipino horror film, a family must contend with demonic forces after a tragic death.
In the film, “A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. Now they must try to figure out why she is trying to communicate with them and if it’s really her.”
The Entity releases on VOD and Digital on August 22, 2023.
The horror film by Filipino director Erik Matti (“Folklore“), who co-wrote the script with Katski Flores, stars Sharon Cuneta as the family matriach. The Entity, also titled Kuwaresma, marks Filipino star Cuneta’s first foray into horror.
John Arcilla (The Bourne Legacy) also stars alongside sibling actors Kent Gonzales (“Gen Z”), and Pam Gonzales.
Based on the trailer below, expect things to get downright demonic in this 1985-set horror feature. Undead family members, ghosts,...
In the film, “A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. Now they must try to figure out why she is trying to communicate with them and if it’s really her.”
The Entity releases on VOD and Digital on August 22, 2023.
The horror film by Filipino director Erik Matti (“Folklore“), who co-wrote the script with Katski Flores, stars Sharon Cuneta as the family matriach. The Entity, also titled Kuwaresma, marks Filipino star Cuneta’s first foray into horror.
John Arcilla (The Bourne Legacy) also stars alongside sibling actors Kent Gonzales (“Gen Z”), and Pam Gonzales.
Based on the trailer below, expect things to get downright demonic in this 1985-set horror feature. Undead family members, ghosts,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Probably the only country whose cinema can rival the Japanese freedom of expression is the Philippines, where art, however, seems to come from completely different sources than the Japanese one; from financial and political instability, from the different stages of colonialism, from the intense impact of Catholicism, all of which create a rather chaotic setting that always benefitted art of any kind. It is due to this concept, as much as the richness of its cinematic past and present, that we have decided to focus so intently on the country’s cinema this year. Granted, our knowledge of the past is not so intent, since Amp took a turn of covering a more wider part of Asia after 2019, which is why the particular list is the biggest among the ones focusing on the various decades of Filipino cinema.
Without further ado, here are 35 great Filipino films of the 00s, with...
Without further ado, here are 35 great Filipino films of the 00s, with...
- 5/14/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Action thriller, “Trigger” from writer-director Richard Somes has wrapped production and is beginning sales at the European Film Market.
“Trigger” (aka “Tokakk”) tells the story of a lonely security guard (portrayed by Arjo Atayde) previously discharged from the military due to his post-traumatic stress disorder. He finds himself embroiled in a different kind of war when a young woman (Julia Montes) seeks his protection against a corrupt police death squad. While the pair fight for their lives, the man must confront his inner demons to earn his redemption.
The film also stars Arjo Atayde (“Cattleya Killer”), Julia Montes (“Brothers”), Sid Lucero (“The End of History”) and Kokoy De Santos (“Game Boy”) and is produced by Wilfredo C. Manalang of Fusee (the company that co-produced Cannes Camera d’Or prize-winner “Plan 75”), Somes of Strawdog Studio Production, Ria Atayde and Sylvia Sanchez from Nathan Studios and Michaelangelo Masangkay, co-owner of Toronto-based...
“Trigger” (aka “Tokakk”) tells the story of a lonely security guard (portrayed by Arjo Atayde) previously discharged from the military due to his post-traumatic stress disorder. He finds himself embroiled in a different kind of war when a young woman (Julia Montes) seeks his protection against a corrupt police death squad. While the pair fight for their lives, the man must confront his inner demons to earn his redemption.
The film also stars Arjo Atayde (“Cattleya Killer”), Julia Montes (“Brothers”), Sid Lucero (“The End of History”) and Kokoy De Santos (“Game Boy”) and is produced by Wilfredo C. Manalang of Fusee (the company that co-produced Cannes Camera d’Or prize-winner “Plan 75”), Somes of Strawdog Studio Production, Ria Atayde and Sylvia Sanchez from Nathan Studios and Michaelangelo Masangkay, co-owner of Toronto-based...
- 2/19/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
In 2022, the Philippines was on quite a roll on the international cinematic arena with local films gaining critical acclaim and Filipino talents getting representation worldwide. There’s Martika Ramirez Escobar’s absurdist tale Leonor Will Never Die which made history with a Special Jury Award Prize win at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival which was also the premiere lieu for the Grand Jury Prize winning short “The Headhunter’s Daughter” by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan. Erik Matti’s Venice winner On The Job: The Missing 8 also got a nod at the 50th International Emmy Awards in the best TV movie or miniseries category.…...
- 2/1/2023
- by Acer Batislaong
- IONCINEMA.com
As the first stages of normalicy following the lessening of restrictions from the pandemic at large, a series of highly enjoyable genre movies emerged this year that proved to hit harder than expected. While not hitting as high as previous years, the selection of films produced throughout the year are bigger and grander in scope, with the effects of the looser restrictions meaning that a more traditional style could be attempted. That meant that numerous high-quality films could be utilized, with masters of the craft including Takashi Shimizu in Japan, Erik Matti in the Philippines and Joko Anwar in Indonesia, among others, returning to the genre, producing content that carries the stamp of quality from their past catalog. In addition to their efforts, newcomers Park Sye-young, Surapong Ploensang, and Kim Jin-young started their careers strong with impressive features of their own, showing signs of where they can go in the...
- 12/30/2022
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
As 2022 draws to an end, Deadline’s critics have each chosen their top three movies of the year to hail from abroad. Some were festival world premieres, and some have made the International Feature Oscar shortlist. Donkeys certainly made a splash, including in one 2020 French title that only saw U.S. release this year.
Here are Deadline critics’ top international films of 2022, based on their respected individual opinions (in alphabetical order by title):
All Quiet On The Western Front
The last time Erich Maria Remarque’s classic anti-war novel All Quiet on the Western Front was made as a theatrical motion picture was nearly a century ago, in 1930. It took home Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Can history repeat itself? I wouldn’t bet against it as this official...
Here are Deadline critics’ top international films of 2022, based on their respected individual opinions (in alphabetical order by title):
All Quiet On The Western Front
The last time Erich Maria Remarque’s classic anti-war novel All Quiet on the Western Front was made as a theatrical motion picture was nearly a century ago, in 1930. It took home Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Can history repeat itself? I wouldn’t bet against it as this official...
- 12/29/2022
- by Pete Hammond, Todd McCarthy, Valerie Complex, Damon Wise, Anna Smith and Stephanie Bunbury
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The global television scene offered up an embarrassment of riches this year, with a seemingly endless supply of phenomenal dramas, comedies and crime procedurals as good as, or often better, than the best on offer Stateside.
The international expansion of Netflix, Amazon, AppleTV+ and others has meant many global talents now have the financial means to make their dream originals, while series from more traditional local broadcasters have access to global platforms, and a worldwide audience, on a scale never seen before.
Ahead of the winter break, The Hollywood Reporter continues its holiday tradition in picking out the best international series to binge-watch over the holiday season. Our favorite 2022 series stocking stuffers include a feminist spy thriller from Germany, a Korean take on a British romantic classic and a deep dive into the French hip-hop scene of the 1980s. (Check out our list...
The global television scene offered up an embarrassment of riches this year, with a seemingly endless supply of phenomenal dramas, comedies and crime procedurals as good as, or often better, than the best on offer Stateside.
The international expansion of Netflix, Amazon, AppleTV+ and others has meant many global talents now have the financial means to make their dream originals, while series from more traditional local broadcasters have access to global platforms, and a worldwide audience, on a scale never seen before.
Ahead of the winter break, The Hollywood Reporter continues its holiday tradition in picking out the best international series to binge-watch over the holiday season. Our favorite 2022 series stocking stuffers include a feminist spy thriller from Germany, a Korean take on a British romantic classic and a deep dive into the French hip-hop scene of the 1980s. (Check out our list...
- 12/23/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In an unusual move, the Philippines’ Oscar entry “On the Job: The
Missing 8” was a nominee for the Intl. Emmys this year. It’s a sequel to Erik Matti’s 2013 “On the Job,” which took place in Manila and was reformatted into an eponymous miniseries that combines scenes from both films and is streaming on HBO Max.
Nominated for television movie/miniseries, “Missing 8” was conceived as a film but due to the pandemic the filmmakers pivoted to the small screen.
The six-part miniseries didn’t win at the I-Emmys but has garnered other prizes since its premiere as a film at Venice. “On the Job: The Missing 8” won the Volpi Cup for actor for its lead, John Arcilla, making him the first Filipino thespian to win such a prestigious award.
“We knew it was a mountain to climb, but we wanted to be present at the International Emmy Awards, win or lose,...
Missing 8” was a nominee for the Intl. Emmys this year. It’s a sequel to Erik Matti’s 2013 “On the Job,” which took place in Manila and was reformatted into an eponymous miniseries that combines scenes from both films and is streaming on HBO Max.
Nominated for television movie/miniseries, “Missing 8” was conceived as a film but due to the pandemic the filmmakers pivoted to the small screen.
The six-part miniseries didn’t win at the I-Emmys but has garnered other prizes since its premiere as a film at Venice. “On the Job: The Missing 8” won the Volpi Cup for actor for its lead, John Arcilla, making him the first Filipino thespian to win such a prestigious award.
“We knew it was a mountain to climb, but we wanted to be present at the International Emmy Awards, win or lose,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
It’s rare that a sequel competes in the International Oscar category, especially when the first part didn’t get selected. It’s a measure of Erik Matti’s latest film that, though it follows on from 2013’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title On the Job—or rather, starts in the aftermath—this second instalment stands alone. “The big difference between the two,” said Matti, “is that the first one was set in urban Manila, and the second one is set in the countryside of the Philippines, just to show two contrasts that exist within both worlds.”
Speaking at Deadline’s Contenders Film: International award-season event,Matti pared down his sprawling, 208-minute epic On the Job: The Missing 8 to a simple logline. “It’s the story of eight missing people,” he said, “and how a paid hack of a journalist tries to uncover the truth, eventually rediscovering himself [in the process].”
Related: The Contenders...
Speaking at Deadline’s Contenders Film: International award-season event,Matti pared down his sprawling, 208-minute epic On the Job: The Missing 8 to a simple logline. “It’s the story of eight missing people,” he said, “and how a paid hack of a journalist tries to uncover the truth, eventually rediscovering himself [in the process].”
Related: The Contenders...
- 12/3/2022
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Raven Banner Entertainment has boarded action thriller Trigger (Topakk), directed by the Philippines’ Richard Somes, to executive produce and handle international sales.
Currently in production, the film stars Arjo Atayde (Cattleya Killer), Julia Montes (Brothers), Sid Lucero (The End Of History) and Kokoy De Santos (Game Boy).
Wilfredo C. Manalang of Philippines production house Fusee is producing the film with Somes’ Strawdogs Studio Production, Ria Atayde and Sylvia Sanchez for Nathan Studios and Michaelangelo Masangkay and Fernando Henna for Toronto-based post sound house, Theo & Atlas Productions Inc.
Atayde plays a security guard previously discharged from the military due to post-traumatic stress disorder. He finds himself embroiled in a different kind of war when a young woman (Montes) seeks his protection against a corrupt police death squad.
Fusee previously co-produced Japanese drama Plan 75, which is Japan’s submission to the best international feature category of the Oscars. The company also...
Currently in production, the film stars Arjo Atayde (Cattleya Killer), Julia Montes (Brothers), Sid Lucero (The End Of History) and Kokoy De Santos (Game Boy).
Wilfredo C. Manalang of Philippines production house Fusee is producing the film with Somes’ Strawdogs Studio Production, Ria Atayde and Sylvia Sanchez for Nathan Studios and Michaelangelo Masangkay and Fernando Henna for Toronto-based post sound house, Theo & Atlas Productions Inc.
Atayde plays a security guard previously discharged from the military due to post-traumatic stress disorder. He finds himself embroiled in a different kind of war when a young woman (Montes) seeks his protection against a corrupt police death squad.
Fusee previously co-produced Japanese drama Plan 75, which is Japan’s submission to the best international feature category of the Oscars. The company also...
- 11/2/2022
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
The West has a tendency to lump horror from East and Southeast Asia into one basic but limiting category. Because of this, someone might write off an entire continent’s contributions to the genre based solely on a few popular movies with similar plots and executions. However, Eric Khoo’s series Folklore highlights — not to mention celebrates — the differences that make each episode’s depicted culture so unique. That’s not to say there isn’t an overall theme here. This anthology show emphasizes a commonality among its stories; every tale of terror draws from the supernatural. More specifically, each self-contained episode is based on a local custom, myth or superstition. And as the second season demonstrates with both flair and potency, defying the past and ignoring tradition has serious consequences.
Like other anthology series, there is no specific order when watching the episodes. Skipping around is surely an option,...
Like other anthology series, there is no specific order when watching the episodes. Skipping around is surely an option,...
- 10/7/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
- 10/4/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Actor-singer-influencer Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes and film and TV actor Mccoy Deleon are the leads in rising star Philippines director Mikhail Red’s “Deleter.”
A first teaser has been released for the film that straddles the techno-horror and psychological thriller genres.
Based on a script by Mikhail and Nikolas Red, the film follows Lyra, who works shifts at a shadowy online content moderation office where employees, known as deleters, are tasked with the process of filtering graphic uploads from reaching social media platforms. The responsibility of censorship proves bearable for Lyra, whom her co-workers, as well as her boss Simon, observe as a cold person unfazed by the disturbing imagery she sees on a daily basis. What they do not know is that Lyra hides a deep trauma. Lyra’s attempt to erase and forget her past has forced her to don an apathetic face to the horrors of the world.
A first teaser has been released for the film that straddles the techno-horror and psychological thriller genres.
Based on a script by Mikhail and Nikolas Red, the film follows Lyra, who works shifts at a shadowy online content moderation office where employees, known as deleters, are tasked with the process of filtering graphic uploads from reaching social media platforms. The responsibility of censorship proves bearable for Lyra, whom her co-workers, as well as her boss Simon, observe as a cold person unfazed by the disturbing imagery she sees on a daily basis. What they do not know is that Lyra hides a deep trauma. Lyra’s attempt to erase and forget her past has forced her to don an apathetic face to the horrors of the world.
- 9/26/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Dolly de Leon, who recently earned rave reviews for her work in Ruben Östlund’s “Triangle of Sadness,” has signed with Jennifer Beaton at Gersh. The signing comes after de Leon scored some serious Oscar buzz after “Triangle of Sadness,” a darkly comic exploration of class and inequality, which debuted at Cannes, where it won the Palme d’Or. Variety called de Leon’s performance “scene-stealing,” and added that “her every line has so far prompted cheers in press and public screenings alike.”
“Her committed turn not only makes her the defining supporting performance of the year thus far, but also, if enough Academy members make a note to focus on quality (and not simply name recognition as they can often do), she could be the frontrunner walking into awards season,” predicted Variety awards guru Clayton Davis.
De Leon is managed by Fusion Entertainment. “Triangle of Sadness” was acquired by Neon for North American distribution.
“Her committed turn not only makes her the defining supporting performance of the year thus far, but also, if enough Academy members make a note to focus on quality (and not simply name recognition as they can often do), she could be the frontrunner walking into awards season,” predicted Variety awards guru Clayton Davis.
De Leon is managed by Fusion Entertainment. “Triangle of Sadness” was acquired by Neon for North American distribution.
- 7/25/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Rising-star Philippines director Mikhail Red is poised to begin shooting of “Deleter,” a film that straddles the techno-horror and psychological thriller genres.
The story involves an online content moderator who deletes a suicide video made by her co-worker. But the otherwise desensitized woman cannot escape from either her own troubled past or from a mysterious vengeful presence.
The film is scripted by Red and younger brother Nikolas Red. It is set to star actor-singer-influencer Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes and film and TV actor Mccoy Deleon.
Production is by Viva Films, an established production house which has credits including Erik Matti’s action thriller “Buy Bust.” Location shooting will run through August and September and a completed version is intended to be completed by the end of the year ahead of a launch at key festivals.
Red’s most recent completed film “Arisaka” launched at festivals late last year and...
The story involves an online content moderator who deletes a suicide video made by her co-worker. But the otherwise desensitized woman cannot escape from either her own troubled past or from a mysterious vengeful presence.
The film is scripted by Red and younger brother Nikolas Red. It is set to star actor-singer-influencer Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes and film and TV actor Mccoy Deleon.
Production is by Viva Films, an established production house which has credits including Erik Matti’s action thriller “Buy Bust.” Location shooting will run through August and September and a completed version is intended to be completed by the end of the year ahead of a launch at key festivals.
Red’s most recent completed film “Arisaka” launched at festivals late last year and...
- 7/8/2022
- by Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Fusion Entertainment has signed veteran Filipino actress Dolly de Leon, who got her long-overdue international breakout role in Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-Winner Triangle of Sadness, for management across all areas.
Triangle of Sadness, which was acquired by Neon for North American distribution and will also be released by other prestige distributors around the world, was enthusiastically received by audiences and critics alike.
Of de Leon and Triangle of Sadness, Deadline’s Pete Hammond raved “the film has the goods to compete in several categories including Picture, Director, Screenplay and, without question Best Supporting Actress for Filipino star Dolly de Leon..at this point (she) has to be a front-runner to win.”
Classically trained in the theater, de Leon is a well-known actress in the Philippines whose credits go back to the early 90’s. In film and TV, de Leon has worked with highly-regarded Filipino directors Lav Diaz...
Triangle of Sadness, which was acquired by Neon for North American distribution and will also be released by other prestige distributors around the world, was enthusiastically received by audiences and critics alike.
Of de Leon and Triangle of Sadness, Deadline’s Pete Hammond raved “the film has the goods to compete in several categories including Picture, Director, Screenplay and, without question Best Supporting Actress for Filipino star Dolly de Leon..at this point (she) has to be a front-runner to win.”
Classically trained in the theater, de Leon is a well-known actress in the Philippines whose credits go back to the early 90’s. In film and TV, de Leon has worked with highly-regarded Filipino directors Lav Diaz...
- 6/29/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s another eclectic month for Mubi releases as they’ve announced their July 2022 slate. When it comes to new releases, highlights include Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley’s inventive Sundance hit Strawberry Mansion, Andrew Dominik’s new Nick Cave and Warren Ellis documentary This Much I Know to Be True, Camilo Restrepo’s Los conductos, Laura Wendel’s Oscar-shortlisted drama Playground, and Lucrecia Martel’s new short North Terminal.
They’ll also be featuring Johnnie To’s Drug War, King Hu’s Raining in the Mountain, Terence Davies’ Sunset Song, Bertrand Bonello’s Zombi Child, a pair of features from both Diao Yi’nan and Athina Rachel Tsangari, and much more.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
July 1 – Strawberry Mansion, directed by Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley | Mubi Spotlight
July 2 – The Wild Goose Lake, directed by Diao Yi’nan | The Electric Dark: Two Neo-noirs by Diao Yinan
July 3 – Little Girl,...
They’ll also be featuring Johnnie To’s Drug War, King Hu’s Raining in the Mountain, Terence Davies’ Sunset Song, Bertrand Bonello’s Zombi Child, a pair of features from both Diao Yi’nan and Athina Rachel Tsangari, and much more.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
July 1 – Strawberry Mansion, directed by Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley | Mubi Spotlight
July 2 – The Wild Goose Lake, directed by Diao Yi’nan | The Electric Dark: Two Neo-noirs by Diao Yinan
July 3 – Little Girl,...
- 6/29/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
From acclaimed Director Erik Matti. Synopsis A family is haunted by what appears to be the ghost of their youngest daughter. “Surely unforgettable.” – Rappler “The Entity combines elements of “The Haunting Of Hill House”, “Hereditary”, “Insidious” and “The Shining” to create it’s own haunted house” – Voices From …
The post “Insidious” meets “Hereditary” in “The Entity” appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post “Insidious” meets “Hereditary” in “The Entity” appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 6/23/2022
- by Adrian Halen
- Horror News
[Warning: Spoilers ahead for “Triangle of Sadness”]
Dolly de Leon doesn’t get very far in Cannes without being stopped in the street by enthusiastic fans. The scene-stealing Filipina actor stars in Ruben Östlund’s festival sensation “Triangle of Sadness,” where her every line has so far prompted cheers in press and public screenings alike.
De Leon plays Abigail, a toilet manager on a chaotic cruise ship who gets her own back on her bosses and guests when, well, shit hits the fan. Her story is just one part of Östlund’s searing commentary on privilege, greed and power — but Abigail’s power play, exquisitely brought to life by de Leon’s deadpan delivery, is what audiences will remember.
The overnight success at the world’s foremost film festival, where Neon acquired the movie, is all very new to de Leon, who is still a gigging actor back home in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
Dolly de Leon doesn’t get very far in Cannes without being stopped in the street by enthusiastic fans. The scene-stealing Filipina actor stars in Ruben Östlund’s festival sensation “Triangle of Sadness,” where her every line has so far prompted cheers in press and public screenings alike.
De Leon plays Abigail, a toilet manager on a chaotic cruise ship who gets her own back on her bosses and guests when, well, shit hits the fan. Her story is just one part of Östlund’s searing commentary on privilege, greed and power — but Abigail’s power play, exquisitely brought to life by de Leon’s deadpan delivery, is what audiences will remember.
The overnight success at the world’s foremost film festival, where Neon acquired the movie, is all very new to de Leon, who is still a gigging actor back home in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
- 5/25/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The Filipino thriller master Erik Matti is in Venice with “On The Job: The Missing 8”, the sequel to his action flick “On The Job” from Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2013. As for the previous film, the script was penned by Matti’s spouse Michiko Yamamoto, whose feeling for fine tuning and presenting many things happening at the same time leaves no confusion about who- and whydunnit, although the backside challenging 208′ of the film’s runtime will probably prove more fitting for the broader audience in the format in which is shown now – as a six episode HBO Asia mini-series.
“On The Job: The Missing 8” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story is, unlike the first film which was set in Manilla, based in the municipality of La Paz, in the seemingly safest community of the Philippines, ruled over and controlled by Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), an...
“On The Job: The Missing 8” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story is, unlike the first film which was set in Manilla, based in the municipality of La Paz, in the seemingly safest community of the Philippines, ruled over and controlled by Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), an...
- 4/29/2022
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Continuing in the style of Eric Khoo’s project “Folklore” where horror was combined with intense social commentary, Erik Matti presents his own omnibus, inspired by the hardships the whole world, but particularly the Philippines experienced during the pandemic, through four stories.
“Rabid” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The first and longest segment is titled “Bad Luck is a B*tch” and focuses on a bourgeois family of three, who end up hiring an unknown middle-aged, deaf-mute woman as their maid, after the mother of the family feels sorry for her. Despite the caution the daughter asks her parents to exercise, the two of them are happy with the cooking of the newcomer, and do not pay much caution to her. When the daughter witnesses the “deaf-mute” performing a ritual naked in their living room, the father decides to kick her out but comes across a witch...
“Rabid” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The first and longest segment is titled “Bad Luck is a B*tch” and focuses on a bourgeois family of three, who end up hiring an unknown middle-aged, deaf-mute woman as their maid, after the mother of the family feels sorry for her. Despite the caution the daughter asks her parents to exercise, the two of them are happy with the cooking of the newcomer, and do not pay much caution to her. When the daughter witnesses the “deaf-mute” performing a ritual naked in their living room, the father decides to kick her out but comes across a witch...
- 4/27/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Celebrating its 10th anniversary the Helsinki Cine Aasia festival will once again present a selection of the latest films from East and South-East Asia. Along with better known film countries like Korea and Japan, the program also includes films from countries like the Philippines and Cambodia. Many of the festival’s films have been seen at international festivals and have received awards. The opening film is Anatomy of Time (2021) from Thailand, and altogether the program includes 20 films from eight different countries.
Familiar filmmakers
Japanese film director Ogigami Naoko’s newest film Riverside Mukolitta comes to Helsinki Cine Aasia in May. Ogigami became well known to the Finnish audiences with her film Kamome shokudō (2006) which was shot in a restaurant at Punavuori, Helsinki where the story was also set. Ogigami has since become known for the unique characters in her stories. Her latest visit to Finland was in 2019 during the retrospective...
Familiar filmmakers
Japanese film director Ogigami Naoko’s newest film Riverside Mukolitta comes to Helsinki Cine Aasia in May. Ogigami became well known to the Finnish audiences with her film Kamome shokudō (2006) which was shot in a restaurant at Punavuori, Helsinki where the story was also set. Ogigami has since become known for the unique characters in her stories. Her latest visit to Finland was in 2019 during the retrospective...
- 4/19/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
2022 brings Far East Film back to its historical dimension. The Feff is once again what it has always been since 1999, but it also carries the imprint of all the latest changes: it is an augmented festival, more inclusive, and even more curious. If in the last two years Far East Film was forced to reinventing itself and review its formula with different parameters, these last few months have generated a sudden and wonderful acceleration: a wave of new energy, a vital frenzy which has shaped the twenty-fourth edition.
The Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni da Udine” with its 1200 seats will firmly resume its role as headquarters and it will be joined by the Visionary, an outpost of the special sections and retrospectives. The 2022 selection will include a total of 72 titles of which 42 in competition. 15 countries will be represented (including an Italy-China co-production), the number of female directors rises to 12 (of which 8 in...
The Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni da Udine” with its 1200 seats will firmly resume its role as headquarters and it will be joined by the Visionary, an outpost of the special sections and retrospectives. The 2022 selection will include a total of 72 titles of which 42 in competition. 15 countries will be represented (including an Italy-China co-production), the number of female directors rises to 12 (of which 8 in...
- 4/12/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“Call My Agent!,” the hit French show set at a Parisian talent agency, is set for a number of international adaptations with remakes in the works at top streamers and broadcasters in South Korea, Indonesia, the Middle East, Philippines, Malaysia and Poland.
Co-represented by France Televisions Distribution and Newen Connect’s TF1 Studio, the show was previously adapted in India, Canada and Turkey. A U.K. remake with BAFTA award winner John Morton as head writer and director of the first two episodes will soon launch on Amazon U.K. and Sundance Now in the U.S. In Italy, the remake is being produced by Mediawan-owned Palomar for Sky with German filmmaker Oliver Hirschbiegel on board.
In The Philippines, the show is being adapted by Erik Matti, the critically acclaimed director of “On The Job,” who will serve as director and showrunner. Dondon Monteverde is executive producer. The writing...
Co-represented by France Televisions Distribution and Newen Connect’s TF1 Studio, the show was previously adapted in India, Canada and Turkey. A U.K. remake with BAFTA award winner John Morton as head writer and director of the first two episodes will soon launch on Amazon U.K. and Sundance Now in the U.S. In Italy, the remake is being produced by Mediawan-owned Palomar for Sky with German filmmaker Oliver Hirschbiegel on board.
In The Philippines, the show is being adapted by Erik Matti, the critically acclaimed director of “On The Job,” who will serve as director and showrunner. Dondon Monteverde is executive producer. The writing...
- 1/11/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
18 of the contributors of Asian Movie Pulse from America, Oceania, Europe and Asia have voted the 25 Best Films of 2021, resulting in what we consider a great selection, particularly since the offer of titles this year was much wider, as the industry started to recover from the disaster that was 2020, particularly during the second semester. In that regard, the list includes films Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, S. Korea, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon, Iran, China and Taiwan, while crime thrillers, animations, shorts, action and documentaries have found a place.
Without further ado, here are the best Asian films of 2021, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2020, but since they mostly circulated in 2020, we decided to include them, in one of the calmer votes in the history of Amp.
25. Barbarian Invasion
“Barbarian Invasion” strikes without a doubt as a very personal film for Tan Chui Mui, and consequently it strongly...
Without further ado, here are the best Asian films of 2021, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2020, but since they mostly circulated in 2020, we decided to include them, in one of the calmer votes in the history of Amp.
25. Barbarian Invasion
“Barbarian Invasion” strikes without a doubt as a very personal film for Tan Chui Mui, and consequently it strongly...
- 12/13/2021
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Dive deep into the origins of fear as horror anthology series Folklore returns with its second season, bringing you 6 thrilling stories set in 6 different Asian territories, each directed by a local director. Billy Christian, Erik Matti, Nicole Midori Woodford, Seiko Matsuda, Liao Shih-han, Sitisiri Mongkolsiri will direct the six episodes.
Season 2 of #Folklore, an HBO Asia Original series, premieres November 14 exclusively on HBO and HBO Go, with new episodes every Sunday. Subscribe to HBO Go with a special price plan now available.
Season 2 of #Folklore, an HBO Asia Original series, premieres November 14 exclusively on HBO and HBO Go, with new episodes every Sunday. Subscribe to HBO Go with a special price plan now available.
- 10/27/2021
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Apart from being a brilliant filmmaker, Erik Matti has proven time and again that he is also a great businessman, and coming up with the sequel of his most famous work, “On the Job”, eight years after the original was released, just proves both facts in the most eloquent fashion. “The Missing 8”, as the sequel is titled, premiered to high acclaim at the 78th Venice International Festival as part of the main competition, eventually netting the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for John Arcilla. Furthermore, and in another rather smart idea, the film is now screening in HBO Asia as a six episode mini series, with the first two episodes essentially being the first movie (re-edited and remastered) split into two parts, and the connection between the old and the new being the general concept of the prison murderers-for-hire and a number of individuals that appear in both.
(This review...
(This review...
- 10/5/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Above: Qui rido io (The King of Laughter).Ever so slowly, at least in good parts of Europe, life is returning more and more to a semblance of what we once knew as normal—setbacks and snags included, of course.The 2021 Venice Film Festival was a curious example of that on the organizational level: The same security measures as last year plus vaccination or recovery certificates on top; the same ticketing system, but much more attendees. Which ended in a bit of a massive mess as getting access to screenings became an ordeal. The festival probably hoped that if they just offered enough possibilities to watch a film then everything would even out somehow, but that was not the case, for myriads of reasons, some too mathematical to get into here and others too tediously defined by circumstances. These things happen when a team has to deal with dozens and...
- 9/28/2021
- MUBI
“Gensan Punch,” the upcoming film by celebrated Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, has been set as an HBO Asia Original movie. It will become available on regional streaming service HBO Go in the next few months.
Ahead of that, the film will have its world premiere next month at the Busan International Film Festival, and follow that with an out-of-competition gala selection at November’s Tokyo International Film Festival. In Busan, it appears in the Window on Asian Cinema” section and is also one of seven Asian films nominated for the festival’s Kim Jiseok Award.
The Japan and Philippines coproduction film is a fact-based story about a Japanese man with a prosthetic leg who seeks to become a professional boxer. He did his training in the so-called Gensan Quarter of General Santos City, which has long been known for producing athletes, including former champion boxer and current presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao.
Ahead of that, the film will have its world premiere next month at the Busan International Film Festival, and follow that with an out-of-competition gala selection at November’s Tokyo International Film Festival. In Busan, it appears in the Window on Asian Cinema” section and is also one of seven Asian films nominated for the festival’s Kim Jiseok Award.
The Japan and Philippines coproduction film is a fact-based story about a Japanese man with a prosthetic leg who seeks to become a professional boxer. He did his training in the so-called Gensan Quarter of General Santos City, which has long been known for producing athletes, including former champion boxer and current presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao.
- 9/28/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Filippino thriller master Erik Matti is in Venice with “On The Job: The Missing 8”, the sequel to his action flick “On The Job” from Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2013. As for the previous film, the script was penned by Matti’s spouse Michiko Yamamoto, whose feeling for fine tuning and presenting many things happening at the same time leaves no confusion about who- and whydunnit, although the backside challenging 208′ of the film’s runtime will probably prove more fitting for the broader audience in the format in which is shown now – as a six episode HBO Asia mini-series.
The longest Venice main selection contender was screened towards the end of the festival to an already tired viewership that had previously sat through a huge chunk of films, and yet it managed to stand out as one of the more accomplished competition titles due to its interesting narrative, balanced tempo and...
The longest Venice main selection contender was screened towards the end of the festival to an already tired viewership that had previously sat through a huge chunk of films, and yet it managed to stand out as one of the more accomplished competition titles due to its interesting narrative, balanced tempo and...
- 9/15/2021
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
When Erik Matti’s “On the Job” premiered in 2013, it shortly became an important title for many of the Filipinos. With the image of the corrupted landscape of Manila captured in a gritty, dark lens of noir-like thriller; with cops being paid off, prisoners used as hired guns, and politicians as gangsters, the film encapsulated the energy of the real events on which it was loosely based on. Once again, Manila became a violent and hostile place, a depiction that Filipino filmmakers lean towards with an obvious motivation in mind. The blood is there and it deserves representation.
Several years later, Matti comes back with the informal sequel to his story. Premiered in the 78th Venice Competition as a sole representative of Asian Cinema, his “On the Job: Missing 8” became a 208 minutes-long take on the current state of corruption, journalism and politics in the Philippines. This time around, it is set not in Manila,...
Several years later, Matti comes back with the informal sequel to his story. Premiered in the 78th Venice Competition as a sole representative of Asian Cinema, his “On the Job: Missing 8” became a 208 minutes-long take on the current state of corruption, journalism and politics in the Philippines. This time around, it is set not in Manila,...
- 9/13/2021
- by Lukasz Mankowski
- AsianMoviePulse
Scrappy filmmaking can sometimes deliver superb storytelling, as is proven by Erik Matti’s initially wobbly but increasingly gripping, increasingly thoughtful, increasingly increasing three-and-a-half-hour “On the Job: The Missing 8,” the prolific Filipino director’s Venice-competing sequel to the 2013 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title “On the Job.” While the film unfolds more like the TV show it’s about to become, that’s hardly a diss these days. And in its current shape — due largely to screenwriter Michiko Yamamoto’s uncanny ability to keep multiple narrative balls in the air at once — it combines the immersive, occasionally spectacular pleasures of genre cinema with the greedy moreishness of longform TV models. It’s a sprawling, satisfying big-screen binge.
It also plays somewhat like a 209-minute dolly zoom: As the aperture widens on the intensely corrupt landscape of a society under strongman leadership, the focus also narrows onto one man’s painful ethical reawakening.
It also plays somewhat like a 209-minute dolly zoom: As the aperture widens on the intensely corrupt landscape of a society under strongman leadership, the focus also narrows onto one man’s painful ethical reawakening.
- 9/12/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
On a strong night for female filmmakers and Netflix releases, the Venice Film Festival has come to a close with a curveball, as breakout French director Audrey Diwan’s powerful abortion drama “Happening” beat big-name competition to the Golden Lion for best film. Diwan received the award from a jury presided over by Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho.
Also on the jury, significantly, was last year’s Golden Lion champ, “Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao. Diwan is only the sixth woman ever to take the festival’s top award; never before has the prize gone to female directors two years in a row. Coming on the heels of her compatriot Julia Ducournau’s groundbreaking Palme d’Or win at Cannes for “Titane,” Diwan’s triumph further points to an exciting new generation of female auteurs seizing the spotlight.
Among the films Diwan’s film beat to the punch were Netflix’s three big hopefuls from the competition,...
Also on the jury, significantly, was last year’s Golden Lion champ, “Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao. Diwan is only the sixth woman ever to take the festival’s top award; never before has the prize gone to female directors two years in a row. Coming on the heels of her compatriot Julia Ducournau’s groundbreaking Palme d’Or win at Cannes for “Titane,” Diwan’s triumph further points to an exciting new generation of female auteurs seizing the spotlight.
Among the films Diwan’s film beat to the punch were Netflix’s three big hopefuls from the competition,...
- 9/11/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Cinema genre specialist Erik Matti and his screenwriter spouse, Michiko Yamamoto, return to the world of 2013’s On the Job with this ambitious three-hour-and-twenty-eight-minute sequel, which will soon be re-edited, along with its predecessor, into a six-episode limited miniseries for HBO Asia. Even at near-Irishman length, it works pretty darn well as a feature, widening the cops-‘n’-crooks scope of the Manila-set first film to focus on the role of journalism in holding politicians to account.
The setting this time is the municipality of La Paz, ruled over by Mayor Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), the outwardly beloved head of ...
The setting this time is the municipality of La Paz, ruled over by Mayor Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), the outwardly beloved head of ...
- 9/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Cinema genre specialist Erik Matti and his screenwriter spouse, Michiko Yamamoto, return to the world of 2013’s On the Job with this ambitious three-hour-and-twenty-eight-minute sequel, which will soon be re-edited, along with its predecessor, into a six-episode limited miniseries for HBO Asia. Even at near-Irishman length, it works pretty darn well as a feature, widening the cops-‘n’-crooks scope of the Manila-set first film to focus on the role of journalism in holding politicians to account.
The setting this time is the municipality of La Paz, ruled over by Mayor Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), the outwardly beloved head of ...
The setting this time is the municipality of La Paz, ruled over by Mayor Pedring Eusebio (Dante Rivero), the outwardly beloved head of ...
- 9/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director Erik Matti takes a closer look at the gritty reality of the Philippines in “On the Job: The Missing 8.” Inspired by true events and presented in Venice’s main competition, it shows a corrupt journalist seeking justice for his missing colleagues, as well as crime syndicates that temporarily release prison inmates to carry out political assassinations.
Originally intended for the big screen, this film and Matti’s 2013 thriller “On the Job” – shown at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight – have been reworked as a six-part HBO Asia Original series, which bows on Sept. 12 on HBO Go in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
“We are happy about this partnership. Now, people will get to see it on a global scale,” said producer Ronald Monteverde during the press conference at the Italian festival, calling it a “stepping stone” for the franchise. With Quark Henares of Globe Studios adding...
Originally intended for the big screen, this film and Matti’s 2013 thriller “On the Job” – shown at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight – have been reworked as a six-part HBO Asia Original series, which bows on Sept. 12 on HBO Go in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
“We are happy about this partnership. Now, people will get to see it on a global scale,” said producer Ronald Monteverde during the press conference at the Italian festival, calling it a “stepping stone” for the franchise. With Quark Henares of Globe Studios adding...
- 9/10/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
The journey from franchise to a competition slot at the Venice Film Festival to HBO series was the subject of Thursday’s Venice Production Bridge conference, “From the Philippines to the World: The ‘On the Job’ Franchise and Exploring New Ways of Global Content Distribution.”
In good spirits in a market cocktail that followed on Thursday evening, Erik Matti, the director of “On the Job: The Missing 8,” as his new film is called, told Variety how he got to keep his film at three hours and 28 minutes, and show it at the festival, as well as divide this film, and his previous one, “On the Job,” into one six-part series for HBO.
The series premieres on HBO in Asia on Sunday, two days after the film is shown in Venice. A half dozen festival engagements follow for the film version, he said, with announcements due shortly.
“When sales companies saw it was that long,...
In good spirits in a market cocktail that followed on Thursday evening, Erik Matti, the director of “On the Job: The Missing 8,” as his new film is called, told Variety how he got to keep his film at three hours and 28 minutes, and show it at the festival, as well as divide this film, and his previous one, “On the Job,” into one six-part series for HBO.
The series premieres on HBO in Asia on Sunday, two days after the film is shown in Venice. A half dozen festival engagements follow for the film version, he said, with announcements due shortly.
“When sales companies saw it was that long,...
- 9/10/2021
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
Erik Matti is one of the Philippines’ most celebrated filmmakers, working across genres. “On The Job” bowed at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2013, where it was nominated for the Sacd Prize, and went on to global and domestic acclaim.
The film was inspired by a real-life scandal in which prison inmates were temporarily released from prison to work as contract killers on behalf of politicians and high ranking military officials.
Matti returns to the subject, which he has expanded as a franchise, in “On The Job: The Missing 8,” which is playing in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Again inspired by true events, the film follows a corrupt journalist seeking justice for his colleagues, and a convict who is frequently brought out of prison to perform assassinations.
The difference this time is that the franchise expansion is as a series for HBO, with the events of the 2013 film treated as the first two episodes.
The film was inspired by a real-life scandal in which prison inmates were temporarily released from prison to work as contract killers on behalf of politicians and high ranking military officials.
Matti returns to the subject, which he has expanded as a franchise, in “On The Job: The Missing 8,” which is playing in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Again inspired by true events, the film follows a corrupt journalist seeking justice for his colleagues, and a convict who is frequently brought out of prison to perform assassinations.
The difference this time is that the franchise expansion is as a series for HBO, with the events of the 2013 film treated as the first two episodes.
- 9/8/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
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