NETFLIX IS BUILDING A HOME FOR PINOY STORIES

MANILA, May 25, 2020 - Netflix today announced a new slate of beloved and critically-acclaimed Pinoy films across a variety of genres - from horror, comedy, to critically-acclaimed drama. Partnering with leading production studios, including Viva, ERJ Found Films, Black Cap Pictures and Changhe Films, the latest lineup opens Netflix members to a world of diverse storytelling from the Philippines.

“We are constantly amazed by the creativity of storytellers and the quality of talent coming out of the Philippines,” said Raphael Phang, Manager of Content Acquisition at Netflix. “Filipinos are avid entertainment fans, so at Netflix we are committed to bringing the best stories locally and from around the world to our members here.”

“With the world's inevitable shift to digital platforms for content, it is reassuring that Netflix gives us a showcase of Filipino titles for more audiences and markets to have access to,” said Liza Diño, Chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). 

“Of the five films that Netflix will be releasing, at the FDCP we are especially excited about the inclusion of  'Lola Igna', a heartwarming film from our very own Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino which won Best Picture, and the multi-awarded 2016 film 'Pamilya Ordinaryo' ('Ordinary People') which is one of our Cine Lokal hits when it screened in theaters and a winner in Venice Days of the Venice International Film Festival. This growing slate of Filipino content on Netflix is a true reflection of the diversity of what Philippine Cinema has to offer. And Netflix giving space to more Filipino films is an affirmation that the Philippines has the potential of globalizing its local market."

These films follow the success of other Pinoy titles on Netflix, including Eerie, The Girl Allergic to Wi-Fi, and Miss Granny, which were among the top ten most popular titles in the Philippines in 2019, as well as the December 2019 release of Filipino Netflix Film Dead Kids by award-winning director Mikhail Red

.

“I feel very grateful as a filmmaker that my work has reached audiences all around the world thanks to Netflix,” said Director Mikhail Red. 

“It is my goal to use storytelling and genres to get my message across, entertain, and engage people at the same time. Netflix has granted me the perfect platform to connect with an audience anytime and anywhere. Even my older film, ‘Birdshot’, which has been on Netflix for three years is still getting fresh reactions online from viewers seeing it for the first time.”

The five Pinoy films coming to Netflix are listed below. 

PINOY SUNDAY (Changhe Films Ltd)

Synopsis: Inspired by a 1958 Roman Polanski short, this lighthearted examination of modern life in Taipei follows two Filipino immigrants, Manuel and Dado, during their day off from work, when the chance discovery of a discarded couch leads to adventure.

Director: Widing Ho

Cast: Bayani Agbayani, Jeffrey Quizon, Nor Domingo, Dave Ronald Chang, Meryll Soriano, Alessandra de Rossi

Release date: June 5, 2020

Quote from the Director: “I never thought the feature debut I made ten years ago can have a second life and finally get shown to the Philippine audience, thanks to Netflix. It is a tremendous honor to have my second movie after ‘Cities of Last Things’ to be included on a platform which has done so much to promote filmmakers' works from around the world to a global audience. I am lucky to be part of the family.”

SUNOD (Black Cap Pictures Inc)

Synopsis: As the medical expenses for her daughter stack up, a mother takes a demanding call center job where the building's sinister secrets begin to haunt her.

Director: Carlo Ledesma

Cast: Carmina Villarroel, Mylene Dizon, JC Santos, Kate Alejandrino, Krystal Brimner, Rhed Bustamante, Susan Africa

Release date: June 14, 2020

Quote from the Director: “Having Sunod screen theatrically during the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival was an incredible experience, and now I'm excited for the film to find a new audience online, especially on Netflix, which has the best streaming. Speaking on behalf of myself and my crew, we took great pains to make the movie look and sound good, so it'll be a rush to see it stream in high quality.”

LOLA IGNA (ERJ Found Film Production Co.)

Synopsis: An elderly woman finds her life disrupted when her family and village realize she has a chance at a world record for being the oldest grandmother alive. (Lola Igna was awarded Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Musical Score and Best Actress at the 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Awards Night)

Director: Eduardo W. Roy Jr.

Cast: Angie Ferro, Yves Flores, Meryll Soriano, Maria Isabel Lopez, Royce Cabrera, Jojo Riguerra, Armando A. Reyes

Release date: June 18, 2020

Quote from the Director: “I felt flabbergasted when I got the news from Netflix that the team loved my film, not just one but two of my films. I’m personally thankful to Netflix for introducing ‘Lola Igna’ and ‘Ordinary People’, to a larger audience, not only in the Philippines, but to the whole world. Now my films can be easily accessible anytime, and anywhere around the world.”

UNTRUE (Viva Communications, Inc.)

Synopsis: Mara moves from the Philippines to the country of Georgia, where she meets a mysterious man, Joachim. They develop feelings for one another, until Joachim claims to hear peculiar sounds and see visions of a strange woman.

Director: Sigrid Andrea Bernardo

Cast: Cristine Reyes, Xian Lim

Release date: June 22, 2020

ORDINARY PEOPLE (ERJ Found Film Production Co.)

Synopsis: Barely making a living as pickpockets, a teenage couple in Manila resort to desperate measures when their one-month-old child is kidnapped. (Ordinary People was awarded Best Film, Best Editing, Best Actress, Best Director at the 12th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, as well as Best Actress at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and FAP Awards)

Director: Eduardo W. Roy Jr.

Cast: Ronwaldo Martin, Hasmine Kilip, Maria Isabel Lopez, Sue Prado, Ruby Ruiz, Raymon Lee, Karl Medina, Erlina Villalobos, Menggie Cobrarrubias

Release date: To be announced

To make this Independence Day even more special, Jo Koy: In His Elements, will premiere globally on Netflix on June 12, 2020. For the first time ever, comedian Jo Koy takes Netflix to the Philippines in his new special, Jo Koy: In His Elements.  Koy celebrates his heritage by telling jokes about life as a Filipino-American while highlighting the culture of Manila. Koy uses this opportunity to shine a light on other Filipino-American performers by welcoming to the stage famed breakdancer Ronnie, Grammy-winning producer !llmind, singer/songwriter Iñigo Pascual, and comedians Andrew Lopez, Joey Guila, and Andrew Orolfo.

Statement on the Release of Interim Guidelines on the Conduct of Film and Audiovisual Production Shoots To Mitigate COVID-19

On April 27, 2020, the Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order 2020-015, which directed National Government Agencies (NGAS) to develop and submit sector-specific plans and guidelines on COVID-19 public health standards to the DOH. This will be consolidated and endorsed by the Secretary of Health to the Inter-Agency Task Force On Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and complied with by the private sectors involved.

On April 29, 2020, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) manifested to DOH its intent to submit Health and Safety Standards for the Film and Audiovisual Industry and has since been in coordination with DOH for the drafting and development of such.

From April to May, the FDCP conducted several consultation meetings to gather suggestions and proposed recommendations from the sectors on the safe conduct of all stages of production shoots amid COVID-19.

On May 15, 2020, the IATF-EID released Resolution No. 37, placing the country under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ) except for Cebu and Mandaue City which remains under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Under both MECQ and GCQ conditions, Film, TV, and Music Production have been allowed to operate on a 50% capacity.

Pending approval from the IATF-EID on the submitted Film And Audiovisual Production Shoot Guidelines On The Risk-Based Public Health Standard for COVID-19 Mitigation, the FDCP undertook to adopt interim or provisionary guidelines as the Film and Audiovisual sector gradually opens up, and business starts to commence starting May 16, 2020, under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine areas.

On May 16, 2020, the FDCP issued Memorandum No. 6 on the Interim Guidelines on the Safety Protocols for the Conduct of Film and Audiovisual Production Shoots to Mitigate Covid-19. This is to make sure that productions nationwide who are planning to conduct business activities are well informed and guided by safety and health measures issued by the government.

On May 18, 2020, the FDCP officially received a copy of the Safety Protocols related to COVID-19 submitted by the Interguild Alliance, a community-based network of various groups representing different relevant sectors in film, television, and advertising. FDCP has reviewed the same and endorsed the document to the Department of Health (DOH) on May 19, 2020, for the agency's consideration.

As of today, May 22, 2020, the FDCP is closely working with the DOH on the final draft of the COVID-19 Safety and Health Guidelines for the Film and Audiovisual Industry.

Meanwhile, FDCP's Memorandum Order No. 6 on the Interim Guidelines On Safety Protocols for the Conduct of Film And Audiovisual Production Shoots to Mitigate Covid-19 shall take effect from May 16- May 31 or until the final guidelines from the FDCP and DOH are approved by the IATF-EID.

For everyone's guidance and strict compliance.

USEC. MARY LIZA B. DIÑO

Chairperson & CEO, FDCP

“DUNE” REVEALS NEW PHOTO OF HERO-IN-TRAINING

WARNER Bros.’ epic adventure “Dune” has revealed a brand new image, this time showing Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides in deep training for what lies ahead.

Director Denis Villeneuve tells of the film’s hero Atreides: “His survival depends on being able to make the right decisions and adapt to different dangerous situations. It's a very beautiful story about someone that becomes empowered.  

"Like any young adult he is looking for his identity and trying to understand his place in the world, and he will have to do things that none of his ancestors were able to do in order to survive. He has a beautiful quality of being curious about other people, of having empathy, something that will attract him towards other cultures, and that's what will save his life.”

ENTER THE WORLD OF “TENET” WITH BRAND NEW IMAGES

WARNER Bros. Pictures has unveiled brand new images from Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film “Tenet.”  

Check them out below and watch “Tenet” only in cinemas soon.

(Watch the film’s trailer at http://bit.ly/TenetTrailer1.)

About “Tenet”

Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is an action epic evolving from the world of international espionage.

Nolan wrote and directed the film, utilizing a mixture of IMAX® and 70mm film to bring the story to the screen.  “Tenet” was filmed on location across seven countries.

The international cast is led by John David Washington and also includes Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clémence Poésy, with Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh.  

“Tenet” is being produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan.  Thomas Hayslip served as executive producer.

Nolan’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Jennifer Lame, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson, and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher.  The score is composed by Ludwig Göransson.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, “Tenet.”

Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing “Tenet” worldwide and has slated the film for release beginning July 16, 2020.  Join the conversation online and connect with #Tenet