The world's biggest on-demand video streaming app Netflix partnered with local production studios, including Viva, ERJ Found Films, Black Cap Pictures, and Changhe Films, to showcase diverse and real stories from the Philippines.
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
“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 that 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.” Director, Widing Ho said.
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
“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.” Ledesma said in a statement.
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
“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.” The director said.
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
PAMILYA ORDINARYO (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
The five films will join 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 Filipino Netflix Film Dead Kids by award-winning director Mikhail Red.
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