Patay Na Si Hesus showing tomorrow

Cebuano filmmaking has truly evolved and for the most part, has turned out for the better. Director Victor Villanueva ( My Paranormal Romance) is back with an even bigger project, and headlined by no less than Cannes Film Festival (2016) Best Actress Jaclyn Jose ( Ma’ Rosa). ( Jose was the first Southeast Asian to win the award in the history since its inception in 1946.)

RIP

The Villanueva- comedy/drama Patay Na Si Hesus tells the complex story about how “the death of a woman’s estranged husband brought her and her family into a road that changes their lives forever,” according to imdb.com. Starring Jose, who plays the mother, with Chai Fonacier, and introducing Vincent Viado and Melde Montañez as the children, Patay Na Si Hesus breathes life as a fresh competitor in the Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) festival happening tomorrow and ongoing until Aug. 22 nationwide.

OTW

The Film Development Council of The Philippines (FDCP) partnered with commercial theaters nationwide to celebrate quality genre, Filipino films. This year marks PPP’s first. August was also selected as the month to have the festival, so as to honor the Buwan Ng Wika as well.

“Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino will be a big celebration of Filipino films for our audience—a festivity with a wide variety of genre films to choose from nationwide,” said FDCP chairperson and chief executive officer Liza Diño-Seguerra in a statement.

Personally, I gather that it’s best to think that this move is an active approach in dealing with the backlash the MMFF is receiving from select audiences who perceive the festival as nothing more than a cash cow void of long-term vision. Although it’s early to tell, at least the PPP is complementing the industry in general instead of creating a ruckus. It’s a good path to take.

LOL

According to the team behind the film Patay Na Si Hesus, the drama/comedy will surely get people off their seats laughing. Laughter, apparently, stands as some sort of a universal seal of approval. In the United States, the people behind the film were wondering how local comedy would be received by foreign viewers. The response was encouraging, as people still laughed and were engaged throughout the movie, albeit in parts not entirely expected by the producers.

As for the local screenings? Audiences are raving about the film and can’t wait for it to show for public viewing.

Villanueva is known for his knack for the outrageous and expect nothing less in Patay Na Si Hesus. Watch the film with your friends in cinemas tomorrow. The movie is rated R13. Celebrate PPP and watch the other films as well.