Prime Cruz’s awesome feat
AWESOME – As of this writing, director Prime Cruz isn’t well known. But by this year, or early next year, chances are he’ll be a familiar name and face in showbiz. Can you imagine having three projects with the top studios in the country?
Prime is working simultaneously on three feature films for Regal, Star Cinema, and Viva. An awesome feat, indeed.
EARLY CREDITS
– But, let’s start with Prime’s early credits, starting with his first film, “Sleepless,” top billed by Glaiza de Castro and Dominic Roco, first screened at the 2015 QCinema, where it won the best actor award for Dominic and the NETPAC Jury Prize. “Sleepless” was shown at the 2016 Osaka International Film Festival.
“Sleepless” will be shown at SM Cinemas from May 26 to June 1 as part of the Film Development Council of the Philippines and SM’s “Cine Local” series.
The plot of the film focuses on call center workers – “mga walang GLAIZA de Castro DOMINIC Roco
tulog.”
Prime’s second feature film is “Manananggal,” shown at the 2016 QCinema, which won best director and best supporting actress (Vangie Labalan).
His story-script collaborator is sweetheart Jen Chuaunsu. They are products of Ateneo de Manila. Prime originally planned to be a lawyer, but he realized showbiz was really his calling. Prime’s short film, “Kung ang Ulan ay Gawa sa Tsokolate,” was best short film at the 2016 CineFilipino Film Festival. He also directed various shows for TV5 and ABS-CBN. He was part of Jun Robles Lana’s first Cine Panulat Workshop. GOING MAINSTREAM – Prime realizes going mainstream calls for compromises and adjustments, unlike in indies where he calls the shots. He’s ready for the changes, but says he’ll stick to his vision and “what comes from my heart.” As earlier noted, the mainstream films are produced by the three major studios. Regal’s all-female horror “The Debutantes,” starring Sue Ramirez, Miles Ocampo, Channel Morales, Jane de Leon, Michelle Vito. Star Cinema’s romcom “Can We Still be Friends?, topbilled by Gerald Anderson and Arci Muñoz. Prime is now developing the Viva project.