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A distinguished director in the Philippines with a collection of high-caliber projects and awards to his name, Alvin Yapan has set himself up for a bright future in the industry with his work to date. Among the most notable of his directorial works is the genre effort “Talahib,” renamed as “Legend of the Tall Grass” for the international market distributed through Est N8, which attempts to explore the theme of inherited violence and the journey to forgiveness with more traditional horror elements.

After a series of killings in the fields of tall grasses in an abandoned subdivision, the local police send PO2 Bong (Joem Bascon) and PInsp Roman (Jess Mendoza) to investigate what appears to be a paranormal case. Bong is forced to reassess his disbelief in vengeful ghost killers when he encounters a group of friends, led by Joyce (Gillian Vicencio), who claim to be conducting a spirit quest in the tall grasses.

Do you sin? Do you lie? The dead know the truth. And they are coming for you – big time.

The biggest nightmare of 2025 is coming!

“Untold” premieres on 30 April, starring Philippines’ A-lister Jodi Sta. Maria as Vivian Vera, an award-winning journalist whose dark past distorting truth and ruining lives comes back to haunt her. Delving into the terrifying consequences of misinformation, the core question is “Can you be an honest reporter in this day and age?”

Untold exclusively in cinemas on April 30! Starring Asia’s Best Actress Jodi Sta. Maria, alongside Joem Bascon, Juan Karlos, Gloria Diaz, Mylene Dizon, Kaori Oinuma, Sarah Edwards, and Lianne Valentin.

Directed by multi-awarded filmmaker Derick Cabrido, from the home of big Filipino horror movies, Regal Entertainment Inc.

“Lolo and the Kid” is one of those films that we have all seen umpteen times, but still have an impact. One way to tell is that the film topped the Filipino (and Peruvian!) Netflix charts after just a few days last summer. It was in the Netflix top ten in 38 other countries. Its success in its home country is of course due to the popular stars that appear in the film, including Joel Torre as Lolo (“Grandpa”), Iza Calzado, Joem Bascon, Markki Stroem, Juan Karlos and many others, as well as the wonderful child actor Euwenn Mikaell. And last but not least, it is due to the very simple but heartwarming story that we could all write in a sleepless night – only we don’t.

Click on the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

It was written, however, by Benedict Mique, who has worked in all sorts...

What is better than one romantic love story? Two romantic love stories. This seems to be the motto Crisanto Aquino implemented in “Write about Love”, a film that he wrote and directed, and which led him to win awards for both of these capacities, along 6 more at Metro Manila Film Festival last year.

“Write about Love” is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival

A rookie female writer, who also works in her family’s clothes business and loves mainstream romantic stories, manages to sell one of her scripts to a film studio. However, being so young in the business, the company asks her to develop the script more and introduces her to a more experienced, indie film-writer. The two begin collaborating in the story, but their differences immediately create some issues. As the two continue working and spend time together, they get to know each other better and a kind of consensus is gradually built.

The biggest and most fatal problem of Dondon Santos' Noy is that it was never allowed to grow its own set of balls. The film is basically a product of favors: from then-presidential candidate and now-president apparent Noynoy Aquino, his family, and his campaign team, who allowed Santos and his crew the opportunity to shoot the presidential campaign from the inside. As such, it never fully acquires a voice. It relays its message, or whatever sort of motherhood generality it tries to impart, through minuscule peeps and squeaks. It is what it is, and no matter how it musters every conceit in cinema like mixing documentary footage with overt melodrama, it remains to be at most, a limp and flaccid political statement if not an absolutely impotent failure.

 

Noy (Coco Martin) is an ambitious yet unqualified young man who by submitting a fake diploma and a demo reel he...

Yay! "Walang Hanggang Paalam," a film from the Philippines, my home country, won the Best World Showcase at the inaugural Soho International Film Festival! The festival "encourages new and seasoned filmmakers to create innovative and thought-provoking pieces."

Directed by Paulo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos, The gay-themed independent film has layers of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. The film stars Jacky Woo, Jake Roxas, Joem Bascon, and Lovi Poe.

Congratulations to everyone! For more on the Soho International Film Festival, click here to visit their official website.

Here's the rest of the press release announcing other winners:

"A Kiss of Chaos" nabbed the Best Showcase Feature Film Award for U.S. Director Ricardo Sean Thompson, with "The Godmother" taking Best Showcase Short Film Award for Director Lior Chefetz. The Best Documentary Award went to the gripping expose, "Burma: An Indictment" by Jeremy Taylor.

Director Fred Carpenter's "Just Like Joe" won the feature film audience award,...