Philippines Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief EST N8, a recently-established finance, production and rights sales company, has added a Hong Kong remake of classic film “Tape” and the LGBT comedy-drama “ASOG” to its bulging sales slate at the AFCM market that accompanies the Busan Intenational Film Festival. “Tape” tells the story of three best friends who, following an event at a graduation party that transforms their lives, reunite 15 years later where a case of blackmail forces them to confront a terrible secret from their past. The original film starred Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Robert Sean Leonard and played at the Sundance, Toronto and Rotterdam festivals.In the Cantonese-language remake directed by Bizhan Tong, Selena Lee, Kenny Kwan, and Adam Pak play the contemporary characters while Mason Fung, Summer Chan, and Angus Yeung portray the characters’ younger versions. The script is written by Stephen Belber, Tong, Lee and Bonnie Lo, and is an adaptation of Belber’s own scripts from both the original film and stage play. The writers and director have significantly modernized the script to reflect advances in technology. Producers on the film include Tong, Lee and Belber.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has tweaked its incentive schemes for both international co-productions and offshore production, with the latter cash rebate being increased to 25% with the addition of a cultural bonus. 

Naman Ramachandran The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has added a 5% cultural bonus incentive to the existing 20% cash rebate that is part of the Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP), it was revealed at the Busan International Film Festival‘s Asian Contents and Film Market. The cultural bonus will apply if the project showcases Philippines culture and heritage.

Bradley Liew of Epicmedia Productions (Philippines), Stefano Centini of Volos Films (Taiwan/Italy) and Singapore’s Huang Junxiang have reunited to launch two genre projects at the Busan International Film Festival‘s Asian Contents and Film Market. The trio previously teamed on Sundance Midnight hit, “In My Mother’s Skin” by Kenneth Dagatan, which was recently ranked number six on Variety’s Best Horror Movies of 2023. The film was acquired by Amazon Studios and will stream on Prime Video from Oct.

Naman Ramachandran Celebrated Singaporean producer Jeremy Chua and emerging Philippines talent Rafael Manuel have teamed on “Filipinana,” a selection at the Busan International Film Festival‘s Asian Project Market this year. The film will follow 17-year-old girl Isabel, who spends her whole day teeing-up balls for golfers at a country club.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has sold Sofia Coppola‘s “Priscilla” to distributors worldwide, the sales agency revealed Friday ahead of its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last month, and won the Coppa Volpi award for best actress for Cailee Spaeny’s performance. Adding to the previously announced sales in France (ARP SAS), The Match Factory has secured distribution in Australia and New Zealand (Madman Entertainment), Spain (Elastica Films and BTeam Pictures), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), CIS (Capella Film), Scandinavia and Iceland (Nordisk Film), Poland (Best Film), Greece (Spentzos Film), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Baltics (Kino Pavasaris), Hungary (ADS), Middle East and North Africa (Front Row Filmed Ent.), Israel (Lev Cinemas), former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Ukraine (Arthouse Traffic), Japan (GAGA Corporation), Taiwan (Moviecloud) and worldwide airline distribution (Echo Lake Distribution).

Kathryn Bernado, known as the Queen of Philippines Cinema, and Triangle Of Sadness star Dolly de Leon are both almost unrecognizable in their new movie, A Very Good Girl, which ABS-CBN and Star Cinema are opening at the U.S. box office today (October 6). 

The Match Factory has announced a raft of world sales for Sofia Coppola’s biopic Priscilla ahead of its North American premiere as the Centrepiece selection of the New York Film Festival on Friday.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam has revealed its lineups for the competitions for short documentary and youth documentary, as well as the rosters for its Best of Fests section and its newly minted Signed section. In total, 100 films have been included in the IDFA program to date. In addition, IDFA Forum, the festival’s co-production and co-financing market, has expanded to a total of 64 projects, including seven by Ukrainian filmmakers.

EXCLUSIVE: It’s just another day in Manila’s Riverbanks Center studios and a stand-in actor is beating off a group of gangsters with an outsized prosthetic penis – thankfully one that is wrapped in a tasteful chiffon scarf. 

The stars are stepping out for Miu Miu‘s big Paris Fashion Week event!

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Werner Herzog has traveled to the ends of the earth for his art, rolling cameras in places rarely seen by human eyes — from rapids along the Amazon River for 1972’s “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” to the rim of an active volcano in Antarctica. But what’s inside Herzog’s head is what fascinates fans of the German director. As revealed in a new memoir, “Every Man for Himself and God Against All” (the phrase served as the original title of his 1974 film “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser”), Herzog’s far-ranging filmography represents only a fraction of the encounters and adventures that have shaped his worldview.

It’s not Christmas without Mariah Carey.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s “Evil Does Not Exist” collected four nominations for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, making it the narrow favorite ahead of the three times nominated “Snow Leopard,” by the late Pema Tseden. The narrow lead matches the overall pattern this year’s, where Japanese and Chinese films dominate APSA nominations proceedings. Nominations were announced at midnight on Thursday in Gold Coast, Queensland, where the final awards will be celebrated on Nov. 3. “Evil Does Not Exist,” an eco-drama that premiered in Venice, is nominated in best film, best director, best screenplay and cinematography categories.

James and Remini reminisced about the milestone and shared some of their favorite memories of the show on social media.“25 years ago today, we aired. I am so incredibly blessed to have taken this ride with the insanely talented @leahremini and Jerry Stiller.

Naman Ramachandran After the success of horror film “Deleter,” actor Nadine Lustre and filmmaker Mikhail Red have teamed again on genre film “Nokturno.” “Nokturno” revolves around a curse brought on by Filipino folklore characters known as Kumakatok, who are tall, thin and have long, pale fingers. They wear veils that obscure their faces and come knocking in the dead of the night. Those who answer the door are cursed to die or lose a loved one in three days.

Prime Video has big plans for the Southeast Asia region, including the introduction of channels and an expanded local-language content slate, the streamer’s Vice President, Asia Pacific, Gaurav Gandhi, told the APOS conference today. 

Netflix Commissions Third Season Of Japanese Series ‘Alice In Borderland’

Instagram video. Jesse Lopez, 31, who allied with fellow castaway Cody Assenmacher in Season 43, shocked everyone when he brutally backstabbed Assenmacher. The political science Ph.D.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Equal numbers of Chinese and Japanese titles adorn the main competition section of the Toyo International Film Festival, which was announced on Wednesday – three each. Among the Chinese films is “Snow Leopard,” the last feature by the late Pema Tseden, and “Dwelling by the West Lake,” directed by Gu Xiaogang, the surprisingly inexperienced joint recipient of this year’s Kurosawa Award. The full competition with 15 titles, set to play between Oct. 23 and Nov.

Nicole Midori Woodford’s feature debut “Last Shadow at First Light,” which world premieres at the New Directors strand of the San Sebastian Film Festival. The film is in competition for the New Directors Award.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix closed a $20 million deal on Hit Man, making the biggest deal at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and of the year for that matter. After the Richard Linklater-directed noir comic thriller debuted to raves at Venice, the film was expected to fetch the biggest deal of the fall festivals so far. Hit Man did not disappoint. Hit Man stars Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell and Adria Arjona (Andor) playing the most unlikely romantic partners, in performances that will boost each of their careers. Especially Powell, who co-wrote with Linklater what will be a major star turn for him. Netflix got US, UK, Australia/New Zealand, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Iceland. There is also a theatrical component to the deal, I’ve heard.

Vanessa Hudgens is opening up on the common misconception about her ethnic background.

Vanessa Hudgens is opening up about her heritage, revealing that she is a proud Filipino and addressing the rumor about her being Latina. The 34-year-old actress explained that she understands why people started thinking that at the early stages of her career, and shared her journey as a POC in the entertainment and beauty industry.VANESSA HUDGENS PERFORMS JENNIFER LOPEZ HIT SONGVANESSA HUDGENS HONORS HER ‘MOVIE DAD’ TREAT WILLIAMS AFTER TRAGIC DEATH“Obviously, I became famous for High School Musical,” Vanessa said during a recent interview with Allure, referring to her character Gabriella Montez. “So everyone automatically assumed that I was Latina, and most people still do,” she continued.

Doja Cat is currently on top of the music world thanks to her single “Paint the Town Red” and now she has released the next song off her album Scarlet.

Vanessa Hudgens is getting candid about her heritage.

Jaden Thompson Seasons 3 and 4 of David Moscow’s travel and food show “From Scratch” will premiere on Tastemade, set to release on the streaming platform on Oct. 18. In “From Scratch,” actor David Moscow is presented with a recipe from a chef and he subsequently hunts, dives, forages and grows every ingredient to create the meal.

Indonesia has selected Makbul Mubarak’s award-winning drama Autobiography as its submission in the Best International Feature category of the Oscars. 

Disney’s Korean superhero thriller Moving heads the nominations for this year’s Asia Content Awards at Busan International Film Festival with nods in six categories, followed by Tencent Video’s The Long Season with five nods. 

In the latest chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen, the intense battle between Satoru Gojo and Ryomen Sukuna finally came to a conclusion. Now, we will all have to wait a little longer than usual to see what happens next. JJK chapter 236 will pick up right where chapter 235 left off.