Philippine Entertainment's Ultimate Heartthrob, Piolo Pascual, has solidified his status as a leading man by winning the Film Actor of the Year award for his performance in "Mallari" at the just concluded Box Office Entertainment Awards. This accolade, presented by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation (GMMSF), Inc., coincides with the announcement that the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival horror entry, "Mallari," will make its highly anticipated debut on Netflix on June 21.
"Mallari" is a chilling cinematic journey into the psyche of Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, the Philippines' sole documented serial killer from the 19th century. This meticulously crafted film, the first-ever Filipino production to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, intertwines historical accuracy with psychological horror. Pascual brought three challenging characters to life in the film.
This latest win marks Pascual's second Best Actor recognition, following his victory at the inaugural Manila International Film Festival in January 2024, held in Hollywood, California.
Pascual, accompanied by Mentorque producer John Bryan Diamante (also known as Bryan Dy), executive producer Rona Banaag, Clever Minds co-owner and supervising producer Omar Sortijas, director Derick Cabrido, and his "Mallari" co-stars Janella Salvador and Ron Angeles, personally accepted the prestigious award.
The film's impact extended beyond domestic borders through the inaugural film fest, spearheaded by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority/MMFF Acting Chairman and lawyer Romando Artes. Moreover, "Mallari's" overwhelming success and positive reception have opened doors for numerous collaborations, much to the delight of its budding producers.
Meanwhile, Mentorque Productions, in partnership with Project 8 Projects, owned by box office directors Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone, is set to make waves at the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival this August. Their entry, "Kono Basho," just completed shooting in Japan, according to an exciting Facebook post by Diamante, Mentorque's President and CEO.
Captioning an image of two women adorned in black kimonos, he wrote: "A Mentorque Productions and Project 8 Projects collaboration. Two worlds collide in [a] Filipino film set in Japan, Kono Basho, starring Gabby Padilla and Arisa Nakano!"
Noted visual artist Jamie Pacena delivers his directorial debut in this upcoming film.
"Mentorque is overwhelmed not only by the public's reaction to 'Mallari,' but also the response it continues to draw in the industry, with more and more offers for collaborations coming our way," Diamante told The Manila Times Entertainment.
For one, his recent sightings with Angkas President George Royeca and directors Dolly Dulu and Ivan Andrew Payawal suggest a potential collaboration with the popular motorcycle taxi app for an upcoming project. A post featuring Bryan alongside TEN17P producer-director Paul Soriano, his wife Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, and the couple Mikee Morada and Alex Gonzaga-Morada, owners of TinCan Productions, hints at further exciting partnerships.
He is likewise looking forward to the Famas Awards on May 26, where "Mallari" garnered 14 of the awards' 18 possible nominations.
Amid these developments, however, Diamante said he is laser-focused on the outfit's entry for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival, the fantasy-drama "Biringan," as he determinedly moves forward with his mission of bringing honest-to-goodness quality films to the Filipino audience and soon, the rest of the world.
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