Film piracy on Facebook breaks hearts of local directors, stars
Ian Veneracion, Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap star in “Achy Breaky Hearts.”
Blockbuster filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone and other movie industry workers cried foul as her film, the Star Cinema romantic comedy “The Achy Breaky Hearts,” was leaked on Facebook shortly after it was released in theaters.
Jadaone, first posted a series of tweets last Monday slamming those who leaked her movie online.
“Hay, mga Pinoy talaga. Minsan tayo rin pumapatay sa sariling industriya natin e no? Tapos magrereklamo kapag di nakuntento. NAPAKAHUSAY!!!” Jadaone said.
(Sometimes, Filipinos are the ones destroying our own (film) industry. And we have the gall to criticize a movie if it does not meet our standards. Just great.)
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She said that she is starting to lose faith in the Filipino movie industry after her 2014 breakout movie, “That Thing Called Tadhana,” also fell victim to piracy.
“NAKAKAGALIT ANG MGA PINOY. Nawalan na ako ng tiwala sa mga Pinoy. Change is coming, pero sarili natin hindi natin mabago.”
(I am starting to get mad at Filipinos. I have lost my trust in them. They say change is coming, but we cannot even change ourselves.)
“Ginawa n’yo na ‘to dati sa Tadhana e di ba? Naniwala pa rin ako sa pelikula pagkatapos. Tapos eto uli. Masisisi mo ba akong mawalan ng gana?” she said.
(You already did this to ‘Tadhana.’ Yet, I still believed in making films. Now you do this again. Can you blame me if I lose interest?)
Other movie workers also joined Jadaone’s call to fight piracy. “Magtanggol” screenwriter Henry dela Cruz Jr. came up with a list of Facebook users who posted links of the leaked movie. He also estimated that the movie has lost about P40 million in ticket sales because it was leaked online.
“202114 (Views+Shares) x 200 Pesos (Average Movie Ticket) = 40, 422,800. 40 Million Pesos and COUNTING! Yan lang naman ang halagang ninakaw niyo sa industriya tonight…Yan lang naman ang ninakaw niyo sa mga taong naghirap at nagtrabaho ng patas,” dela Cruz said.
(It has been viewed and shared 202,144 times, multiply it to P200 and you come up with P40 million and counting. That’s how much you stole from the movie industry tonight. That’s how much you are stealing from people who worked hard and fairly.)
Director Jun Robles Lana also retweeted some of Jadaone’s tweets slamming the piracy of her film.
Celebrities also expressed their support for Jadaone.
The romantic comedy stars Jodi Sta. Maria whose character is torn between those played by Richard Yap and Ian Veneracion. Sta. Maria and Yap have urged their fans through social media to report the illegal links of the pirated copy of their movie.
Angelica Panganiban, who starred in “That Thing Called Tadhana,” said on Instagram: “Hindi ho namin sinisira ang kabuhayan ninyong mga nanonood ng pirata. Pero bakit kayo? Tinatanggalan ninyo kami ng kabuhayan? Yes. Affected ako. Dahil biktima na ko ng piracy. At affected ako dahil pangalawang beses na tong nangyari sa kaibigan kong direktor na walang sawang nagbibigay sa inyo ng pelikulang nagpapasaya, nagpapaiyak at nagtuturo sa inyo kung pano magmahal. Tigilan niyo na ang piracy.”
(We do not want to destroy the lives of those who watch pirated movies. But you are killing our livelihood. Yes, I am affected because I am also a victim of piracy. I am affected because you have done this twice to my director friend who has done nothing but make films that make you laugh and cry and teach you how to love. Stop piracy.)
READ: Angelica Panganiban slams netizens who watched pirated ‘Tadhana’
Miles Ocampo, who also stars in the movie, said that she hopes that the culprits will be apprehended soon.
“idol!!!! :) Starstruck po akooooo!! :) smile ka na, direk! mahuhuli din sila. Labyu direk!! :),” the actress said on Twitter.
(Idol! I am star-struck. Smile, direk! They will be apprehended. I love you, direk!)
Star Cinema has already released a statement condemning the circulation of the pirated copy of the movie on Facebook. AJH/IDL
