Cinema One Originals 2018 opens with ‘A Star is Born’

Photo by KRISSY AGUILAR / INQUIRER.net)

The 14th Cinema One Originals opened on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Gateway Cineplex 5 at the Araneta Center in Quezon City with ‘A Star is Born,’ which starts Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

The romantic musical drama revolves around the story of veteran rocker Jackson Maine, played by Cooper, who falls in love with newbie singer-songwriter Ally, played by Lady Gaga.

“Tonight’s opening film ‘A Star Is Born’ may not be a Filipino film, but it tells a story that resonates with us because it too is a celebration of originality,” Cinema One Channel head Ronald Arguelles said.

The film, which serves as Cooper’s directorial and Lady Gaga’s acting debut, is the fourth remake of the story.

It was first made in 1937 with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, then was remade in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason, and in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson

Still the film remains about, as Arguelles put it, finding “what makes you unique.”

He said the “I am Original” tagline is a declaration and promise to make originality the core of a filmmaker’s vision alongside the “uniqueness of voice.”

The following films are Included in this year’s Cinema One Originals main competition:

• Keith Deligero’s “A Short History of Few Bad Things”
• Rainier Brizuela’s “Asuang”
• Charliebebs Gohetian’s “Bagyong Bheverlyn”
• Joseph Abello’s “Double Twisting Double Back”
• Whammy Alcazaren’s “Never Tearing Us Apart”
• Bobby Bonifacio Jr.’s “Hospicio”
• Rod Singh’s “Mamu and a Mother Too”
• Carl Papa’s “Paglisan”
• John Lapus’s “Pang MMK”

Aside from the main competition, this year’s Cinema One Originals Film Festival will also feature short films, restored classics and guest films.

Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara’s “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-gamo” (1976), which stars Nora Aunor, and Frank Gray, Jr.’s “Omeng Satanasia” (1977), which stars King of Comedy Dolphy, are among the restored classics to be screened during the festival.

On top of these, the following foreign films will also be shown:

• Jia Zhang-Ke’s “Ash is Purest White” (China)
• Lukas Dhont’s “Girl” (Belgium)
• Marcelo Martinessi’s “Las Herederas” (Paraguay)
• Desiree Akhavan’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” (US/UK)
• Kim Yang-hee’s “The Poet and the Boy” (South Korea)
• Kevin Macdonald’s “Whitney” (US/UK)

The nine films from the main competition will be screened from Oct. 12 to 21 in select cinemas. /atm