Check out our live updates to get the latest on the MMFF 2023!
“Mallari” stars Piolo Pascual, Gloria Diaz and Janella Salvador during a media gathering. Combined images from Armin P. Adina
MANILA, Philippines — Veteran actress Gloria Diaz wants to spend Christmas day with her “Mallari” co-actor Piolo Pascual, the film’s lead, she said at a gathering with members of the media for the semi-biographical thriller that is part of this year’s Metro Manila Film FestivaL (MMFF).
“Ako, chill lang. Makikibahay sa bahay ni Piolo, sa beach. Wala, chill lang (Me, just chilling. I’ll visit Piolo’s house at the beach. Just nothing, just chilling,” the first Filipino Miss Universe winner said when asked what her Christmas plans are at the press conference held at Cinema 5 of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City earlier this month.
And because the festival opens on Christmas Day, Diaz said she will also hop cinemas. “I’ll check if there are many viewers. I’ll stand in front, holding a billboard, just chilling,” she joked.
Pascual, who portrays three characters in the movie, one of whom is the son of Diaz’s character, confessed that this will be the first time in a long time where he will be busy on Christmas Day.
“I used to take time off during the holidays. My last filmfest was ‘Dekada ’70,’ so it’s been more than 20 years, and I was hoping against hope that ‘Mallari’ will not be included in the MMFF so I can take a vacation. But things happen for a reason, and you have Warner Bros. (distributing the film),” he said.
But Pascual said that he is excited because the pandemic restrictions have been loosened and people can now celebrate more freely and go to the malls in groups. He said he will be monitoring “Mallari’s” performance in the box office with the team of producer Mentorque Productions. “It’s once in a lifetime. And we just want to maximize the potential of the film. So we’re all all-in,” he added.
Janella Salvador, who plays the partner of one of Pascual’s characters in “Mallari,” shared that she will spend the holidays in Manila, “as always,” with her family, especially her 3-year-old son Jude. “But of course, we’ll all watch ‘Mallari.’ This is my second MMFF. The first one was also my very first film, so I’m very excited for this,” she said.
One of the film’s youngest actors, Ron Angeles, said “we don’t celebrate Christmas because we don’t have Christmas,” but declared that he has the month packed with promotional activities for the film. “So, when I get some time off, I will spend it with family. Perhaps we’ll go out of town,” he shared.
JC Santos said he will take his friends to see “Mallari” when it opens in cinemas. “I’m actually so excited about this film,” he said. But he also shared that he plans to take his wife Shyleena to Anya Tagaytay for their usual staycation. “We don’t have a nanny. So I treat her everywhere so she can take a break somewhere, then I’ll take care of our child,” he said.
“Mallari” is one of the 10 official entries in MMFF, and is the first mainstream Filipino movie to be distributed by global media giant Warner Bros. It tells the story of the first and only recorded Filipino serial killer, Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, also the first Filipino priest to be executed under the Spanish occupation of the Philippines.