Cinema One premieres Mendoza’s ‘Captive’ Sunday night

Cinema One airs internationally acclaimed filmmaker Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s “Captive,” a film that brings back the compelling and horrific 2001 Abu Sayyaf kidnapping incident in a Palawan resort, via Blockbuster Sundays at 8 p.m.

Screened in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival last year, the movie is one of the most realistic accounts of the infamous abduction.

Produced through Swift Productions, it stars Isabelle Huppert, award-winning French actress who, with her repertoire of having done more than 90 films, was given the task to successfully portray the kind of grittiness that Mendoza wanted to depict.

Swift Productions’ CEO Didier Costet found this to be a very exciting collaboration between the two. “I was very excited to work again with Briliante Ma. Mendoza, one of the most famous Asian directors,” he said, “on his next movie, ‘Captive’ with Isabelle Huppert, one of the most talented and world famous French actresses.”

She appeared in acclaimed films like “Amour,” “The Piano Teacher,” “Ma Mere,” “Madame Bovary,” “La Ceremonie,” “Every Man for Himself,” “8 Women” and many more.

Huppert is ably supported by a strong local cast composed of Angel Aquino, Sid Lucero, Ronnie Lazaro, Anita Linda, Rustica Carpio, Raymond Bagatsing, Maria Isabel Lopez and Coco Martin.

“Captive” tells the story of French missionary Therese Bourgoine (Huppert), a volunteer for a humanitarian nongovernment organization in Palawan.

While in Puerto Princesa, she, along with her local guide Soledad (Carpio) and 20 other tourists, are thrown off their actual mission in a rebel ambush when they are abducted and brought into captivity by militant group Abu Sayyaf.

Identified by critics as the most truthful cinematic treatment of a real story that shook the lives of many, Mendoza realistically depicts the brutality of hostage situations and the violent armed conflict in Muslim Mindanao.

According to Brian Clark, European columnist for twitchfilm.com, the film “delivers a gripping ride and leaves viewers with plenty to think about.”

“Captive” airs on Sunday night on the Philippine cable channel, Cinema One.

For more details, follow Cinema One channel @cinema_one on Twitter and “like” it on Facebook at   www.facebook.com/Cinema1channel.

BBC’s ‘Earthflight’

Discover the magic behind BBC’s “Earthflight: Flying High” at 10 Sunday night on GMA News TV Channel 11.

To fly like a bird, “Earthflight” not only captured remarkable images of wild flocks but also some extraordinary relationships between people and birds. Filmed over four years, in six continents and more than 40 countries, the “Earthflight” team used various shooting techniques.

Narrated in Filipino by news anchor and environmentalist Raffy Tima, BBC’s “Earthflight: Flying High” reveals the secrets behind the making of this stunning series that showed us the world from an amazing aerial perspective.

Must-try summer coolers

At 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, GMA News TV’s “Ang Pinaka” brings you its most recommended list of ice cream, cake, yogurt, shakes, cooler, and other yummy, cold or frozen desserts for the hot summer months—the Top 10 “Ang Pinaka: Must-try na Summer Coolers.”

Joining host Rovilson Fernandez are field correspondents Maey Bautista and Betong Sumaya.

‘Citizen Pinoys’

They are naturalized Filipinos, people born in other countries who made a deliberate decision to become Filipino citizens.

Many of them will be voting this May and treasuring that right because it comes with a citizenship gained through much effort, waiting and, often, money.

The “I-Witness” series of episodes on voters continues with this documentary on how naturalized citizens decide whom to vote for and why they chose the Philippines to be their adopted land.

Join Howie Severino as he meets foreigners who have chosen to be “Citizen Pinoys” Sunday on “I-Witness” after “Saksi” on GMA 7.