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THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 6 | Number 5 | FEBRUARY 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
FELIX MANALO, THE MOVIE
The man and The church
he established
FELIX
MANALO, THE MOVIE, was screened over
four sessions in Sydney's historic The Chauvel
cinema on January 9-10.
By VIOLI CALVERT
Dolloso to star
in new feature
film 'Survive'
FIL-AUSSIE
star Felino
Dolloso have been offered to
play one of the lead roles in the
new feature film 'Survive'.
Survive is a story about assylum seekers
arriving in Australia.
The project is planned to start filming
this year with Director Mike Kang.
Dolloso is a familiar name in the Filipino-Australian community. He starred in a
number of TV series like 'Maximum Choppage', a comedy about a guy pretending to be
a kung fu master.
He also starred in an Austral ian TV drama mini-series, 'Better Man' - based on a true
story of a Vietnamese drug mule. He played
Alan – a cunning, ruthless and cold-hearted
drug lord who recruited the lead character to
be a drug runner.
His latest film 'Adventures of a Happy
Homeless Man' is due to come out soon.
THIS article was not meant as a review
by an anointed “movie critic” like myself. Rather, I am sharing this story as
a "lay person" detailing in some way
what I felt were the messages and attributes of the movie.
I had been looking forward to
watching this movie, because I was interested in getting an insight on the
character and life of the man who
founded a religion, the Iglesia Ni Cristo
or INC, which has successfully grown
in our country and whose members
were predominantly Catholic.
Through the dialogue and acting of
Dennis Trillon, as Felix Ysagun Manalo, and under the discerning eyes of
multi-awarded director Joel Lamangan,
I gained great admiration of the man
who, in his quest for what he believed to
be the true religion as based on the written word in the Bible.
It took great courage for Felix
Manalo to question the teachings of established religions in his era, drawing
the ire of his family and friends.
When faced with problems from
within and outside the organisation, Felix Manalo reached out for the Bible
and read its teachings with conviction,
winning over those who doubted and
the non-believers.
The movie successfully chronicled INC's humble beginnings to be-
ing officially registered in 1914, surviving many challenges including the
cruelty of the Japanese occupation
forces, and establishing numerous “locales” in many parts of the Philippines
through Felix Manalo's unwavering
leadership.
As his health deteriorated and leading up to his demise in 1963, Felix
Manalo prepared his son Erano O(in the
movie played by actor Gabby Concepcion) as his successor.
The movie ended in a heart-wrenching scene with his dear wife Honorata
(played by actress Bela Padilla) and the
rest of family members, in grief as they
stayed with him to his last breath.
I was glad to have watched this
movie which ran for almost three hours
and involved hundreds of extras.
It set two new Guinness World Records in its premier showing in the Philippines for the “Largest Attendance For
A Film Screening” and “Largest Attendance For A Film Premiere” with
42,624 people attending the premiere at
The Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
The set, costume, and photography were excellent in that they reflected
well the era in which the story was told.
The editing and continuity were of a
standard just as excellent.
There were no glaring lapses as I
had observed in other movies where
there were sounds and images inconsistent with the period being depicted.
People lining up for Felix Manalo movie at Chauevel Cinema.