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Philippine Showbiz Today
McJim Classic Leather ’ s viral short films under its Get Reel online advocacy campaign are now competing in eight prestigious international film festivals in the United States , Italy , and Australia , providing another platform for Filipinos to share their noteworthy stories to the world stage .
In communicating its advocacy of bringing the best of the Filipino to the world , McJim recently broke boundaries in digital communication as its troika of well-executed shorts were validated not only by millions of views on social media but also through global recognition with its participation in various film competitions .
Pitaka ( The Wallet ), the first of the three short films , has been officially selected to participate in film festivals in Italy and the US , namely the San Mauro Torinese International Film Festival 2018 ; Cefalu Film Festival in Palermo ; Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle 2018 ; and Culture of Life Film Festival 2018 in Memphis City .
Through Pitaka ’ s strong and relatable narrative , brought to life by the Kuya ( Karl Medina ’ s character ) who sets aside his personal dreams to provide for his younger brother ( played by Art Artienda ), the world
Viral short films make waves globally
‘ Bag ’ honestly depicts the realities of straight-gay friendship and shows that the timeless values of acceptance and moral support have no gender divide .
gains appreciation for the Filipino ’ s propensity for nurturing .
The storyline celebrates sibling relationships and what older members of the family do out of love for them . Aside from extolling Filipino family values of sacrifice and perseverance , Pitaka ’ s emotional impact was enhanced by the use of the Filipino language in its collaboration with Palanca-winning poet Louie Jon Sanchez and by its excellent cinematography and production quality .
Another internationally acclaimed McJim viral video is Bag , an out-of-the-box and gay-themed short film that follows an openly gay young professional ’ s ( Ross Pesigan ) seemingly unending quest for love . In the wake of subsequent heartbreaks , Pesigan ’ s character finds refuge and comfort in his straight best friend ( Wayne Avellano ), who makes him realize that not all soul mates are romantic partners .
June 22 - July 7 , 2018
For its honest portrayal of straight-gay friendships and other social realities faced by the LGBT community , Bag has been invited to join international film fests that include the First International LGBTQ Coming of Age Short Films Festival , which will be held simultaneously in Paris , France , and San Francisco , U . S . A , in September this year ; the Los Angeles CineFest 2019 ; the 2018 LGBTQ Shorts Film Festival ; and the International Shorts Film Festival ( Australia ) 2018 .
McJim ’ s third viral video is titled Sinturon and features Kiko Matos and Mercedes Cabral , who likewise created a big buzz on social media with its theme of marital fidelity and generated enormous sales for McJim during the holiday season last year .
For generations now , McJim Classic Leather has been the leading and trusted brand for classic leather goods and accessories of superior quality and design . McJim products are available in leading online shopping sites and all major department stores nationwide . For more information , visit and like the official McJim Facebook page at www . facebook . com / OfficialMcJIM /. ●
- MS
Regal Entertainment is introducing a new batch of future matinee idols in a barkada movie , “ Walwal ,” written and directed by Jose Javier Reyes who says this is an updated version of his youth movie , “ Pare Ko .” The four guys are Elmo Magalona , Jerome Ponce , Kiko Estrada and Donny Pangilinan , all sons of more senior stars .
Elmo is the son of the late Francis Magalona . Jerome is the son of former Viva actor Jessie Delgado . Kiko is the son of Gary Estrada and Cheska Diaz . Donny is the son of Maricel Laxa and Anthony Pangilinan .
“’ Walwal ’ is a story of growing up in the age of social media . Mas simple ang buhay noong araw . Competition was less and kids don ’ t get depressed and commit suicide . But we show na whatever happens to them , they ’ re accountable for their decisions in life ,” related Reyes .
“ Elmo is the obedient son , the type who follows lahat ng gusto ng mga magulang niya for him . Hilig niya is graphic arts , but his parents want him to be a lawyer kaya he ’ s taking up law . Si Jerome , siya ‘ yung madrama ang buhay . Galing sa mahirap na pamilya at ang nanay niya is a has-been bold star . Kiko Estrada naman is aimless . He keeps changing his course in college at palit din ng palit ng girlfriend . Then he gets someone pregnant after a one-night stand , so nagkaproblema siya .”
The new stars of Regal Films
And Donny ?
“ His dream is to be a top filmmaker who ’ s recognized abroad . Donny is parang apo ko na kasi ninong ako sa kasal ng parents niya . Imagine , dinirek ko ang nanay niya sa maraming pelikula . Tapos , ngayon ang anak na ni Maricel ang dinidirek ko ,” the award-winning writer-director revealed .
He praises his four actors for their energy and enthusiasm . “ They really enjoy what they ’ re doing . Hindi sila pinilit mag-artista at gusto nila talaga ang ginagawa nila . They all deliver at makikita mo ang eagerness nila to do a good job . We ’ re all very pleased sa trabaho nila in ‘ Walwal ’ that opens in theaters on June 27 .” ●
- M . Bautista , Malaya
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