Sepak Takraw Film Review

Directed by Mes de Guzman 

Starring Enzo Osorio Ruby Ruiz Acey Aguilar Nicollo Castillo Arnold Reyes

Article by Mars Callo

As the title suggests, one would think that most of this film's running time would dwell on the very sporty sepak takraw, the native sport of foot volleyball. 

Featuring award winning actors Enzo Osorio and Ms Ruby Ruiz together with Acey Aguilar, Arnold Reyes (in a special cameo) and Nicollo Castillo, the film also tackles the conflict of two long lost siblings as they face and struggle family matters in their young lives. 

From the success of young actor Enzo as Cinemalaya 2024 Best Actor for the film, The Hearing, his role in Sepak Takraw shifts from good character to a lead bully to long lost half brother Nicollo Castillo. A little taller now, Enzo always does his very best in roles he plays. With more training and acting workshops and exposure to various characters given his way, Enzo is on his way to pursuing the dream roles of his bright career in the acting industry. Same goes to Nicollo, this kid deserves a cool spot in showbiz as future dramatic actor inspired by the greats in Allen Dizon, Jericho Rosales or John Lloyd Cruz. 

What we liked about this movie is the cultural side of the Isinaya tribe of Nueva Ecija, the birth province of director Mes. He fittingly gave us an immersion, of regardless as a disappearing tribe, the indigenous folks have interesting practices when it comes to death, healing and cleansing as depicted in the film. The movie also notes the downside of losing ancestral domain to rich capitalists providing jobs and tourism in the guise of a natural resort for profit. 

Hall of Famer award winning actress Ms Ruby is a cinematic gem and treasure. She does her characters so well it just comes out of her so naturally. Truly an actor's actor. She is a regular favorite actress to cast in the many film festivals here and abroad. 

Sepak Takraw is more than a sports themed film and the challenges that go along with dominating the sport can also be compared side by side with life's thorns pertaining to handling and resolving sensitive family issues or matters that eventually lead to forgiveness and acceptance in the end.  

Theatre Titas to Stage Original Twin Bill “DEDMA” this Summer

Manila 2025. After a series of reruns of their production of Juan Ekis’ Twenty Questions, Theatre Titas is set to stage two original plays this summer with Dedma–a twin bill that explores the delicate relationships of Manila’s elite, the choices they make, and the masks they wear.

Dedma will feature two original scripts: Let’s Do Lunch and The Foxtrot, both penned by Theatre Titas’

co-founder, Chesie Galvez-Cariño.

Let’s Do Lunch is a catch-up between two old friends, Val and Issa, played by Naths Everett and Issa

Litton respectively. The tête-à-tête quickly deteriorates when the power dynamics between them shifts

from pleasantries to passive aggression. Also in the cast is Ash Nicanor as the househelp Bebang. Let’s

Do Lunch will be directed by Maribel Legarda.

The Foxtrot was first performed last June at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater) as

part of the Virgin Labfest 19 (2024), a project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Writer's Bloc

Inc., and Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc. The play gives us a glimpse of the taut relationship between Diego, a dance instructor, and Anna, a wealthy matron, at their last rehearsal for an amateur ballroom dancing competition. The play stars JC Santos as he reprises his role as the dance instructor Diego, and Jackie Lou Blanco who takes on the role of Anna. Paul Alexander Morales takes the helm once again.

Dedma will run weekends from March 29 - April 13, 2025 at the Mirror Studio Theatre 2, with 8pm

performances Fridays thru Sundays and 3pm matinée performances on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets can be purchased starting March 3, 2025 for 1000 pesos each at teeq.live

For marketing or press related inquiries, contact CHEESE at theatretitasph@gmail.com

“Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” premieres March 9

 Big surprises. Bigger drama. One unforgettable season.

The iconic Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) house is opening its door to its new home, GMA Network, as “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” premieres on March 9.

Marking another groundbreaking collaboration between GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios, the upcoming special edition promises a season fittingly filled with exciting surprises and unforgettable moments as PBB marks its 20th anniversary.

Joining the show’s esteemed hosts—Bianca Gonzalez, Robi Domingo, Kim Chiu, Enchong Dee, Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, and Alexa Ilacad—are two of Sparkle GMA Artist Center’s brightest stars, Gabbi Garcia and Mavy Legaspi. Together, they will guide audiences through the biggest and most star-studded PBB season yet.

For the first time ever, stars from both Sparkle and Star Magic will enter the Pinoy Big Brother house. Will they be able to strengthen their bond as they face this season’s new tasks?

Watch out for the most exciting season to date! “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” will premiere on GMA Network this March 9.Catch the episodes weeknights at 10:00 p.m. and on weekends at 6:15 p.m. via GMA Network.

Viewers can also watch it online via live streams on Pinoy Big Brother's YouTube page, Kapamilya Online Live, and iWantTFC.

For more stories about the Kapuso Network, visit www.GMANetwork.com. 

Everything About My Wife Showing Now, in 209 Cinemas Nationwide

Official Full Trailer 

Everything About My Wife Producers with Direk Real, Sam Milby, Jennylyn Mercado, and Dennis Trillo

Mandaluyong, Philippines – Last February 25, Everything About My Wife held its premiere,

taking everyone on a rollercoaster of emotions with this much-awaited Feb-ibig offering—a

powerhouse collaboration between award-winning film producers CreaZion Studios and GMA

Pictures together with Glimmer Studios Philippines.

(L-R: Maey Bautista, Glimmer Philippines’ Grace Lee, Direk Real Florido, Sam Milby, Jennylyn

Mercado, Dennis Trillo, GMA Pictures’ President Annette Gozon - Valdes, CreaZion Studios’

CEO RJ San Agustin, and Betong Sumaya)

Decked out in their elevated date-night looks, the movie’s leads—Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis

Trillo, and Sam Milby—graced the red carpet premiere, welcomed by the warm cheers of their

fans. Their co-stars, Ms. Carmi Martin, Ms. Isay Alvarez, Ms. Nova Villa, Polo Laurel, Alex

Agustin, Joyang, and Chico Alicaya, also walked the red carpet. Producers were then called on

stage, including CreaZion Studios’ CEO RJ San Agustin, Glimmer Philippines’ Grace Lee, and

GMA Pictures’ President Annette Gozon-Valdes, who even made a cameo in the film.

As we wrap up Feb-ibig month, Everything About My Wife leaves its viewers with poignant

discussion points on enduring love and everything that comes with it. Evident with the loud

laughters and outpouring of tears of the crowd, the movie will surely give moviegoers that much-

needed emotional release.

“Through this rom-com, we hope to inspire audiences to confront the challenges in their

relationships with honesty and courage. More than just a love story, this film is about embracing

the highs and lows of commitment and choosing to heal every step of the way,” shared

CreaZion Studios’ CEO RJ San Agustin.

So, what are you waiting for? Book those cinema tickets with your family, friends, and your

everything. Everything About My Wife, directed by Real Florido and written by Rona Co, is now

showing in 209 cinemas as of this writing!

For updates, follow CreaZion Studios on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok or visit

https://creazionstudios.com/

About CreaZion Studios

CreaZion Studios is a production company with an award-winning creative team that produces quality and global content. CreaZion Studios envisions being the frontrunner in Philippine film and TV, digital content production, and advertising. We aspire to be the country’s leading multimedia company and cement our presence in the global scene.

About GMA Pictures

GMA Pictures is the film production arm of GMA Network, dedicated to delivering top-notch entertainment that resonates with Filipino audiences. Known for producing diverse and compelling stories, GMA Pictures celebrates Filipino talent and culture through films that inspire, entertain, and leave a lasting impact.

Everything About My Wife Synopsis

Dom (Dennis Trillo) and Imo (Jennylyn Mercado) both started out as lovers but ended up married; however, after seven years, Dom finds himself unhappily married and wanting to escape. In a moment of desperation, Dom seeks for help from a notorious womanizer, Miguel (Sam Milby), to seduce his wife.

As Miguel and Imo grow closer, Dom realizes he has made the gravest mistake of his life when Miguel

unexpectedly falls in love with Imo. Despite Miguel’s growing affection and friendship, Imo learns about the scheme and feels betrayed by her husband. Heartbroken, she decides to give Dom what he wants—an end to their marriage. Yet, as they part ways, their love becomes undeniable. Will Imo forgive Dom?

PILATO - a new musical, takes stage this April at PETA

ANO BA ANG KATOTOHANAN: An all-original Filipino musical all set to unveil a new perspective on the greatest story ever told

In an era where misinformation spreads faster than light and truth seems to wear many faces, the question asked over 2,000 years ago by one of the most divisive persons in history still reverberates with haunting relevance: “Ano ba ang katotohanan?” This serves as the heartbeat of Pilato, an all-original Filipino musical set to captivate audiences this April at the PETA Theater Center.

With its daring perspective and poignant relevance, the production revisits the so-called “greatest story ever told”--the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ--through the eyes of Pontius Pilate, a man caught at the crossroads of power, faith, and duty.

The musical traces Pilato’s journey from his early ambitions in Rome to his appointment as prefect of Judea, a province brimming with religious and political unrest. There, Pilato’s every decision is scrutinized by a constellation of figures: the enigmatic historiographer, Josepo; the calculating high priest, Caiaphas; his wise and foreboding wife, Procla; and Hesus, a mysterious and magnetic presence rumored to be the King of the Jews.

In a time when Holy Week invites reflection and as the country approaches the critical 2025 elections, Pilato emerges as a vital meditation on truth in all its complexity.

Through haunting melodies and powerful storytelling, it challenges us to confront the choices we make as individuals and as a society.

“Information comes to us in countless forms and modes. But how do we sift through the chaos to uncover the truth? Would we even recognize the truth if we meet it face-to-face?” shares writer-director Eldrin Veloso. “Essentially, that is what the play hopes to put out there--a journey that dares to unravel the mystery of truth’s many faces. With our society on the brink of a post-truth era, I believe this is a story that demands to be told, now more than ever.”

With a cast of seasoned musical theater artists and gifted newcomers, Pilato offers an emotional and intellectual journey unlike any other. It is a poignant reminder that even after two millennia, the search for truth remains both our greatest burden and our ultimate salvation.

This marks the inaugural theatrical venture of The Corner Studio, a creative agency renowned for weaving compelling narratives through its expertise in branding, production, marketing, and design. Now, it steps boldly onto the stage, bringing its storytelling vision to life in a new dimension.

Don’t miss Pilato on April 4 at 8pm for its world premiere and on April 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 at 3pm and 8pm, at the PETA Theater Center.

Tickets are now available at pilato.helixpay.com.

High Notes to High Heels: Opera Meets Drag in Anton Juan’s Twin Bill of 'La Voix Humaine' and 'Boses'

Opera Meets Drag in Anton Juan’s Twin Bill featuring Brigiding and Soprano Kay Balajadia 

Review and photos by Evzen Evangelista

La Voix Humaine

Kay Balajadia, the lone actor and soprano, delivers an impressive showcase of her skills in the first part of the twin bill. She manages to translate the piece’s innate emotion in a manner that transcends the language barrier set by Jean Cocteau’s French libretto. On the opening night, Balajadia was accompanied by Arthur Espiritu’s masterful musical direction and Gabriel James Frias on the piano.

Balajadia’s tour de force performance is powerful enough to leave some non-French-speaking audience members torn: should they focus on the raw emotions expressed in her face, or on the English subtitles projected above the stage?

Boses

If La Voix Humaine is a solemn study of despair, Boses takes that despair and injects it with distinctly Filipino humor; shaped by queerness, camp, and contemporary realities. Director Anton Juan’s translation of Cocteau’s text does not simply swap French words for Filipino ones, but instead immerses the monologue into the world of Manila drag and queer culture, making its pain feel closer, more personal especially for prospective young queer audiences.

Juan’s translation contextualizes the piece for modern Filipino audiences. Moments that could feel distant or antiquated in a French setting are instead brought into local reality, transforming what would otherwise be a straightforward tragic piece. While some changes add levity, they also shift the work’s emotional weight. The ending, for instance, diverges drastically from the original, with Brigiding’s Elle seemingly triumphant, throwing her phone to the audience in defiance. Does this undercut the grief of the piece? Or is it a reclamation of power that Cocteau’s Elle never had?

Opera and Drag: An Unexpected but Natural Pairing?

Juan’s bold decision to pair opera with drag speaks to a larger conversation about performance, emotional vulnerability, and accessibility. Though seemingly at odds, both art forms demand an extreme level of emotional honesty from their performers. Opera, often seen as an elite and distant medium, finds an accessible counterpart in the playful, irreverent, yet equally expressive world of drag. However, Boses does not merely make La Voix Humaine more digestible—it transforms it, challenging audiences to reconsider their perceptions of both forms.

By placing these two performances back to back, Juan makes a statement: vulnerability and longing are not confined to a single kind of expression. The contrast between Balajadia’s operatic devastation in Elle and Brigiding’s theatricality and biting wit as a coping mechanism underscores how different identities navigate love and loss. Yet, this stark difference ultimately reinforces the universality of heartbreak, showing how pain transcends time, language, gender, and artistic medium.

Juan’s creative vision reshapes opera into something more palatable for local audiences by integrating Filipino camp humor and queerness. The inclusion of humor, particularly Filipino-style kabaklaan wit, makes the themes more approachable without diminishing their emotional weight. It is a reminder that queerness has always carved space within traditionally rigid structures, proving that opera, despite its grandiosity, can be just as potent when infused with the language of the streets, the humor of queer communities, and the resilience of love in all its forms.

Final Thoughts

While the contrast between La Voix Humaine and Boses is stark, they ultimately share the same thematic voice crying out for love, for connection, for understanding. Whether in the form of an elegant soprano’s aria or the witty humor of a drag queen’s monologue, the human voice remains the most powerful instrument of all.

‘Pag Ang Better Naging Worse, Can Love Heal Everything?’: Everything About My Wife Cast Explores Love, Marriage, and Everything in Between

Quezon City, Philippines – A day filled with real and reel love right just in time for Valentine's Day, the much-awaited romantic comedy of 2025 Everything About My Wife had its official launch. The grand mediacon gave guests an exclusive walkthrough as the cast and producers shared how they navigated healing and repairing love—along with love and marriage—the film’s central themes. This romantic comedy, directed by Real S. Florido, highlights the powerhouse collaboration between award-winning and formidable film producers CreaZion Studios and GMA Pictures.

The event was graced by its lead stars: Romantic Comedy Queen Jennylyn Mercado, MMFF50 Best Actor Dennis Trillo, and Rockoustic Heartthrob Sam Milby. Other cast members, including Ms. Carmi Martin, Polo Laurel, Alex Agustin, Joyang, Chico Alicaya, and Karlo Aranza were also in attendance.

(L-R: Polo Laurel, Direk Real Florido, Ms. Carmi Martin, Dennis Trillo, Jennylyn Mercado, Alex Agustin, Sam Milby, CreaZion Studios’ CEO RJ San Agustin, Karlo Aranza, Joyang, and Chico Alicaya)

During the press conference, award-winning director Real Florido shared his insights on why films like this should be available to everyone: “Mag-inspire and kumurot sa puso ng mga tao. I think yun yung role bakit tayo gumagawa ng mga pelikula. Yung yung importansya ng paggawa ng pelikula at pagkwento ng istorya na gustong makita ng mga manonood. And ang mga Filipino, we are suckers for love. Gustong-gusto natin yung kinikilig, umiiyak, at nasasaktan tayo with the main characters that we see in the big screen. Importante sa atin yan, di ba? Makiki-pagmeet tayo sa mga friends natin, mamaya pag uusapan yung crush niya, yung hino-hopia niya, or yung jino-jowa niya, or tine-third party niya.It’s always part of any conversations. It makes us feel alive. So importante siya, in the same manner  na important lahat ng storya.” 

As a real-life married couple, Jennylyn and Dennis reflected on how their marital status influenced their performances, “Napaka-importante na gumawa ng isang kwento na universal para makarelate yung mga manonood. Kaya madali siya para sa artista na tulad kami na mag-asawa kami at yung role namin sa pelikula ay mag-asawa din. So kahit paano, alam na namin yung mga nangyayari talaga. ‘Yong beats ng mga mag-asawa  — kung paano sila magtalo, paano sila maging masaya, paano sila magkakaroon ng problema. So mas nakakatulong para sa amin,” shared by Dennis.  “Pamilyar na sa amin yung iba’t ibang mga eksena sa doon pelikula. Pero ang importante ay na-enjoy naming dalawa yung papaano namin ginagawa ang bawat eksena. Napakasarap katrabaho si Dennis,” Jennylyn added.

Meanwhile, Sam shared his thoughts on his role, “Like Director Real sabi niya, yung mga roles mo nag shi-shine ka yung mga medyo masama.  Medyo evil but great character. But iba yung si Miguel.  Miguel is a casanova. And casanova is like a man with many lovers, a womanizer. So, it was a challenge for me. But I’m glad Direk was there to help me out. I was just trying to be out of my comfort zone.”

During his welcome speech, CreaZion Studios Chief Creative Officer RJ Agustin highlights the importance of the collaboration between GMA Pictures and CreaZion Studios, “This monumental collaboration between two innovative production companies underscores why we do what we do. We want to be able to convey Filipino rom-com stories that are grounded and relatable.”

Feb-ibig is truly in the air, and Everything About My Wife delivers an extra dose of kilig during its grand launch. Feel the love, feel the pain, even the hate, feel everything! Bring your loved ones, ka-situationships—even your single friends—and experience this rollercoaster of emotions when Everything About My Wife hits all Philippine cinemas on February 26!

For updates, follow CreaZion Studios on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok or visit https://creazionstudios.com/  

About CreaZion Studios

CreaZion Studios is a production company with an award-winning creative team that produces quality and global content. CreaZion Studios envisions being the frontrunner in Philippine film and TV, digital content production, and advertising. We aspire to be the country’s leading multimedia company and cement our presence in the global scene.

About GMA Pictures

GMA Pictures is the film production arm of GMA Network, dedicated to delivering top-notch entertainment that resonates with Filipino audiences. Known for producing diverse and compelling stories, GMA Pictures celebrates Filipino talent and culture through films that inspire, entertain, and leave a lasting impact.

Everything About My Wife Synopsis  

Dom (Dennis Trillo) and Imo (Jennylyn Mercado) both started out as lovers but ended up married; however, after seven years, Dom finds himself unhappily married and wanting to escape.  In a moment of desperation, Dom seeks for help from a notorious womanizer, Miguel (Sam Milby), to seduce his wife.

As Miguel and Imo grow closer, Dom realizes he has made the gravest mistake of his life when Miguel unexpectedly falls in love with Imo. Despite Miguel’s growing affection and friendship, Imo learns about the scheme and feels betrayed by her husband. Heartbroken, she decides to give Dom what he wants—an end to their marriage. Yet, as they part ways, their love becomes undeniable. Will Imo forgive Dom?