Philippine Stagers Foundation's KATIPS Is Now A Musical Film!

Now that cinemas are back, it is also a perfect time to revive Pinoy films for the big screen bring back the experience, emotions, and also the jobs that were greatly affected by the pandemic. Theater performances was also greatly affected with a halt with their operation in recent years. But as conditions has now been relaxed somehow, would it be great to have a comeback of cinema and theater?

I was surprised with news that the Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) has now invested their talent and resources in making new media. They now created PhilStage Films that will create movies for the big screen starting with a cinematic adaptation of their play  “Katips: Mga Bagong Katipunero” which won the 2016  ALIW Awards for Best Musical Performance.

Now simply titled "KATIPS", they now brought the PSF energy and story to a new platform and possibly a more wider audience. KATIPS in summary is a story of friends and lovers  during the time of Martial Law. With the main characters like Panyong, Greg, Alet, Art, and Estong are activists protesting against "Apo", it also shown the powerful police and military that can commit atrocities as they please. We also have Lara who is an actress who went to Philippines to search for his activist father.

If you have seen the performances of PSF in theater, you can also see the similarities along with the original songs they have composed and rearranged to fit the movie. At lot of adjustments have to be made to fit the stage play into a movie, which is the biggest challenge from musicals turned into film.

Led by Director/Writer/Actor Vince Tañada (Panyong) it also stars PSF stars like Adelle Ibarrientos (Alet), Vean Olmedo (Sussie), Jonrey Rivas (Art) Carla Lim (Lally), and Vean Olmedo (Susie). We also see movie actors like Jerome Ponce (Greg), Mon Confiado (Lt. Sales), Lou Veloso (Mang Temyong), Dexter Doria (Siter Claire) and Patricia Ismael (Sister Josie) join the cast bringing mainstream movie vibes and has been great friends with PSF.

They also debuted musicians like as Joshua Bulot (Estong) from X Factor UK, and Nicole Asensio (Lara) who makes her cinematic debut as one of lead actresses for the film. We can also see familiar faces of stagers like Sachzna Laparan (Lira), OJ Arci (Ka Xander), Ricky Brioso (Father Raffy), Liam Tanare (Fidel), Dindo Arroyo, JP Lopez, Bernard Laxa, and Nelson Mendoza. 

  

This venture is a big leap for PhilStagers as they also await the opening of live performances yet its also a great way to practice their talents, create new stories, and continue their jobs as artists. The mix of stage and movie actors gives a whole new perspective of the story. Despite also having adjustments in filming, and conduct strict protocols, they were able to pull through and made this new achievement.

  

KATIPS message remains consistent from stage to film about the importance of dark past that should not be forgotten especially with the rise of historical revisionism and fake news that paints the violence, deaths, and struggles into their positive narrative. That during Martial Law, many rights were trampled, many suffered, died and even never found.

  

KATIPS will have another premiere on December 3 and will participate in film festivals abroad. Details of more screenings and more details are coming soon.

Fore more information, you can check out Vince Tanada's Statement and KATIPS Movie: Synopsis, Cast and Crew.

No comments:

Post a Comment

China’s Top Grossing Female Director Jia Ling’s Hit Comedy Drama “YOLO” Makes Over $1.5 Million in the U.S./Canada. Opens April 17 in Philippines

Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing International, the film reached $1 million in six days of release in the U.S./Canada China’s top gros...