Puregold CinePanalo to have inaugural run
TO culminate the first edition of Puregold’s CinePanalo Film Festival, the six full-length films and 25 short films that were given film grants will be screened from March 15 to 19 at the Gateway Cinemas in Araneta City, Quezon City. All films follow the theme “Mga Kwentong Panalo sa Buhay.” The six full-length films are: Kurt Soberano’s Under the Piaya Moon; Eugene Torres’ One Day League: Dead Mother, Dead All; Sigrid Bernardo’s Pushcart Tales; Raynier Brizuela’s Boys at the Back; Joel Ferrer’s Road to Happy; and Carlo Obispo’s A Lab Story. For more details on the festival’s run, visit Puregold and Gateway’s social media pages.
Apl.de.Ap, Sandara Park collaborate on new single
TWO superstars with Filipino backgrounds — Filipino-American Black Eyed Peas legend Apl.de.Ap and 2NE1 K-pop icon Sandara Park — have joined forces on a single called “2 Proud,” also marking their first collaboration together. Produced by long-time BEP music director Keith Harris, the track blends pop and hip-hop. “It’s been a long time coming for Sandara and I. Both of us grew up partly in the Philippines so to have been able to connect for the first time was a kind of magic,” Apl.de.Ap said. The song is out now on digital streaming platforms.
FDCP celebrates women’s month with Cine Filipina
THE FILM Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has revealed the lineup for this week’s Cine Filipina, a festival of women-centered films and film talks at FDCP Cinematheque Centers nationwide. The films include era-defining Filipino classics by National Artist for Film Marilou Diaz-Abaya — Brutal, Karnal, and Moral — as well as contemporary films that portray new generations of women, like Liway by Kip Oebanda and Maria by She Andes. There will also be films from Cannes-winning filmmaker Céline Sciamma and Academy Award-nominated director Joachim Trier. Some screenings will be free while some cost P150. Cine Filipina runs from March 12 to 23. Visit the FDCP’s social media pages for the full schedule.
PJ Morton releases first single from new album
ON the heels of winning his fifth Grammy Award, PJ Morton’ recently released “Please Be Good,” a single that teases his upcoming album made entirely in Africa. The record features collaborations with dozens of musicians from across South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt. “Please Be Good” features Nigerian producer P.Priime, known for Afrobeats and hip-hop, which are new sonic directions for PJ Morton. The song is out now on all streaming platforms.
CCP Cine Icons to hold first anniversary screening
THE CINE Icons program of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will be celebrating its first year this March with a screening of Joel Lamangan’s 1995 tragic crime-thriller, The Flor Contemplacion Story. The screening and talkback session will take place on March 15 at 1 p.m., at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City. The event is free and open to the public. An appropriate film for National Women’s Month, The Flor Contemplacion Story tells the story of a female overseas Filipino worker in Singapore who is accused of killing a fellow maid and the child under her care, and is sentenced to death. The Flor Contemplacion Story was written by National Artist Ricky Lee and Bonifacio Ilagan and stars National Artist Nora Aunor and the late Jaclyn Jose. Seats can be reserved atbit.ly/CCPCineIcons-TFCS-reg.
Alex Bruce drops new single
IN TIME for International Women’s Month, Alex Bruce has released a single titled “SWOOSH,” a bass-heavy hip-hop track with an uplifting message. Initially penned for international activewear brand NIKE, it is meant to embody the brand’s tagline, “Just Do It!,” in every aspect of life. “It’s more than just a song in a way; it’s an anthem, a testament to the power of determination, self-belief, and seizing the moment,” Ms. Bruce said. The young rapper came up with the track with the help of producers GOODSON and SHAQUIRO. “SWOOSH” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
Disney+ to premiere Korean series Blood Free
THE UPCOMING Korean original series Blood Free, starring Ju Jihoon and Han Hyojoo, will premiere in the Philippines via Disney+. The thriller follows a former bodyguard, Woo Chaewon (Ju Jihoon), who is tormented by the mistakes of his past, and who finds himself working for Yoon Ja Yoo (Han Hyojoo), the CEO of a contentious lab-grown meat corporation. The two are linked by a past incident that changed both their destinies. Blood Free will be available on Disney+ on April 10.
