GMA Films

GMA Network Films Inc. is a film production company established in 1995 by the GMA Network in the Philippines. It was created to make movies that cater both to the local and international markets.

Its movie productions have reaped both critical acclaim and commercial success, among which is the Philippine Centennial offering Jose Rizal , the biggest blockbuster movie in 1998. Proving that a primary medium of entertainment can bring to light societal ills and issues, the company dared to raise the consciousness of the Filipino people with Sa Pusod ng Dagat, Muro-ami and Deathrow.

After 5 years of hybernating, the film outfit made a comeback in 2005 with the box office hit and light romantic flick Let The Love Begin . This was followed by another romantic-comedy movie which starred the products of GMA Network s highly succesful teen-icon reality search Starstruck . The film outfit is set to release Mulawin The Movie by the end of 2005 and Darna by 2006.

The company is now repositioning itself as an entity that will significantly complement GMA Networks programming requirements and talent development initiatives.

=Movies released by GMA Films=

==Sa Pusod ng Dagat (In the Navel of the Sea)==

Date Released: 1998

GMA Films Sa Pusod ng Dagat , internationally titled In the Navel of the Sea , stars Jomari Yllana.

Synopsis. Pepito is growing up in a remote fishing village in the Philippines in the 1950s. His mother is the only midwife in the whole district and, for generations, these special skills have been handed down from generation to generation. At first Pepito doesn t mind learning his mother s profession and it is not until he is older and learns that normally only women are entrusted with the delivery of babies, that he begins to feel uncomfortable. But Pepito is Rosa s only child and he is in no position to oppose this long-standing family tradition.

Rosa has raised Pepito alone; her husband died years ago. She has for some time been involved in a passionate affair with Pepito s godfather, Gusting. Her happiness is short-lived however: Rosa becomes pregnant and, in order to avoid the shame which this brings, she attempts to abort the unborn child. When this fails, she decides she cannot face the hostilities of the other villagers and commits suicide. At least her son will not have to bear any further abuse.

Gusting is racked by guilt. As punishment he has himself crucified during Lent. However, his wife, Minda, who has given him many children, won t be reconciled with him by this act of self-castigation and sends him packing.

The island has recently acquired a teacher, Mrs. Santiago, who comes from the capital. She is determined to teach the children and young people of the village how to read and write. Deep inside, however, this beautiful woman is very unhappy: it is her heart s desire to have children but this wish has not been fulfilled.

Pepito falls in love with the new teacher and begins to hang around secretly outside her house at night. He waits for hours in the darkness, burning with desire. He is so depressed about his mother s death that he finally goes to see Mrs. Santiago, only to discover that she too is highly agitated and upset because her husband has left her forever.

Desperate for consolation, the two turn to each other, but the next morning Mrs. Santiago explains to her young lover that their relationship has no future. Pepito is devastated. It is not until he is needed to deliver a baby that he realizes that he has now become an adult.

Awards & Nominations. Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, the movie had received invitations from 17 prestigious film festivals abroad. This is an unprecedented achievement in the history of Philippine cinema.

Sa Pusod ng Dagat is the country s official entry to the Singapore International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Hong Kong Film Festival, Fukuoka International Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival and Oslo Film Festival. It is an entry to the film festivals in London, Cairo, Bombay, Barcelona, Haifa and New York. The movie also made it to the Chicago International Film Festival, Montréal Film Festival, Nantes Festival of Free Continent and Chicago Film Festival. It was also the Philippines entry to for the Best Foreign Language Film category in the Academy Awards.

==José Rizal==

Date Released: December 25, 1998

José Rizal was GMA films entry to the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival. It is touted as one of the biggest films ever made in the history of Philippine cinema with a record-breaking P2-million budgetdespite the fact that historical films are often notorious flops during that time. GMA s faith was rewarded. Since its Christmas release, the movie has been packing theaters and sweeping awards ceremonies. It is the most successful Philippine film of all time. The movie depicts the life of the Filipino national hero Jose Rizal which was played by Cesar Montano. The movie was under the direction of Marilou Diaz-Abaya.

Synopsis. Accused of treason, Dr. José P. Rizal awaits trial and meets with his colonial government-appointed counsel, Luis Taviel de Andrade. The two build the case and arguments for the defense as significant events in the central figure s life prior to his incarceration unfold. Upon hearing Rizal s life story, Taviel begins to realize that the accused not just is innocent but exhibits in fact all the qualities of an extraordinary man. When the mock trial unreels, Taviel is all set to act as the prime advocate for his client as Rizal himself is about to give an earth-moving speech to defend his honor and address his countrymen. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities have worked out the vast political machinery to ensure a guilty verdict. A revolution waits in the wings.

Awards & Nominations. Winner of 16 awards at the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Story, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Special Effects, Best Makeup, Best Music, Best Song, Best Festival Float, Best Actor for Cesar Montano, Best Supporting Actor for Jaime Fabregas, Best Supporting Actress for Gloria Diaz. Recepient of Gatpuno Villegas Award

Official Selection for Panorama (Berlin International Film Festival, 1998); 2nd runner-up, Audience Award (Toronto filmfest); Shown and competed in different intenational film festivals.

==Muro Ami (Reef Hunters)==

Date Released: December 25, 1999

Muro Ami , internationally titled Reef Hunters , is a film that depicts one of the worst forms of child labor in the illegal fishing system. This 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival entry of GMA Films is directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and stars Cesar Montano.

Synopsis. Fredo (Cesar Montano) is a fisherman who has endured more than his share of hardship in life; his wife and child both perished in a boating accident, and today Fredo approaches each trip to the sea with the angry determination of a man out for revenge. Fredo commands a crew of young people from poor families as he takes his rattletrap ship into the ocean in search of fish that live along the reefs, snaring catch with an illegal netting system. Not all of Fredo s youthful sailors are willing to put up with his abusive arrogance, however, and even his father Dado (Pen Medina) and close friend Botong (Jhong Hilario) have grown weary of Fredo s tirades. Fredo s body is beginning to betray him as well, and as he and his crew damage the sea s reef beds in search of fish, no one is certain how much longer he will be able to continue.

Awards & Nominations. Winner of 13 awards at the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival including Best Child Performer (Rebecca Lusterio), Best Story ( Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Ricardo Lee, Jun Lana), Best Screenplay (Ricardo Lee and Jun Lana), Best Director (Marilou Diaz-Abaya) Best Supporting Actor (Pen Medina), Best Screenplay (Ricky Lee/Jun Lana), Best Cinematography (Rody Lacap), Best Musical Scoring (Nonong Buencamino), Best Editing (Jess Navarro), Best Sound Recording (Albert Michael Idioma), Best Production Design (Leo Abaya), Best Visual Effects Optima Digital (Marc Ambat) and First Best Picture.

It was also shown and competed in diffrent international festivals and won the Jury and Public s Choice in Benodet filmfest.

==Deathrow==

Date Released: December 25, 2000

Deathrow is GMA Films entry to the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival. Directed by Joel Lamangan, this movie stars Cogie Domingo and Eddie Garcia.

Synopsis. Having strung along with delinquent friends to a home robbery that ends in a wealthy old woman s death, Manila slum youth Sonny (Cogie Domingo) is too stunned to get away while the others elude police capture. He s duly convicted of murder -- worse, as an adult, since the orphan boy s birth certificate was lost in a fire, and his callous foster parents are nowhere to be found.

Thrown into lockup among hardened lifers, the terrified 16-year-old soon finds himself at the mercy of various strong-arm cliques on death row. He s courted by booty-bandit Gabino (Pen Medina), who plots to seize cell block mayor Mio s (Ray Ventura) status as chief executor of the inhouse drug trade controlled by rich prisoner Assunta (Tony Mabesa). A few figures take a more protective than exploitive interest in the new fish.

But Sonny s best ally, it turns out, is old-school gangster Sinat (Eddie Garcia), who at 77 is still gruff and imposing enough to survive outside all the block s warring factions. He also has the support of distant relative Gina (Jaclyn Jose), a church-sponsored legal advocate. As he is uninterested in the early-release petition she offers, he encourages her to take up Sonny s case instead.

Awards & Nominations. 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival s 2nd Best Film, Best Actor (Eddie Garcia), Best Production Design , Best Film Editing, Best Sound Recording. Shown and competed in other international film festivals.

==Let The Love Begin==

Date Released: February 14, 2005 After four years of hybernating, GMA Films makes a comeback through the romantic flick Let the Love Begin . If in the years past, GMA Films produced landmark films such as Jose Rizal , Sa Pusod ng Dagat , Muro Ami and Deathrow , this time they offered a light romance for a change. Shown on St. Valentine s Day 2005, the movie grossed P 110 Million. This romantic flick directed by Mac Alejandre stars youth icons Richard Gutierrez, Angel Locsin, Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado.

Competition. The network war between two giants ABS-CBN and GMA Network was brought to the big screen when Star Cinema s Dreamboy and GMA s Let the Love Begin were shown on the same playdates. In this instance, GMA won the race.

Synopsis. The story begins in a high school. Pia (Angel Locsin) is beautiful and wealthy and she is the campus sweetheart that every guy is dreaming of. Eric (Richard Gutierrez) is intelligent and has a good heart but does not have a money to live in comfort and luxury. Because of this, he works as the school s janitor where he admires the Pia from afar. Although they belong to the extremes of social classes, Pia and Eric cross their paths cross when they share the same seat in class - Eric during the night (as part of his schloarship program classes) and Pia during the day. Are they destined to be with each other because of this sign Or does fate playing a trick on them

*[http://www.igma.tv/begin/ Let The Love Begin site]

==Lovestruck==

Lovestruck unites on the big screen the Starstruck generation, the products of the network s reality based actor-search on television. This romantic-comedy movie directed by Louie Ignacio stars Starstruck Batch 1 Final Four Mark Herras, Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi and Rainier Castillo and Starstruck Batch 2 Final 4 Mike Tan, Ryza Cenon, CJ Muere and LJ Reyes plus Jolina Magdangal playing a love guru. Another blockbuster hit from GMA Films.

Synopsis. The story revolves aroung Denise (Jennylyn Mercado), a hopeless romantic who desperately seeks for her soulmate. Part of her strategy is to always consult the book authored by the love guru Jandra (Jolina Magdangal). Every single love tip in the book was followed, just so the man of her dreams Jason (Mike Tan) would notice her.

Jason eventually falls in love with her but just as she should be the happiest girl in the world, Denise realizes that there s something lacking and her happiness seems incomplete. Can it be that her soulmate is the one who s been with her since childhood - her bestfriend for life Caloy (Mark Herras) who s secretly in love with her for as long as he remembers and has been hurting since the day she tried to win Jason s heart Follow this romantic story of Denise, Caloy and Jason together with the other colorful characters completing their barkada: Cholo (Rainier Castillo), Denise s gay bestfriend and tag team in doing Jandra love tips as she searches for the man of her life; Jojo (Yasmien Kurdi), the beautiful tomboy whom Cholo s dreamboy likes very much, making her Cholo s number one rival in Lloyd s heart; Lloyd (Kirby de Jesus), Cholo s man of his dreams and Jason s homophobic best friend; Myka (Ryza Cenon), Jason s sister who s supportive of his brother s love for Denise; Cocoy (CJ Muere), Myka s boyfriend; and Sophia (LJ Reyes), Jason s sophisticated ex-girlfriend who still wants Jason back.

*[http://www.igma.tv/lovestruck/ Lovestruck site]

==Mulawin The Movie==

To be released: December 25, 2005

Mulawin The Movie is a film adaptation of GMA Network s toprating TV fantasy series Mulawin. It is as well GMA Films official entry to the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival co-produced by Regal Films. This movie stars Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin. The story of the movie is said to be a sequel of the TV series and is totally very different from the TV series. Characters from Encantadia (a fantasy series which is a spin-off of Mulawin) will be having a special participation in the movie. GMA also hired international action choreographer Wong Wai Fai and other Hong Kong martial arts experts to make the stunts more realistic, the same team hired for fantasy-action TV series Sugo. Wong choreographed stunts in the highly successful movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kung Fu Hustle, Rush Hour 2 and Bulletproof Monk.

Controversy. It is said that Robbie Tan of Seiko Films won t permit his contract stars Diana Zubiri (Encantadia s Danaya) and Alfred Vargas (Encantadia s Aquil) to appear in the movie. Because of this, Valerie Concepcion will play Danaya s character in Mulawin The Movie and Aquil s character will not be introduced in the movie. Also, since the movie is a sequel, important characters such as Veronica (played by Ara Mina) and Rasmus (played by Gary Estrada) who died in the TV series were not included in the movie version. New characters not in the TV series will also be introduced in the movie.

==Darna==

To be planned.

Rumors spread that GMA Films had bought the rights for a movie version of Darna. It is also said that the film outfit is eyeing Regine Velasquez to play the Filipino heroine in the big screen. Probably, this would be released next year since the Angel Locsin s Darna TV Series is still airing.

==External Links== *[http://www.igma.tv/begin/ Let the love begin site] *[http://www.igma.tv/lovestruck/ Lovestruck site]