FOR A CHANGE – Director Dan Villegas is identified with romcoms, such as “English Only, Please,” “The Break-Up Playlist,” “Always Be My Maybe,” and “How To Be Yours.” Films with so-called “hugot” lines, meaning said with much emotion and passion.
For a change, direk Dan is doing a horror-drama, “Ilawod,” which means downstream in English, as opposed to “Ilaya” (upstream).”
“Ilawod” is about possession, which grips an entire family, living in total horror and fighting for survival.
Scripwriter is Palanca awardee Yvette Uy Tan, whose works have a common denominator: water. Think of “Sidhi” “The Child Abandoned (Pasig River),” “The Bridge,” “San Juanico,” and “Stars” (Balicasag Island, Bohol).
“Ilawod” is jointly produced by Quantom, MJM, and Butchi Boy.
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POTENT COMBINATION – Senior and young stars make a potent combination in “Ilawod.” Ian Veneracion, Iza Calzado, and Epi Quizon lead the senior cast, all of them awardees.
But then the young stars are just as impressive: Xyriel Manabat, Therese Malvar, and introducing the 13-year-old son of Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Harvey.
Therese is Moscow International Film Festival best actress for “Hamog.”
By the way, of great help to the staff is Antoinette Jadaone, the director-girlfriend of Dan.
The Villegas-Tan-Jadaone triumvirate is also a potent combination that will be shown on January 18.
