Janno Gibbs is excited over his newest film “Hello Universe!”
He said so himself during a recent get together with media, relating how it ticks all the right boxes making it a perfect little gem of a film that will resonate with audiences of all ages.
“Kumpleto eh,” he explained. “May comedy, may kaunting drama. Medyo sexy din siya. Pero ang pinaka maganda very relatable, lahat I think makaka-identify sa character ko dito.”
He would go on to praise writer-director Xian Lim.
“Ang galing ng pagkakabuo ni Xian dito sa kwento,” Janno related. “At gusto ko yung approach niya as director, very collaborative. Naging madali at masaya ang trabaho namin. Hindi ako magdadalawang isip na makatrabaho si Xian again in the near future.”
The film has Janno playing the role of Ariel.
Though happily married to his high school sweetheart (Maui Taylor) and blessed with a sweet and hardworking young daughter (Madelaine Red), Ariel is miserable.
He is particularly envious of his former high school rival who is now a famous and wealthy basketball coach.
He believes his life would have been way more better than it is if only he had made the winning shot during a crucial basketball game back in high school.
Enter a magical figure named Jessie (Benjie Paras).
Keen on making Ariel realize his and his family’s value, he lets him live an alternate reality.
There, Ariel finds himself living with a hot wife (Sunshine Guimary) and a new daughter (Majo Lingat).
Will Ariel finally find happiness in this version of his life?
What about his wife and child?
Xian revealed the film was inspired “by a personal experience.”
“Dati kasi nangarap ako maging professional basketball player,” he related. “Pero obviously, hindi yun natuloy. Napunta ako sa ibang mundo.”
He quickly added, “I’m not saying I am not happy with where I am now. As much as possible I try to do away with regrets pero, come to think of it, lahat tayo paminsan minsan napapaisip naman diba? Like, what if? This film is about that.”
From Viva Films and also starring Gene Padilla, Anjo Yllana, MJ Cayabyab, “Hello, Universe!” opens in cinemas January 25.
