“With the world’s inevitable shift to digital platforms for content, it is reassuring that Netflix gives us a showcase of Filipino titles for more audiences and markets to have access to,” said Liza Diño, Chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
These films follow the success of other Pinoy titles on Netflix, including ‘Eerie’, ‘The Girl Allergic to Wi-Fi’, and ‘Miss Granny’, which were among the top 10 most popular titles in the Philippines in 2019, as well as the December 2019 release of Filipino Netflix Film ‘Dead Kids’ by award-winning director Mikhail Red.
5 Filipino Films (of Different Genres) That You Can Watch on Netflix This June
Pinoy Sunday (June 5)
Cast: Bayani Agbayani, Jeffrey Quizon, Nor Domingo, Dave Ronald Chang, Meryll Soriano, Alessandra de Rossi
Inspired by a 1958 Roman Polanski short, this lighthearted examination of modern life in Taipei follows two Filipino immigrants, Manuel and Dado, during their day off from work, when the chance discovery of a discarded couch leads to adventure.
Director Widing Ho admits, “I never thought the feature debut I made 10 years ago can have a second life and finally get shown to the Philippine audience, thanks to Netflix. It is a tremendous honor to have my second movie after ‘Cities of Last Things’ to be included on a platform which has done so much to promote filmmakers’ works from around the world to a global audience. I am lucky to be part of the family.”
Sunod (June 14)
Cast: Carmina Villarroel, Mylene Dizon, JC Santos, Kate Alejandrino, Krystal Brimner, Rhed Bustamante, Susan Africa
As the medical expenses for her daughter stack up, a mother takes a demanding call center job where the building’s sinister secrets begin to haunt her.
Director Carlo Ledesma says he is excited for the film to find a new audience online after ‘Sunod’ screened theatrically during the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival. “Speaking on behalf of myself and my crew, we took great pains to make the movie look and sound good, so it’ll be a rush to see it stream in high quality.”
Lola Igna (June 18)
Cast: Angie Ferro, Yves Flores, Meryll Soriano, Maria Isabel Lopez, Royce Cabrera, Jojo Riguerra, Armando A. Reyes
An elderly woman finds her life disrupted when her family and village realize she has a chance at a world record for being the oldest grandmother alive.
Director Eduardo W. Roy Jr. shares that he felt flabbergasted when he heard from Netflix. “I’m personally thankful to Netflix for introducing ‘Lola Igna’ and ‘Ordinary People’ to a larger audience,” he says.
Untrue (June 22)
Cast: Cristine Reyes, Xian Lim
Mara moves from the Philippines to Georgia, where she meets a mysterious man named Joachim. They develop feelings for one another until Joachim claims to hear peculiar sounds and see visions of a strange woman.
Ordinary People
Cast: Ronwaldo Martin, Hasmine Kilip, Maria Isabel Lopez, Sue Prado, Ruby Ruiz, Raymon Lee, Karl Medina, Erlina Villalobos, Menggie Cobrarrubias
Barely making a living as pickpockets, a teenage couple in Manila resort to desperate measures when their one-month-old child is kidnapped.
To make this month even more special, ‘Jo Koy: In His Elements’ premiered on Netflix yesterday. For the first time ever, comedian Jo Koy takes Netflix to the Philippines where he celebrates his heritage by telling jokes about life as a Filipino- American while highlighting the culture of Manila.
Which one of these films are you most excited about?
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