October 10, 2024 | 2:54pm
MANILA, Philippines — Filmmaker Antoinette “Tonet” Jadaone is hoping her latest film “Sunshine” will find more success in international festivals before screening in Philippine theaters.
“Sunshine” stars Maris Racal as the titular young rhythmic gymnast who dreams of joining the national team but she finds out that she was pregnant days before her tryout.
Promotions for the movie see Sunshine doing everything to abort the fetus, including finding medicine and punching her gut. These are illegal in the Philippines.
“On her way to a seller of illegal abortion drugs, Sunshine meets a mysterious girl who eerily thinks and talks like her,” goes the film’s synopsis.
Apart from tackling teen pregnancy and abortion, the movie will also focus on the struggles of local athletes aspiring to join prestigious competitions like the Olympics.
Direk Tonet spoke to several members of the media, including Philstar.com, at the gala performance of “Request sa Radyo” last October 9, the one-woman show starring Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon in alternating roles.
The filmmaker could not give exact updates on the film premiere of “Sunshine” in the Philippines, as her team plans to bring it to more international film festivals first. “Sunshine” made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last month.
Related: Antoinette Jadaone’s ‘Sunshine’ starring Maris Racal tackles abortion, athlete struggles
Regarding TIFF, Direk Tonet was “super happy” that the film’s three screeenings all sold out despite being at the tail-end of the festival.
“Karamihan nagsi-uwian na pero na-sold out namin,” she continued. “Akala ko puro Pinoy lang manonood but there were a lot of non-Filipinos who watched [and were] also affected by the film. Nakaka-happy.”
Asked by Philstar.com which films festivals “Sunshine” would enter, Direk Tonet would not disclose but assured they were international ones leading up to next year.
Co-starring with Maris in the movie, which Direk Tonet also wrote, are Elijah Canlas, Xyriel Manabat, Jennica Garcia, Annika Co, and Meryll Soriano.
This is Maris’ third project and first movie with Antoinette, having previously worked on the shows “The Kangks Show” and “Simula Sa Gitna.”
This is also Antoinette’s first feature film since her Metro Manila Film Festival-winning movie “Fan Girl,” starring Charlie Dizon and Paulo Avelino.
The director is known for her projects “On the Wings of Love,” “That Thing Called Tadhana,” “Never Not Love You,” “Alone/Together,” “Till I Met You,” and “Love You to the Stars and Back.”
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