Movie-goers can boost their spooky viewing experiences of Metro Manila Film Festival 2023‘s third Best Picture by watching “Mallari‘s” midnight screening.
Mentorque Productions, the film’s producer, on Thursday announced that some cinemas will screen the horror-thriller at 12:01 a.m. on December 30 and 31 in the following malls:
Luzon
- SM Cinema Dasmariñas
- SM Cinema Fairview
- SM Cinema Grand Central
- SM Cinema Manila
- SM Cinema Megamall
- SM Cinema North Edsa
Visayas
- SM Cinema Cebu
- SM Cinema Seaside Cebu
Mindanao
- SM Cinema CDO Downtown
The production house said that cinemas would start to accommodate viewers by 11:30 p.m. on December 29 and 30.
“#Mallari fever hanggang madaling araw!” Mentorque said on a Facebook post.
“Be part of the hype and don’t miss your chance to enter the spine-tingling world of Mallaris!” it added.
It also shared links to the cinema list, where people can buy tickets in advance and how they can book an exclusive screening.
The production house also included the hashtag “#Pioloverse” as a reference to lead star Piolo Pascual‘s multiple roles in the movie.
“Mallari” takes inspiration from the story of Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, the first documented serial killer in the country.
He was a parish priest of Magalang, Pampanga from the early 1800s who killed 57 people.
Mallari reportedly suffered from mental illness, which historians believed drove him to kill due to a misguided belief that his “sacrifices” would save his ailing mother.
His crimes would only be known decades after it was committed. Mallari was then imprisoned for 14 years and then executed in 1840.
Meanwhile, the MMFF movie takes place in three separate periods — during the Spanish Colonial Era, the post-World War II period and the present day, with Piolo playing Mallari and his fictional descendants Johnrey and Jonathan in different eras.
Apart from Piolo, “Mallari” also stars Mylene Dizon, Janella Salvador, Gloria Diaz, Tommy Alejandrino, Elisse Joson and JC Santos.
It was directed by multi-awarded Derick Cabrido.
“Mallari” was recognized as the third Best Picture at the MMFF 2023 “Gabi ng Parangal.”
It also won the Best Supporting Actor for JC, who played as Brother Lucas.
The film likewise won Best Visual Effects for Gaspar Mangarin and Best Musical Score for Von de Guzman.
“Mallari” is the first mainstream Filipino film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures theatrically.
It is the second time the American film production company agreed to release a Filipino movie, following the limited run of the 2002 drama film “Mga Munting Tinig” (Small Voices) starring Alessandra de Rossi and directed by the late Gil Portes.
