The suspense-thriller "Nelia" has been in development for a long time, but why did the Metro Manila Film Festival 2021 entry take 15 years to complete?
Novice director Lester Dimaranan said: “Matagal nang nasulat ito ni Atty. Honey, 15 years ago pa. Actually, naalala ko, noong nilapitan ako ng A and Q para gumawa ng pelikula, iba dapat yung gagawin namin noon, e. ‘Tapos, nag-pandemic! Naayos na namin lahat para sa production ng pelikulang iyon tapos biglang nag-lockdown. So, nilapitan ako ni Atty. Honey, pinakita sa akin yung synopsis ng Nelia, and dun na nag-start yung pagbuo namin sa pelikula.”
Direk Lester describes his first full length film "Nelia" written by Atty. Nelanie Honey Quiño Marquez. “Unique siya. Hindi siya iyong typical story ng Filipino movies na napapanood natin.” [“It’s unique. It’s not the typical story that we see in Filipino movies.”
Produced by A and Q Films Production, Inc., "Nelia" revolves around the mystery of hospital room 009, where all the patients admitted to it die. A nurse working at the hospital, "Nelia" (played by global beauty queen and Kapuso actress Winwyn Marquez), will try to reveal the secret behind the deaths of Room 009’s patients.
"Nelia" offers a different take on storytelling, and tackles themes that are not often seen in Filipino films. “Suspense thriller siya, maraming aabangan ang manonood. Maraming turn ng events na di mo akalaing gano’n pala, ganyan pala. Psychological yung movie kaya yung effect sa manonood, psychological din. Yung mga twists talaga, yung akala mong ito yung mangyayari magugulat ka na hindi pala,” said Direk Lester.
"Nelia" is also the only film in the suspense thriller genre that has entered the upcoming 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival. “Malaking pasasalamat namin talaga sa MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) na organizer ng MMFF na isa kami sa napili nilang pelikula this year. Napakalaking bagay po nito sa amin sa A and Q dahil nabibigyan ng pag-asa ang mga baguhan at indie filmmakers na tulad namin na makapasok sa mainstream. Sana ay suportahan ng ating mga kababayan ang mga pelikulang ipapalabas sa MMFF this year, lalong lalo na ang Nelia, dahil ito po ang pagbabalik natin sa mga sinehan ngayon pandemic,” said Direk Lester.
"Nelia" will premiere on Dec. 25 in select theaters across the Philippines. Aside from lead star Winwyn, the film also stars Raymond Bagatsing, Mon Confiado, Ali Forbes, Shido Roxas, and Juan Carlos Galano.