After Erik Matti’s film “On The Job: The Missing 8” created waves at the recent 78th Venice International Film Festival 2021 (in Italy) – by which our very own John Arcilla bagged the much-coveted Volpi Cup Best Actor plum - yet another Filipino film is about to compete in another international film festival.
“Big Night”, a dark comedy written and directed by multi-awarded Jun Robles Lana, is set to make its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia from Nov. 12-28, 2021.
The film has been selected to compete in the Main Competition of the prestigious international film fest.
Established in 1997, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is one of the largest and most distinctive film events in Northern Europe and one of the 15 international film festivals belonging to the “A-category”.
This is a privilege provided by the Federation of the Association of Film Critics -- known worldwide – to hold international competition programs without any geographic restrictions.
Produced by Cignal Entertainment, IdeaFirst Company, October Train Films, and Quantum Films, the new film boasts of BIG and power house cast – all award-winners: Christian Bables, Eugene Domingo, Gina Alajar, Janice de Belen, Ricky Davao, Gina Pareño, Alan Paule, Soliman Cruz, and John Arcilla, the newest pride of Philippine Cinema, being the first Southeast Asian actor to win as Best Actor in Venice.
Also in the cast of “Big Night” are Martin Del Rosario, Nico Antonio, Awra Briguela, VJ Mendoza, Cedrick Juan, Ogie Diaz, and Sue Prado.
In the film, Lana gives a different look into the country’s ongoing drug war with lead actor Bables playing the role of a gay beautician who just discovered that he is put on “tokhang” drug watchlist and tries to clear his name.
In the past, Lana has worked with Bables in the unforgettable and blockbuster MMFF 2016 film “Die Beautiful”, with Domingo in “Barber’s Tales”, and with Arcilla, Del Rosario, and Bables again in “The Panti Sisters”.
Aside from “Barber’s Tales” and “Die Beautiful”, Lana is also known for his other critically-acclaimed films such as “Bwakaw” (starring Eddie Garcia), “Kalel, 15” (which won for Elijah Canlas his Gawad Urian and FAMAS best actor awards in 2020), and “Anino Sa Likod Ng Buwan” (topbilled by LJ Reyes).