ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Movies and TV devider GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions join forces for horror movie Huwag Kang Titingin'

GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions join forces for horror movie Huwag Kang Titingin'

Published Aug 30, 2025 12:39 pm
GMA Network Senior Vice President Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Mentorque Productions President and CEO John Bryan Diamante, and GMA Pictures Executive Vice President Nessa Valdellon
GMA Network Senior Vice President Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Mentorque Productions President and CEO John Bryan Diamante, and GMA Pictures Executive Vice President Nessa Valdellon

Two formidable forces in Philippine entertainment, GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions, officially sealed their first co-production with the chilling new horror feature “Huwag Kang Titingin" during the contract signing held at GMA Network in Quezon City last Aug. 28.

Representing GMA Pictures were Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, and President and CEO of GMA Films; and Nessa Valdellon, Executive Vice President of GMA Pictures and Senior Vice President of GMA Public Affairs. Signing on behalf of Mentorque Productions was John Bryan Diamante, President and CEO.

A major breakthrough in Philippine cinema, this co-production transcends traditional horror by showcasing the synergy of heritage and modern creativity.

GMA Pictures brings its decades of mainstream production mastery and proven nationwide reach, while Mentorque Productions infuses its bold, independent spirit and reputation for pushing genre boundaries.

Josh Ford, Michael Sager, Sherilyn Reyes, Allen Ansay, Sofia Pablo, Anthony Constantino, Marco Masa, and Sean Lucas
Josh Ford, Michael Sager, Sherilyn Reyes, Allen Ansay, Sofia Pablo, Anthony Constantino, Marco Masa, and Sean Lucas

“This partnership with GMA Pictures is not only about producing a film, it’s about showing what’s possible when two creative forces come together,” said John Bryan Diamante, President and CEO of Mentorque Productions. 

John added, “As a young production company, we are deeply grateful to GMA Pictures for opening its doors to newcomers like us. It proves that when established industry leaders welcome new players, it strengthens the whole ecosystem of Philippine cinema.”

“I'm very, very excited for this project. We have a great story, an exciting cast, and a very strong partner in Mentorque. It's our honor to be a partner of Mentorque. This is our first venture together. We are beginning our partnership with ‘Huwag Kang Titingin.’ So thank you very much for the trust,” said Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes.

“Huwag Kang Titingin” promises a fresh, uniquely Filipino horror experience with a frighteningly modern Gen Z narrative that collides viral internet challenges with deep-rooted folkloric fears. More than its jump scares and mystery, the film seeks to resonate with audiences by fusing emotional depth and cultural familiarity.

The film’s cast features a dynamic roster of young and veteran talent: Sofia Pablo, Allen Ansay, Marco Masa, Michael Sager, Sean Lucas, Kira Balinger, Josh Ford, Anthony Constantino, Charlie Fleming, Shuvee Etrata, and Sherilyn Reyes. It will be directed by Frasco Mortiz and written/creatively produced by Ays De Guzman.

Both studios bring award-winning credentials to the table. GMA Pictures has solidified its position as a major force in the Philippine film industry, taking home “Producer of the Year” at the 8th EDDYS Awards with a slate that includes “Firefly,” “Balota,” “P77,” and the highly acclaimed “Green Bones,” which was recently shortlisted for the Philippines’ Official Oscars Entry. 

Mentorque Productions, meanwhile, was honored as “Film Producer of the Year” at the 2025 FAMAS Awards, with acclaimed titles like the MMFF psychological horror hit “Mallari,” the Netflix-acquired thriller “Uninvited,” and the 2024 Cinemalaya co-production “Kono Basho.”

With “Huwag Kang Titingin,” both companies reaffirm their shared commitment: to create Filipino stories that are daring, resonant, and undeniably cinematic.

The film is set to hit Philippine cinemas soon.

ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.