Scheduled to be shown in cinemas on Feb. 19, the Filipino movie "Lisik Origin Point" tackles the question: "What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse?" 

This indie movie, produced by Domniel International Films Production, delves into chaos when a mysterious infection transforms a high school into a battleground of survival. The plot revolves around  Kara (Grace Rosas Tayo), a senior high school student grappling with the tragic loss of her brother, who was bullied to death. Her friend, Elisha (Nika De Guzman), is consumed by anger towards the bullies, led by Max (Jeremiah Allera). The narrative turns dark when the infection turns the students into flesh-eating monsters. The protagonists must navigate this nightmare, confronting external threats and inner demons. 

Young director John Renz Cahilig, who helmed the movie, noted that "Lisik" gambled on neophyte members of the cast and the use of state-of-the-art visual effects. Viewers will see how computer-generated imagery (CGI) and artificial intelligence are incorporated in the movie to make it "scary."

"Actually, yung AI naman hindi naman siya is very expensive, no? We use AI to enhance a film of better quality. There's still a human element there," he pointed out.

Cahilig only has good things to say about the cast members who may not be big-name stars but displayed immense professionalism during the shoot.

"Pagdating sa akin, sobrang galing nila. So easy to direct, madaling bigyan ng direction. They're very quick to understand the scenario or the sequences. For example, Nika. When we had that online casting, nakita namin yung delivery of lines niya na talagang very emotional, very authentic. Tapos, nung shoot na, sinabihan din namin siya na magkakaroon siya ng action, very natural siya sa action scene," he remarked.

"Si Max naman po, who is Jeremiah in real life, he's very good at carrying out the personality of the character. Even though he's not really a bully in real life, he was able to embody the character himself. Yun yung nagustuhan ko sa kanila. So, even if people say na wala silang experience, it means these guys have the natural talent for it," he added.

Cahilig, together with executive producer Dominic Orjalo, was present in a media conference at Wheatberry Bakery & Cafe, where they presented the cast members also.

The movers behind "Lisik Origin Point" said they know the movie's comparison to the Korean series  "All Of Us Are Dead." But Orjalo hastened to add that "Lisik" was almost five years in the making; it was conceptualized during the pandemic, even before "All Of Us Are Dead" came out.

" Ang similarities lang naman namin are the zombies and the setting, which is the school. Pero pagdating sa mga characters, very unique naman yung mga characters namin. We have our own story, and it's not a copycat," Cahilig explained.

Orjalo, who owns several branches of the Dominic Institute of Science and Technology, bared why he decided to venture into film production. He said the uncertainty of the business was "part of the game. Kung hindi mo susubukan, hindi mo malalaman. Kung hindi ka magmimina, hindi ka makakakuha ng ginto." (If you don't try, you will never know. If you don't mind, you will never get the gold.)

"I’m on a mission to put Filipino talent front and center in filmmaking. I’m determined to create films that show the world that Filipino talent can stand toe-to-toe with the best in the industry. On top of that, as a school owner, I’m passionate about giving my students the chance to showcase their acting skills and open doors to exciting opportunities," Orjalo stated.