Warner Bros., local company team up to revive PH film market

The Hollywood film studio signed an agreement with Filipino firm Mentorque Productions over the weekend to handle the theatrical distribution of horror movie Mallari, its first local mainstream film distribution.

“This is the first mainstream Filipino movie that Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing in the country, and this is just the beginning,” Mentorque president John Brian Diamante said in a news briefing.

“We’ve been talking about other possible projects in the future. And then hopefully, this not just for the Philippine market but as well as for Warner Bros,” he said.

Roco Gonzales, distribution director of Warner Bros. Philippines, said the partnership would help reawaken the Philippine cinema market.

Gonzales said the two companies were exploring paths to Warner distributing Filipino films to the Asian region, collaborations in streaming and the possibility of co-productions.

“The partnership is exclusive, but we’re open to distributing other films of other producers,” he said.

“I’m hoping that the usual moviegoers who patronize Warner Bros. movies will somehow patronize this film as outside from the usual market of FIlipino movies and at the same time this opens Warner Bros to tap audiences who don’t usually watch local movies,” Gonzales said.

Diamante said the company spent about P80 million to meet the standard of Warner Bros.

“Warner Bros. has been distributing international films and they’re always the priority and that’s one advantage,” he said.

Mallari, a horror movie starring Piolo Pascual, was inspired by the true story of Fr. Severino Mallari, the Philippines’ first serial killer.  The other cast members include Janella Salvador, JC Santos, Gloria Diaz and Tommy Alejandrino.

The horror movie, set to be released on Dec. 25, is the most expensive film in the Metro Manila Film Festival this year. — Darwin G. Amojelar