Sapi premiere at SM Megamall

MANILA, Philippines - Some of the country’s top stars, filmmakers and film lovers, Mandaluyong City officials and corporate executives recently gathered together for the Philippine premiere of Brillante Mendoza’s Sapi at the SM Megamall Cinema 5.

A joint project of Mandaluyong City through its Cultural Affairs and Tourism Department, Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Production and SM, the event was highlighted by the presence of Solar Entertainment president Wilson Tieng and Mandaluyong City Councilors Charisse Marie Abalos and Grace Marie Antonio, who represented Mayor Benhur Abalos.

It was a star-studded affair with the film’s cast Dennis Trillo, Meryll Soriano, Baron Geisler and Ruby Ruiz shining brightly. Nora Aunor, who starred in Mendoza’s Thy Womb, graced the event, as did Tom Rodriguez to give support to his My Husband’s Lover co-star Dennis Trillo. Angelie Bayani, star of Ilo Ilo was there, as was Ronnie Lazaro, Isabel Lopez, Lance Raymundo and Mae “Juana Change” Paner.

Some of the country’s top filmmakers — Peque Gallaga, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Gil Portes, Bebong Osorio, Frank Ray Jr. and Red Romero — also gave their full support to the director and his film.

Keeping up with its “what scares you” theme, the red carpet was lined with costumed characters with Sapi masks that welcomed the guests.

In the film, the rival station Philippine Broadcasting Channel (PBC) is eating up the TV audiences’ major share and Sarimanok Broadcasting Network needs a miracle to stay alive in the competition.  In these mad and fearful times, SBN’s news team finds that documenting an actual spiritual possession would be their only hope.

Tasked to head the documentary production is Meryll Flores, a trainee TV executive producer, along with Dennis Marquez, the reporter. The success of the project will also secure their eventual promotion in the company. They go to distant places, schools, religious groups and faith healers, just to cover the case of mass possession but to no avail. They cannot find an incident of possession.

Worse, Baron Valdez, cameraman of the rival network PBC, is the one who was able to capture the isolated case of demonic possession that involved a high school teacher.

To fulfill her task, Meryll enters into a deal that is more horrifying. She buys the outtakes of the possession case from Baron. But at the point where Meryll imagines to be the turning point of her new career, an exorcising reality dawns on her with a spiraling effect that mirrors the political system governing the TV network.

Brillante’s Sapi is a joint production of Solar Entertainment Corporation and Centerstage Productions, Inc.