'John Denver Trending' is 1st Filipino film to widely release in South Korea
MANILA, Philippines — The Cinemalaya 2019 Best Film winner "John Denver Trending" will have commercial screenings across South Korea, a first for any Filipino film.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) made the announcement by posting an alternative Korean poster of the film.
The organization said "John Denver Trending" would begin its Korean theatrical run on November 23 in CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox in major cities.
In the same announcement post, the FDCP detailed how director and screenwriter Arden Rod Condez has received 15 awards across global film festivals for the movie, including an invitation to the New Currents competition section of the 24th Busan International Film Festival.
‘FIRST FILIPINO FILM’ TO BE RELEASED WITH WIDE SCREENINGS THROUGHOUT SOUTH KOREA
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) November 15, 2022
The award-winning indie film "John Denver Trending" will be screened on November 23 at some of the largest cinema chains in South Korea, including CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox...
???? FDCP/Twitter pic.twitter.com/dfPJSJSP78
At the 2019 Cinemalay Film Festival, "John Denver Trending" also won Best Actor for its lead and first-time actor Jansen Magpusao, Best Original Song, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and the NETPAC Jury Award.
'Proclaim muted voices'
In a message to Philstar.com, Condez expressed his gratitude about his film getting a wide release in South Korea three years after it premiered in the Philippines, and hopes that it will encourage fellow local filmmakers to consider international distribution.
"No matter how local and specific stories are, they can still capture the interest of the international audience because emotions will always be universal," said Condez.
The director added that the Korean wide release of "John Denver Trending" is proof that regional films with a limited budget could go far.
Condez also said that stories like the one he tells in his film, about a young boy who becomes a victim of bullying after a post went viral, need to be heard more.
"Now more than ever, in the time of fake news and historical revisionism, we need stories that tell the truth and proclaim the often muted voices of the masa," ended Condez. "The Filipino audience, together with the rest of the world, needs to see our stories on the big screen."
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