MANILA, Philippines — Production company TBA Studios is gearing up to start shooting historical movie "Quezon" based on the second president of the Philippines Manuel L. Quezon.
The film is a continuation of the studio's "Bayaniverse" of movies about Philippine history, which includes the epics "Heneral Luna" and "Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral," both directed and co-written by Jerrold Tarog.
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"Quezon" will mark the studio's first major production since the pandemic, having diverted efforts to local distributions of international films like Best Picture Oscar winner "Everything Everywhere All At Once," Palme d'Or winner "Triangle of Sadness," starring Dolly de Leon, and "Past Lives."
Production and casting is set to begin this March with a target theatrical release later this year.
Benjamin Alves previously portrayed Quezon in the previous "Bayaniverse" movies. TJ Trinidad played the Philippine president in "Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral," while Raymond Bagatsing played Quezon in 2018's "Quezon's Game."
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The movie is expected to follow the life of Quezon, who was a lawyer and soldier prior to governing the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944, particularly his tumultuous presidential campaign against predecessor Emilio Aguinaldo.
TBA Studios President Daphne Chiu said the film, to be helmed once more by Tarog, will get an international release.
Chiu added "Quezon" would be a stand-alone film while existing in the "Bayaniverse," making it accessible to anyone who haven not seen "Heneral Luna" or "Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral."
The Film Development Council of the Philippines announced last year a funding support for the film, which is also backed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
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