Cignal Entertainment’s Big Night! and Resbak (Payback) bagged major awards at the 19th Asian Film Festival

 

Philippine cinema takes the spotlight on the international stage following the remarkable victory of Cignal Entertainment’s Big Night! and Resbak (Payback), bagged major awards at the 19th Asian Film Festival which  held from April 7 to 13, 2022 at the Farnese Arthouse in Rome, Italy. Deemed as one of the most significant exhibitions of Asia films in the world, the festival featured 30 films from Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines.

 

Out of all the nominees from the eight participating countries, director Brillante Mendoza (Resbak) was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Roma Lazio Film Commission, while Christian Bables (Big Night!) and Vince Rillon (Resbak [Payback]) won Best Actor. Both Resbak (Payback) and Big Night! are produced by Cignal Entertainment and will also be available on streaming platforms soon.

Christian Bables (Big Night!) 

Vince Rillon (Resbak [Payback]) 

Directed by Mendoza, Resbak (Payback) follows the story of Isaac (played by Vince Rillon), a motorbike thief who gets rebuffed after asking his boss for help when he gets chased by the police. Isaac then plans vengeance against his boss. The film, carrying the international name “Payback,” is set to be released in the Philippines soon. 

 

Meanwhile, Big Night!, directed by Jun Robles Lana, is situated in present-day Philippines and tackles the country’s controversial war on drugs through the experiences of Dharna (Christian Bables), a gay beautician who was mistakenly placed on the current watchlist of drug users. Big Night! was the most-awarded film at the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival, scoring big by winning the Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score, and the Best Picture and Gender Sensitivity awards.

 

Cignal Entertainment continues to support and showcase fresh, relevant, and internationally appealing films that represent uniquely Filipino stories. “Being recognized on the international stage by a prestigious institution further ignites our desire to continuously evolve and produce top-caliber movies. We thank the 19th Asian Film Festival for bestowing us such great honor and recognition. We also congratulate Director Brillante Mendoza, Christian Bables, Vince Rillon, and everyone who gave their utmost dedication into bringing Resbak (Payback) and Big Night! to life,” shared Cignal and TV5 CEO and President Robert P. Galang.

 

For more information on the winners of the 19th Asian Film Festival, visit www.asianfilmfestival.info/. 

 

Christian Bables bags the Bright Star Award in 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema

I remember my interview with Christian last year. He was teary eyed because his lolo had just passed away, and Christian was feeling guilty that he wasn’t beside him during his last hours. He was in mourning then and you could feel the sadness.  Fast forward to today, I saw a different Christian. He was beaming, proud and happy holding a trophy to his name. 

One of the brilliant young actors of his generation, Christian Bables breathes life into every character he portrays. Christian enjoys being an actor because he can express himself, touch other people’s lives, and execute his passion.



Christian always takes his work seriously and values the importance of training and preparation. He remains focus on his craft as an actor that is why blessings continuously keep pouring in for him. He says, “Like what my mentors tell me, acting is a lifestyle of learning. Kahit na sino, kahit hindi actor, ay dapat hindi tumigil sa pag-aaral. Dapat laging bukas na matuto.”

He has proven to all and sundry that he is an award-winning actor to be reckoned with. “Acting is a venue to express myself. I enjoy giving empowerment to every character I portray because through that ako mismo ay nae-empower.” 

Christian is in high spirits these days. Fresh from the box-office success of Panti Sisters, Christian is deeply overwhelmed with the outcome of the movie which revolves around the story of three gay siblings whose rich father wants to bequeath his inheritance to a son who can give him a grandchild. 

“Nakakatuwa na tinanggap ng Filipino audience and maybe the foreign audience ang pelikula namin. Thank you very much but more than anything else, I am ecstatic because we were able to relay the message of the movie. Likewise, we become proud allies of the LGBT community. Personally, this is my way of giving back because ang laki ng utang na loob ko sa LGBT community. If not for my role as Barbs in Die Beautiful, I wouldn’t be here. Hindi mabubukas ang pintuan ng mga pangarap ko. Ang mapapangako ko ay hindi ako magsasawa at mapapagod na gumawa ng mga makabuluhang istorya para sa LGBT community.”

He just came back from Chicago to personally accept his Bright Star Award in the prestigious 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema for his sterling performance in Signal Rock. In the film, Christian plays Intoy, a poor high school dropout who resides in a far-flung fishing island with his family and courageously climbs steep rock formations just to get a cellphone signal. (He won the Best Actor Award at the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) in Vietnam last year.) 

Christian shares his experience attending the event. “They were all nice. The founder is Ms. Sophia Boccio. She was very accommodating. I received a warm welcome from the people in Chicago most especially the Filipino community. Grabe iyong suporta nila sa Signal Rock, sa akin, at sa pagpunta ko. I enjoyed my stay there. It was a heartwarming experience. It is one of my most memorable film festivals.”

   

He recently won the Best Actor Award at the Urduja Film Festival for his role in Signal Rock which also received the Movie of the Year (Drama) Award. Urduja Film Festival is a yearly competition which promotes student short, feature, and independent films in Northern Luzon.

Despite his achievements, Christian remains humble. How does he handle fame? “For me, being known is just part of the job. Iyong real job for me, ang totoong batayan sa akin ay kung gaano ka kadiligent at kung gaano ka kagutom as an actor. You’re just as good as your last work. So ang pagiging masipag (iyong kaya mong i-assess kung tama ba o hindi ang ginagawa mo) ay ang totoong batayan for me at hindi ang fame.”



Christian is grateful for all the good projects coming his way. Aside from upcoming movies, he is part of a new teleserye in ABS-CBN. “I am thankful to ABS-CBN for giving me such a good and challenging role. Please watch out for my new television series soon.”



For inquiries, please call (02) 88554765 or (02) 34054423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency   

Christian Bables is Best Actor at the Hanoi International Film Festival

Christian Bables wins the coveted Best Actor Award at the prestigious 2018 Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) in Vietnam for his sterling performance in the movie Signal Rock. He made a mark for his role as Intoy, a poor high school dropout who lives in a remote fishing island with his family and courageously climbs steep rock formations just to get a cellphone signal. Signal Rock is directed by Chito Roño.



Overwhelmed by his latest triumph, Christian posted a lengthy message on his Facebook and Instagram accounts to thank God and everyone who have helped and inspired him as an actor.



Fresh from his triumph at HANIFF, Christian is now invited for Signal Rock’s screening at the Golden Globes for awards consideration at the Foreign Language Film category. Signal Rock is one of the 87 movies competing for Best Foreign Language Film at Oscars 2019.



Christian has been receiving critical acclaims for his portrayal in Signal Rock. He also took home a Special Jury Award for Outstanding Acting (while Signal Rock won the Critics’ Choice Award) at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino last August.



The award-winning actor recently graced the 23rd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in South Korea for the screening of Signal Rock. This was his first international film festival foray. Christian shared on social media his photo with Korean superstar Ku Hye-Sun, the lead female of the hit K Drama Boys Over Flowers.



Blessings continuously keep pouring in for Christian. He will return on the big screen with Recipe for Love where he plays Calix, a budding chef, whose specialty is reinvented Filipino food. Calix inherited his culinary passion from his father. The movie is directed by Jose Javier Reyes and stars Cora Waddell, Agot Isidro, Ogie Diaz, and Bing Loyzaga, among others.



Christian’s latest big screen role displays a passion for cooking. But just how passionate is Christian when it comes to acting? “I’ve always been passionate in performing arts. Maybe I had it in me since the day I was formed in my mom’s tummy. But I guess it was in my college years that I’ve learned how to use my talent properly. My first role as an actor was a hitch hiker with a girlfriend dying of leukemia. The character’s name is Rino,” Christian shares.



Christian enjoys being an actor because he can express himself, touch other people’s lives, and execute his passion. “I always believe that everything is about choices. As long as I choose to do what is right and do what satisfies my heart and God, then I know I’ll be fine. I just have to put my trust in God and let go. ️His purpose is always better than the promises of this world.”



Christian takes his work seriously. “I improve my craft by making sure that I am intact with my core - who I am as a person. I prevent myself from being jaded. I observe people a lot. Most importantly, I value the importance of training and preparation.”



How does he see himself 10 years from now? “A successful artist. I envision myself to be in the international acting scene 10 years from now. I will be directing and producing movies for local and international releases. And I will be having a stable life and business. I’m claiming it!”



On the television front, Christian pits acting talents with Jericho Rosales and Sam Milby in the ABS-CBN teleserye Halik.



Christian Bables is co-managed by Asian Artists Agency, Inc. For inquiries, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Hypersonic Signal Beams for Christian Bables

Christian Bables has cemented a place of his own in the acting world, following a win at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, for his portrayal of Intoy in Signal Rock. Christian has proven to all and sundry that he is an actor to reckon with. He has also erased the notion that he was stuck to playing gay roles.



While he played the “bagtik” (astig in Tagalog), Intoy who decides to remain in a remote island with his family and courageously climbs steep rock formations just to get a cellphone signal in Signal Rock, Christian in reality is also a “bagtik” actor - camera ready, focused and steadfast.

His most recent triumph, a Special Jury Award for Outstanding Acting in Signal Rock (while the movie won the Critics’ Choice Award at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino), is an amplified signal that all the forces of the universe are aligned in his favor.

Describing his acting style, Christian says, “Each actor has his own style of dealing with life. That is the main purpose of acting, to deal with the truth of life. Ang mga actors, merong reference na technique pero the acting skill should be coming from who you are as a person and your sensibility as a person. For me, there’s no specific style in acting. Only your own style of dealing with life.”

What does he look for in a role? “I often look for the core of the story at sa puso ng karakter. As an artist, I also try to find a way how to relate the character to me. If there’s a common denominator then it’s easy to connect to the role.”



He is passionate about his work as he is with life. “I always believe that everything is about choices. As long as I choose what is right and do what satisfies my heart and God, then I’ll be fine. I just have to put my trust in God and let go. His purpose is always better than the promises of this world.”



A keen observer of people, Christian values the importance of training and preparation. He arrives on the movie set ahead of time, ready to face the cameras. It may sound weird but Christian dreams of playing a suicide bomber. “Its life has many colors of different shades.”



He refuses to be defined by popularity alone saying that being famous is just part of being an actor.  “Neither will it define you nor make you as a person. I keep myself intact to my truth.”



On the television front, Christian pits talents with Jericho Rosales and Sam Milby in the ABS-CBN teleserye Halik. Other projects are being negotiated.



Christian Bables is co-managed by Asian Artists Agency, Inc. For inquiries, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Christian Bables stars in Signal Rock under Direk Chito Roño for Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino

Christian Bables is excited in his upcoming movie, Signal Rock, his first collaboration with Direk Chito Roño. It was a dream come true for him to be working with the A-list director. 

He is all praises of Direk Chito. “Ipapakita at ipaparamdam talaga niya sa iyo kung gaano ka niya pinapahalagahan bilang isang aktor at kaibigan basta ipakita mong you deserve his admiration and trust. I will forever be grateful to him. I worked so hard noong makapasa ako sa audition. I put myself into my character’s shoes so I would know kung anong emosyon ang aking paghuhugutan. I imagined my character - the way he speaks, walks, how he closes his eyes – para mabigyan ko ng magandang interpretation ang role ko. I have to be on my toes kasi andyan sina Direk Chito and the staff."

In the film, Christian plays Intoy, a poor high school dropout who resides in a remote fishing island. Intoy has good communication skills and he is always invited to be an event emcee in fiestas, parties, and election campaign rallies. He helps his sister in Finland in a child custody battle against her abusive husband by involving the townspeople, faking legal documents, and setting up false endorsements to prove his sister’s financial capacity.

“This is a coming of age story of Intoy. Isang taong puno ng pagmamahal para sa kanyang pamilya and how his love will succeed in saving his family most especially his sister. Intoy will do everything to keep his family intact,” describes Christian of his character.

Intoy is a deviation from the gay roles Christian played in the past. "It’s easier for me to play Intoy because I no longer need to alter my way of thinking, the way I feel and my physicality. The challenge for me here is to truly define Intoy’s personality and try to relate it to me as Christian Bables.”



Signal Rock is based on a true story of people living in a small town in the beautiful island of Samar. Direk Chito recounted the story of one of his friends named Nonong to screenwriter Rody Vera. Nonong’s life story left a remarkable impression on Rody because it is based on the realities of life like work migration and how this changed the lives and relationships of the people they left behind to support.



The film was shot in the picturesque island of Biri where Christian stayed for 15 days.



Christian is now busy going around the country for the movies’ promo activities which include mall shows, radio and studio interviews, campus tours, among others.

     

Signal Rock is part of the week-long celebration of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. It will open in theaters beginning August 15 and also stars Nanding Josef, Ces Quesada, Arnold Reyes, Daria Ramirez, and Domingo Cobarrubias.



For inquiries, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Award Winning Actor Christian Bables is back to pursuing his passion

It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon when I arrived at the venue of our pocket interview with Christian Bables.


There was a sudden downpour as I crossed Tomas Morato toward Mesa, the venue of our pocket interview with Christian Bables; and though there were a lot of other scheduled events that day, I declined my other invites simply because I was a fan of “Barbs.”


I was excited to get to know more about the guy behind the character I guess everyone fell in love with in the movie “Die Beautiful,” and was curious as to when his next big project was going to be.

I remember he was sitting directly in front of us us during the MMFF Awards night that year and I could still recall how he stood up almost hesitantly when his name was called as the best supporting actor.  We were all rooting for him and he really deserved the award.



I was thinking of that moment as he walked through the doors and made his way toward our small group. He was wearing a gray hoodie with ripped jeans and though he was just a few minutes late he kept apologizing because of the rain and the traffic.

As he settled down and we were about to ask our first question, Christian suddenly bowed his head and began to sob almost as unexpectedly as the rain fell from the sky that day.



Our eyes then all looked at his manager who told us that Christian was actually mourning, as his grandfather, had just passed away, and Christian was feeling guilty that he wasn’t beside him during his last hours.


“Even the heavens were mourning with him,” I thought.



He terribly misses him, because he grew up with his lolo, his manager said, buying his ward a little more time to compose himself.



Again I thought of his scenes in “Die Beautiful” and how Barbs could easily play with our emotions, but this time was different, this wasn’t Barbs in front of me, this was Christian and I really felt his sadness.



Instead of wanting to ask him why he hasn’t had another big movie after “Die Beautiful” and why he hasn’t lived up to his potential as an actor, all I wanted to do was go over to him and offer him a hug. To give him a bit of comfort as if to return the favor of how he made me feel whenever I was watching him on screen.

“Sorry po,” Christian said, before he began telling us how close he was with his lolo and how hard to see his lolo almost unresponsive during his last days.


Somehow, sharing that story helped him feel better and we were able to begin our interview.


He says he is busy taping for Halik, his upcoming series with Jericho Rosales , and that he is starring in the short film A Love Story In The Time of HIV, one of the three short films featured in A Trilogy of Love Stories.

He adds he is excited for the release of his next movie directed by no other than Chito Rono.

When also asked him about bashers and what he didn’t like in this industry. He told us that there was one article recently that really got to him because the writer of the story didn’t even bother to interview him. It got so bad he said, that he still hasn’t updated his social media platform or made any posts for the past couple of months saying he’d rather focus on improving his acting and pursuing his passion and becoming a better actor.

Christian has always been passionate about acting. "Maybe I had it in me since the day I was in my mother’s womb. But I guess it was in my college years that I learned how to use my talent properly. My first role as an actor was a hitch hiker with a girlfriend dying of leukemia. The character’s name was Rino,” Christian shares.

As an actor, Christian believes that his heart is his core. "I am not afraid to jump off a cliff and be torn into pieces. I do not act to perform. I act to be reminded how beautiful life is and that there’s a chance for me to win every chaos life may bring.”     

He explains that being an actor allows him to express himself, touch other people’s lives, and express his passion. “I always believe that everything is about choices. As long as I choose to do what is right and do what satisfies my heart and God, then I know I’ll be fine. I put my trust in God and let go. His purpose is always better than the promises of this world.” 



Christian takes his work seriously. “I improve my craft by making sure that I am intact with my core - who I am as a person. I prevent myself from being jaded. I observe people a lot. Most importantly, I value the importance of training and preparation.”



How does he see himself 10 years from now? “A successful artist. I envision myself to be in the international acting scene 10 years from now. I will be directing and producing movies for local and international markets. And I will be having a stable life and business. I’m claiming it!”



Christian is part of an upcoming ABS-CBN soap titled Halik (Love Will Lead You Back). In the series, Christian plays Barry Bartolome who is the boss and bestfriend of Lino Bartolome, Jericho Rosales’ character. 



A Trilogy of Love Stories also stars Lorenzo Santiago and Rahcir Tan (Young Love) and Eian Rances and Bernardo Bernardo (To Love and Not Be Loved which is also Bernardo Bernardo's last work for cinema).



The premiere night on May 17 coincides with the celebration of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).

Christian Bables is a talent of Asian Artists Agency. For inquiries, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency 

Get to know the creative artists behind The IdeaFirst Company

I seldom watch tagalog movies. But when I do,  I take to consideration good acting, storyline, the actors involved and the director.  I googled reviews about the movie that I am going to watch.  If movie reviews would cost me sleepless nights then that is the sign that I would see it per se. With the high cost of living nowadays, it is but hard to scoop up php280 to php300 for a movie fee alone.

The 2 tagalog movies that I have watched this year that is worth my time and money are Die Beautiful and Kita Kita because of the reviews online and word of mouth. I confessed these are exceptionally good films helmed by the award winning director Jun Lana and  Director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo.

I am just glad that Direk Jun Lana and Producer-Director Perci Intalan formed The IdeaFirst Company and gathered the best storytellers/directors and actors under the new company.

The IdeaFirst Company recently launched their creative artists on August 15 at Hive Hotel, QC. The launch was attended by actors Cedric Juan, Adrianna So and Christian Bables and Millenial Directors headed by Sigrid Bernardo, Prime Cruz, Miko Livelo, Ivan Andrew Payawal, and Dominic Lim. 

It’s a brave new world for Philippine entertainment.  With independent films becoming mainstream blockbusters and digital shows becoming talk-of-the-town hit programs, audiences are now clamoring for fresh and innovative content.

One Philippine company that’s poised to meet this challenge is The IdeaFirst Company of award-winning writer-director Jun Robles Lana and award-winning producer-director Perci Intalan.

“ Artists are now the stars of Philippine showbiz,” says Direk Perci.  “People are now buying tickets if they see that a film has a good story   made by good storytellers performed by a good cast of actors and    actresses.  This is the new winning formula: good story + good cast.  That’s why when we formed The IdeaFirst Company the vision was to put artistry at the core of our business.”

Direk Jun recalls how the company started. “We knew we needed fresh talent – both onscreen and off-screen.  Coincidentally, at that time I gave a free screenwriting workshop called the Cine Panulat Screenwriting Lab.  From this, we invited some writers to join in our productions – first as brainstormers, then as writers, then some apprenticed as assistant directors and later became directors themselves.  Soon they were creating and even producing their own films and they get invited to local and international festivals.”

“Audiences are looking for something new,” Direk Perci adds.  “Even in Hollywood, you can see that fresh talent is key.  There are big productions that are being helmed by relatively new directors top-billed by relatively new actors.   As Jun was looking for promising creative artists, we were also watching out for exciting new performing artists.  And finally, both off and onscreen, we found the group that can best represent not just our company but this new era of Philippine entertainment.”

Indeed, The IdeaFirst Company has put together an impressive roster.   Among its creative artists is Prime Cruz (Best Director at the QCinema International Film Festival for his film Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B) Miko Livelo (writer-director of acclaimed comedies Tanods, Blue Bustamante and I Love You To Death), Ivan Andrew Payawal (writer-director of I America, which competed at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival), Dominic Lim (writer-director whose debut feature The Write Moment was selected for the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival) and Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo (writer-director of the award-winning Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita and the highest-grossing Filipino independent film Kita Kita).

In the roster of performing artists of The IdeaFirst Company is Christian Bables, the breakout star of the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival who now has Urian and MMFF Best Supporting Actor awards to his name and is one of the busiest young actors in town -- filming four movies and landing lead roles in both MMK and Magpakailanman.   Another proud addition to the IdeaFirst roster is MMFF Best Supporting Actor nominee, film and theater actor Cedrick Juan, who previously appeared in films TV shows like On The Wings of Love and plays one of the leads in the 2017 QCinema entry, The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931.  And completing the select group is young actress Adrianna So (formerly known as Malak So) who Direk Jun describes as “an exciting and unique performer who has a look, a sense of grace and a certain mystique about her that I haven’t seen in showbiz for a long time.”

With these creative and performing artists, The IdeaFirst Company is able to not only produce innovative content, it can now also act as the management company for these artists when they are engaged in projects with other production outfits, film studios and television networks.  “We believe that the key to growth is collaboration,” says Direk Perci. “Collaboration happens on multiple levels at The IdeaFirst Company.  It happens internally among the content creators.  It happens between the storytellers and our performers.  It happens externally between our team and the teams of other companies that we do projects with like Regal, Viva, Quantum and Star Cinema.”



“It’s an exciting time for all artists working in our industry, because there is an audience that’s now pushing us to do more and to do better,” adds Direk Jun.  “So both as producers and as managers, we want everyone in our team to constantly challenge themselves.  And with the roster we have, I am already quite excited for what’s coming.  It looks like we are indeed entering a new golden age of Philippine entertainment.”