MMFF to showcase student short films
THE ANNUAL Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2020 will feature short stories by promising student-filmmakers from all over the country. Several entries were supposed to be part of the initial 2020 Summer MMFF Student Short Film Competition, which was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The tilt, along with other activities, have been moved to be part of the annual MMFF Christmas edition. This year’s edition will be held online through Filipino streaming service Upstream. Some of the short films are AaBaKaDa; Sala, Salin-Laway; Sina Alexa, Xander at Ang Universe; and Paano Maging Babae, all of which are by Digital Filmmaking sophomores from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts. The other films in the line-up are Balik-Bayan from the University of Makati; Kyokok (Nilingaw) from the Western Mindanao State University; Lipstick and Paraisong Parisukat from the Philippine High School for Art; Laruang Baril from the Far Eastern University; and Garbo from the University of Southeastern Philippines. Together with this year’s full-length films, the students’ shorts are available for viewing worldwide starting Dec. 25 on the video-on-demand platform Upstream PH through this link: https://upstream.ph/mmff/. For more information about the screening guidelines as well as the featured films of the MMFF 2020, visit the official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mmffofficial/.
Pinoy singers in We Bare Bears song challenge
THREE OPM artists — Reese Lansangan, Zipporah Temelloso, and The Juans — have released their version of the theme song of the Cartoon Network cartoon series We Bare Bears, which was originally sung by Estelle. Reese Lansangan’s acapella version can be seen here: https://youtu.be/vm5OofdLD7k, while former Little Big Shots star Zipporah Temelloso’s beatbox version — featuring the Microphone Mechanics) — can be seen at https://youtu.be/hhd0aJRZO8c. Finally, the four singers who make up The Juans collaborate with Topps Sarap for their version which can be seen here: https://youtu.be/UqvZrt_3f5s. We Bare Bears: The Movie was released on Cartoon Network and the streaming service HBO GO in September.
Blahza and Seira release new single
ASIAN-American hip-hop artist Blahza and newcomer Seira have released a new emo-rap single, “GPS.” Reminiscent of Juice WRLD with its chill, spacey touch and laid-back delivery, the song follows the rapper’s journey to finding his way back to love. According to Blahza, the song is a reassurance of his loyalty and romantic affection for the love of his life, despite having to spend days apart from each other. The track also features up-and-coming rapper and singer Seira, who delivered a lilting, smooth performance.
Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys release new single
BRITNEY Spears and the Backstreet Boys surprised music fans with the release of their collaborative track “Matches,” released last week via RCA Records. The Ian Kirkpatrick and Michael Wise-produced track is featured on the new edition of Britney’s 2016 album, Glory, along with recently released songs “Swimming In The Stars” and “Mood Ring (By Demand).” The song is currently at No. 2 on iTunes Philippines, while the deluxe edition of the album that it’s part of, peaked at No. 1 a few hours after the track’s release. For more information, visit Britney Spears’ official website www.britneyspears.com and the Backstreet Boys’ official website https://www.backstreetboys.com/. Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys’ “Matches” is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music.
Fate: The Winx Saga on Netflix
FROM The Vampire Diaries’ Brian Young comes Fate: The Winx Saga, a live-action reimagining of the Italian cartoon series Winx Club by Iginio Straffi. Fate: The Winx Saga follows the coming-of-age journey of five fairies attending a magical boarding school in the Otherworld where they must learn to master their magical powers while navigating love, rivalries, and monsters that threaten their existence. The series stars Abigail Cowen, Hannah van der Westhuysen, Precious Mustapha, Eliot Salt, Elisha Applebaum, Sadie Soverall, Freddie Thorp, Danny Griffin, Theo Graham, and Jacob Dudman. The six-part series will premiere globally on Netflix on Jan. 22.
HBO Asia presents Taiwan original show
THE HBO Asia original Taiwan production of Adventure of the Ring explores how a misadventure brings out the true meaning of love. Adventure of the Ring, which premiered with two episodes on Dec. 13 on HBO and HBO GO, tells the stories of different couples who come in contact with an engagement ring. The show stars Chris Wang and Allison Lin.
