Mike Sandejas, Francis Reyes on Muni-Muni Stories
ON EPISODE 8 on the 2nd season of the Muni-Muni Stories podcast, film director Mike Sandejas and musician Francis Reyes discuss the film Tulad Ng Dati (2006). The film blends fiction and biography to dramatize the life of the OPM band The Dawn. The movie charts the band’s struggle to make the dream of having a new hit come true. The film also honors rock icon and The Dawn guitarist Teddy Diaz, who passed away in 1988. The film’s director, Mr. Sandejas, and the band’s current guitarist, Reyes (also a DJ, podcast host, and music journalist) reflect on the titular song, gaining new meaning in the interval between then and now. The second season of Muni-Muni Stories, a podcast co-produced by Filipinas Heritage Library and Podcast Network Asia, features many heavyweights in the film and music industries talk about official soundtracks (OSTs) in Pinoy movies. Muni-Muni Stories Season 2 is exclusively available on Spotify. For updates, follow Filipinas Heritage Library and Podcast Network Asia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Sustainable wooden toy brand opens LazMall store
A PURVEYOR of wooden toys for children, Tooky Toy Philippines officially opens its first flagship store in LazMall on Feb. 23. Tooky Toy started with a dream to make the best wooden toys possible. The brand looks for innovative and creative ways to take ordinary objects and turn them into timeless and durable wooden toys. From material to production, all toys are manufactured using eco-friendly processes in every step of production. All Tooky Toy have met and, in most cases, exceed the strictest international toy safety standards. Each Tooky Toy is made of wood from sustainable forests, using only organic pigments, water-based dyes, and non-formaldehyde glue, so every Tooky Toy tea set or musical toy is made not only with the safest standards for the environment, but for children too. Tooky Toys are categorized as: Pretend Play, Educational, Push & Play, Music, Infant, and Puzzle. There will be limited edition and launch-exclusive bundles and Tooky Toys at LazMall on Feb. 23. For more information visit www.tookytoy.ph.
TBA joins Yuchengco’s inaugural online film fest
TBA STUDIOS will showcase some of its critically acclaimed works at Yuchengco Museum’s first online film festival. Beginning Feb. 22, viewers can watch a variety of titles from renowned directors as well as up-and-coming student filmmakers for free, during the seven-day online film fest called Y2M (Yes2Movies), which will run until Feb. 28. The films will be available on yfilms.ph, a digital platform for access to quality local movies. Among the TBA Studios titles in the festival are the historical epic Heneral Luna, quirky romcom I’m Drunk, I Love You., award-winning drama Women of the Weeping River, romantic film Write About Love, and TBA Studios’ latest, Habambuhay: Remembering Philippine Cinema. In addition, the Y2M filmfest will also show five films from this year’s batch of student films (features and shorts) from CineMapua. Schools and students nationwide are encouraged to submit their films for archiving in Yuchengco Museum’s yfilms.ph website. Y2M is available globally and will be accessible 24 hours a day for free on the yfilms.ph website.
Clara Benin joins Spotify’s EQUAL campaign
A MONTH ahead of International Women’s Day, Filipino singer-songwriter Clara Benin landed on a Times Square, New York billboard as part of Spotify’s EQUAL Campaign. The global campaign, an initiative of the music streaming platform to amplify the work of outstanding women and gender-nonconforming musicians, turned its spotlight on Benin as this week’s cover artist of Spotify EQUAL Playlist in the Philippines, with two of her songs, “blink” and “Araw’t Gabi,” occupying the top two slots. “I feel really humbled to be featured on a Times Square billboard in New York and to have my songs be part of Spotify’s EQUAL playlist alongside these lovely and talented women,” Ms. Benin said in a statement. “I really hope our music reaches and inspires more people from all over the world.” Having amassed more than 30 million streams on Spotify, Ms. Benin is the first Filipino signed under Sony Music’s OFFMUTE, a Southeast Asian record label. Ms. Benin recently released “blink,” which was produced by electronic/indie artist The Ringmaster, and features Gabba Santiago on drums. The song is available to stream on all digital music platforms via OFFMUTE.
Eddie Benjamin releases new single
AUSTRALIAN singer-songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist Eddie Benjamin introduces his upcoming debut album with new single, “Weatherman.” A defiant call for optimism in troubling times, the singer imbues his message of hope with old-school soul. “Weatherman” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide.
Saweetie and H.E.R. collaborate on single
GRAMMY-nominated star Saweetie teams up with R&B artist H.E.R. on a new single, “Closer.” The two Fil-Am stars also released the song’s music video on Feb. 15. In the music video, directed by Hanna Lux Davis, Saweetie and H.E.R. go on a trip around the world, with Saweetie stopping at Paris, Tokyo, and the Philippines. Listen to “Closer” on ICY/Warner Records at Saweetie – Closer (feat. H.E.R.) – Single (lnk.to).
Stranger Things returns in May
NETFLIX’S Stranger Things returns for its fourth and final season with Volume 1 premiering on May 27, and Volume 2 on July 1. When the new season starts, it has been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, the friends are separated for the first time — and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. Since its release in 2016, the global phenomenon Stranger Things has garnered over 65 award wins and 175 award nominations, including those from the Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys, SAG, DGA, BAFTA, the People’s Choice Awards, MTV Movie & TV Awards, and many others. Stranger Things is created by The Duffer Brothers and is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment.
GMA comedy show features Guinness World Records
GMA NETWORK presents its newest comedy infotainment program, THE BEST KA! Featuring Guinness World Records Best of the Best, hosted by Mikael Daez. The program includes the stories of world-record holders and also features local individuals and their remarkable traits or achievements. The show airs every Sunday, 3:50 p.m., on GMA Network.
Sparkle introduces new love teams
GMA NETWORK’S talent management arm’s first project for the year in January was the launch of Sparkle’s “Next Brightest Stars for 2022.” This month, Sparkle introduces five love teams: Kyline Alcantara and Mavy Legaspi, Sofia Pablo and Allen Ansay, Althea Ablan and Bruce Roeland, Shayne Sava and Abdul Raman, and Zonia Mejia and Jamir Zabarte. The duos will be starring in upcoming shows on GMA.
