ALV Films’ second film for the year, Because I Love You, is a Cinderella story about a feisty, street-smart firefighter who falls in love with a wealthy heir. It opens in cinemas nationwide on June 26.

“The film I wanted to produce was something aspirational because our target audience is the millennials because they’re the ones who watch movies. The film also caters to the middle class and the upper middle class, that’s why you can see this is very aspirational — it’s like Cinderella — but at the end of it, you’ll learn a lot,” Arnold L. Vegafria, the film’s executive producer, told the media during a press conference on June 9 at the 1771 Events Place in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

The romantic comedy stars Shaira Diaz as Summer, a young firefighter who intends to follow in the footsteps of her father, a firefighter who died on duty, despite her mother’s preference that she become a flight attendant or a beauty queen; and David Licauco as Rael, an taipan’s heir who is conservative in everything including matters of the heart.

The film “recreat[ed] the lavish and opulent cinematic backdrops reminiscent of Pretty Woman,” said a press release.

The film also stars Martin del Rosario, Michelle Dee, Samantha Lopez, and Monsour del Rosario, among others.

Because I Love You is the second film in an ambitious slate of 12 movies that Mr. Vegafria plans to release within the year. The production company’s maiden offering was the biopic Bato: The Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa Story which screened in January.

“I want to help [the local film industry]. I owe a lot to the industry so [I thought] it’s about time to give back to all the people in front and behind the camera,” Mr. Vegafria said of why he set up his own film production outfit.

Mr. Vegafria has headed a talent management company, ALV Talent Circuit, since 1995 and has managed artists like Kuh Ledesma, Carla Abellana, and Camille Prats. He has been the Philippine franchise owner of the Miss World pageant since 2017.

“We’re planning to do 12 films, we’re currently doing eight films so I only need to finish four more so I can complete my vision of finishing 12 films in a year,” he said during the conference.

Included in the line-up is the comedy The Panti Sisters, directed by Perci Intalan and starring Paolo Ballesteros and Christian Bables of Die Beautiful fame.

“[We also have] another rom-com, a sexy film, a drama-thriller, an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), and a Cinemalaya film,” Mr. Vegafria said before adding that they’re “preparing something big for the MMFF.”

Because I Love You screens nationwide on June 26. — ZBC

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