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| (Image Source: Punto! Central Luzon/Viu Philippines) |
Filipino creatives in cinema, music and theater are bursting at the seams and all fired up to keep creating despite and amidst the frustrations brought by seemingly endless restrictions. The need to make their voices heard and amplified would trigger the creation of "Still", an eight-episode musical narrative series about a group of artists who get stuck in a music camp during the first couple of months of the pandemic. While in isolation, they unlock friendship and rediscover themselves and their dreams through powerful and poignant music. Not only it evokes the anxiety, loss, grief and sadness that more than a year has brought, the series is also a story of strength, courage, connection and hope.
Slated to be the first Filipino Viu Original series, "Still" is produced by Viu Philippines, a leading pan-regional over-the-top (OTT) video streaming sercice that provides premium Asian content in different genres from top content providers with local languages and subtitles, and This Side Up, the content creation house behind award-winning and critically-acclaimed films "Respeto" and "Apocalypse Child", in collaboration with Arkeofilms, TheaterFansManila.com, Flip Music and Black Box Collab. Behind the upcoming series that will get cinema, music and theater fans buzzing with excitement are primary creator and showrunner, two-time Palanca award winning playwright Pat Valera, in collaboration with Giancarlo Abraham and seasoned film, TV and theater actor Nicco Manalo.
The series is directed by Treb Monteras, one of the country's most distinguished film and music video directors who is also known for the internationally acclaimed rap musical film "Respeto". Multi-awarded film producer, documentarist and festival director Monster Jimenez also helms the project as a producer. Responsible for the music and lyrics of the series' songs is a formidable team of some of the country's finest and rising talents - "Tala" composer Nica Del Rosario, "Dekada '70 (Musical)" creator and musical director Matthew Chang, and "Haru" founder and head storyteller Mike Shimamoto. The series will also feature a star-studded cast headlined by Asia's Pop Diva Julie Anne San Jose and Asia's Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista.
Joining the star-studded cast of "Still" are Philippine theater icon and celebrated singer Bituin Escalante; Philippine theater princess Gab Pangilinan ("Ang Huling El Bimbo", "Side Show", "Mula Sa Buwan"), rising multitalented stars Gabby Padilla (FAMAS Best Actress Nominee for "Billie And Emma", "Kalel, 15"), Lance Reblando ("Ang Huling El Bimbo", "Wanted: Male Boarders", Disney's "The Lion King") and Abe Autea ("Dekada '70 (Musical)", "Nana Rosa"); and other theater standouts MC Dela Cruz, Chaye Mogg, Roco Sanchez, Ian Hermogenes and Shaira Opsimar.
Filipino Viu Original "Still" will have a limited-time release on Ticket2Me before its scheduled showing on Viu via the website and the mobile app. The exclusive pre-Viu tickets will not only allow buyers to watch the series in advance but also enjoy a free six-month Premium subscription to Viu Philippines and a digital "Still" chord book containing the songs from the Viu Original series.
