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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
Filipina women have long been recognized around the world for their strength, resilience, and dedication to others. Now, “Manila Matriarchs” offers a different perspective, celebrating women whose ambition, influence, and individuality shape the worlds they inhabit. Step inside the glamorous, unscripted world of Filipina elites in iWant’s newest reality series featuring Joanna Preysler-Francisco, Myrza Sison, Karylle Tatlonghari, and Trisha Bantigue-Tsao as they navigate friendship, family, ambition, and personal reinvention within Manila’s elite circles, now streaming on the streaming platform.
Set against the backdrop of the country’s most exclusive social circles, the reality series delves into the sophisticated lives of the Filipina elite, showing exclusive and meaningful interactions from Joanna, Manila’s art queen; Myrza, the fashion editorial royalty; Karylle, the multi-awarded actress-singer; and Trisha, the fearless CEO. Besides their exuberant lifestyle, the show also delves into their personal lives with their respective families, friends, and struggles. While they belong to Manila’s elites, their experiences can resonate with audiences, reflecting life’s wins and obstacles similar to every Filipino. “The Filipina woman has never been one-dimensional, so why should the stories we tell about her be? I wanted to show women who are accomplished, complicated, glamorous, funny, ambitious and unapologetically themselves. Their lives may be extraordinary, but their humanity is what connects them to the rest of the world,” said series creator Cece Asuncion. Produced by Girl Bye Productions Inc. and Lucca Creatives, “Manila Matriarchs” brings a fresh perspective on Filipina ambition, influence and modern womanhood to audiences worldwide. More than a reality lifestyle show, “Manila Matriarchs” celebrates Filipina ingenuity, leadership, and ambition as they leave their mark in the Philippines’ elite circle and redefine what it means to be powerful in today’s society.
The first episode of “Manila Matriarchs”, which premiered last November 10, 2026, can now be streamed for free worldwide exclusively on iWant with more episodes to be released starting November 24. Viewers can soon watch all its eight episodes via iWant’s subscription plans starting at Php35 per month in the Philippines, US$12.99 per month in the United States, and US$4.99 per month in the rest of the world.
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The Weeknd Gifts Fans “Hong Kong (feat. 王菲季候風)”, A Love Letter To The Region
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| (Image Source: Universal Music Group) |
The Weeknd opened his four-night run in Hong Kong with the first-time performance of the song “Hong Kong (feat. 王菲季候風)” last October 24, 2026 at Kai Tak Stadium. The song is a tribute to Hong Kong and its music and is built on the original music and Cantonese vocals of Faye Wong’s 1993 hit “Monsoon” (季候風). “Hong Kong” arrived during the final chapter of the After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour, the highest-grossing tour ever by a male solo artist. The tour has sold more than 7.5 million tickets and grossed over $1B (1 billion dollars) since launching in 2022.
The Weeknd has long loved Cantopop and the films of Wong Kar-wai, including the classics in which Faye Wong starred, and “Hong Kong” grows out of that love. The single’s artwork features a photograph of Hong Kong from Christopher Doyle’s personal collection. Doyle served as cinematographer on Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express which starred Faye Wong alongside Tony Leung. Fans responded immediately to the song being performed when The Weeknd’s Instagram live show clip passed 18 million views and over 1 million likes. The song also brought new attention to the original with Chinese media reporting that “Monsoon” reached No. 1 on the rising charts at QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music and ranked No. 3 on Apple Music China on October 28 as well as a climb to the Top 10 on Spotify Hong Kong. A day earlier, it climbed 15 spots to No. 3 on Shazam China’s daily chart. On Douyin, the topic “This time the seasonal wind is blowing especially hard” ranked No. 8 on the platform’s official hot list on October 28 whilst his Hong Kong post received over 288k likes making it the #1 trending post on the Douyin Entertainment Chart. Faye Wong’s original video also saw a reported rise in YouTube views and comments.
The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour capped off its first-ever Asia leg with two final nights in Kuala Lumpur last November 4 and 5. “Hong Kong (feat. 王菲季候風)” can now be availed in East and Southeast Asia following his final performances across the continent.
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George Michael: The Faith Tour, A Brand-New, Restored Concert Film, Now Showing In PH Exclusively At SM Cinemas
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| (Image Source: Starmometer/George Michael Entertainment) |
George Michael Entertainment, in partnership with Mercury Studios, has kicked off the worldwide theatrical release of a brand-new, never-before-seen film titled George Michael: The Faith Tour with screenings in select international markets. Shot at the iconic Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy during the European leg of the Faith Tour in 1988, the film captures a turning point that transformed George Michael from a global superstar into a singular, era-defining artist whose influence continues to reverberate across music, fashion and culture today. George Michael: The Faith Tour invites audiences to experience the tour as it was meant to be seen and heard.
Directed by longtime collaborators Andy Morahan and David Austin, this once-lost film has been meticulously restored and remastered, revealing George’s original vision with breathtaking clarity and power. The result is an intimate yet explosive glimpse of an artist in complete command of his voice and stagecraft. A triumph in archival filmmaking, the film transforms footage assembled from a 14-camera shoot captured on 35mm film over two nights into an extraordinary cinematic event. George Michael: The Faith Tour is a celebration of ambition and fearless artistry at its peak, capturing a moment when the then 24-year-old George Michael changed the course of his career. This global theatrical event invites audiences to rediscover the power and joy of George Michael in full flight. George Michael: The Faith Tour will open with an original short film by Mary McCartney titled Finding Faith, offering an intimate introduction that contextualises the tour’s cultural significance through a sensitive and cinematic lens. Featuring voiceover from an unheard interview with George himself, the film also includes unseen images captured by legendary American photographer Herb Ritts alongside behind-the-scenes footage from the Faith music video.
Alongside the theatrical release, George Michael Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment also released THE FAITH TOUR, an 18-track live album of previously unreleased recordings featuring hits from George Michael’s Wham! and solo catalogues, worldwide on digital music streaming platforms. Recorded during his groundbreaking world tour, the album showcases George’s extraordinary vocal talent and skill as a live performer. Distributed by NBCUniversal, George Michael: The Faith Tour is now showing in the Philippines exclusively at SM Cinemas.
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Liwanag Natin Ang Isa't Isa: GMA Network's 2026 Christmas Station ID Celebrates The Gift Of Light, Love, And Hope
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| (Image Source: SunStar/GMA Network) |
This Christmas, GMA Network shares an inspiring message of light, love, and hope through its 2026 Christmas Station ID, “Liwanag Natin Ang Isa't Isa” (“We Are Each Other’s Light”). Amid today's challenges and uncertainties, GMA Network, together with its Kapuso artists and personalities, encourages Filipinos to be a source of light for one another — because even through the smallest act of love, kindness, compassion, and generosity, each person can make a big difference.
At the heart of this year's Christmas Station ID is the powerful symbolism of sharing one's light with others with beloved Kapuso artists and personalities lighting their own candles and sharing the glow, offering the heartfelt message, “Kayang paliwanagin ang pinakamadilim na gabi, 'pag pinagsama-sama ang ilaw na taglay natin. (Even the darkest night can be made bright when we bring together the light that each of us carries.)” Bringing this inspiring message to life is an ensemble of the biggest Kapuso stars, respected broadcast journalists, public affairs personalities, radio hosts, and up-and-coming artists joined by special guests first time seen in a GMA Christmas Station ID. Each lit candle passed from one person to the next is a symbol of the love and kindness everyone has to share. Together, these flames reflect the beauty of a community united by compassion, generosity, and the spirit of bringing light into one another’s lives. Adding warmth to the celebration of the yuletide season is the Christmas Station ID jingle, performed by some of the Network’s talented and vibrant singers, with lyrics written by Christine Autor and composition and arrangement by Jade Mark G. Ferreras.
This Christmas, GMA hopes to remind everyone that comfort and strength can be found in one another, and together, they can make even the darkest night shine brighter. Viewers can join their favorite Kapuso stars in celebrating and spreading the warmth, light, and magic of the season by watching the GMA Network 2026 Christmas Station ID on GMA Network's official YouTube and Facebook pages as well as on www.GMANetwork.com.
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GMA Pictures And GMA Public Affairs' “58th” Continues International Journey, Brings Documentary To Campuses Nationwide
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| (Image Source: GMA Network) |
GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs’ animated documentary feature film “58th” continues to expand its local and international reach through screenings and festival appearances in four countries, alongside a nationwide campus tour beginning November. Directed by Carl Joseph Papa, the docu-film on the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre screens in the Netherlands, Canada, Taiwan, and Indonesia until December 2026.
The movie was screened last November 14 at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), one of the world’s major film events, and is set to hold a special screening on November 27 at the UBC Robson Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, hosted by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in British Columbia. Ahead of its theatrical release in Taiwan on December 4, “58th” will hold special screenings in Taipei (November 23 and 28), Kaohsiung (November 27), and Taoyuan (November 29). The film has also been officially selected for the Asian Perspective Feature Programme at the 21st Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF), which runs on November 28-December 5, 2026. It will also be screened at Studio 4 of Empire XXI Cinema in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on December 3-4. In the Philippines, “58th” moves to further engage the younger generation on press freedom and the fight against impunity through a series of screenings in various campuses. In partnership with universities, student groups, and media organizations, the “58th” Campus Tour will visit the University of the Philippines Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University on November 19, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on November 20, University of the Philippines Mindanao on November 23, Ateneo de Davao University on November 23, University of Santo Tomas on November 28, FAITH Colleges on December 7, and UP Film Institute on December 9.
“58th” follows the search for justice of Ma. Reynafe Momay-Castillo whose father, photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, was among those killed in the election-related massacre in 2009. Bebot’s remains have never been recovered. The film is currently under consideration for the Best Documentary Feature category at the 2027 Academy Awards. It received awards at the Manila International Film Festival and Doc Edge Festival in New Zealand and completed a successful theatrical run in the United States with screenings in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. The film was previously featured at the Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s most prestigious film festivals, and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, widely regarded as the world’s leading festival dedicated to animation.
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Romantic Epic “The Remarried Empress” Becomes The Most Viewed Local Original Premiere Of All Time On Disney+ Globally
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| (Image Source: PinoySeoul/Disney+) |
The hit Korean romantic epic “The Remarried Empress” has become the most viewed local original premiere of all time on Disney+ globally, based on three-day consecutive views following its launch last November 3. It currently ranks as the number one Korean title premiere in over 50 global markets including the US, the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Chile, Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), and Canada.
Hailed as a “global triumph” by The Chosun Daily and “your next must-watch fantasy romance” by Collider, the announcement comes amid extraordinary anticipation for the series reflected in sold out preview screenings at Busan International Film Festival, 13 million views in the first 48 hours following the payoff trailer's debut on YouTube and social media platforms, and nearly 3 billion views of the original webtoon since it was first released. Originally scheduled to premiere on November 4, The Remarried Empress also made headlines earlier this week when it debuted a day early on Disney+ as a special thank you to fans for their overwhelming support. Based on the hit NAVER WEBTOON of the same name, The Remarried Empress follows the strained relationship between beloved Empress Navier and her husband Emperor Sovieshu of the Eastern Empire. With anxieties rising across the land, the couple's relationship begins to fracture when Sovieshu falls in love with a runaway slave and attempts to move heaven and earth to win her heart. Unwilling to compromise her dignity, Navier acquiesces to the emperor's request on one condition — that she be allowed to remarry rival Crown Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom. What follows is a tale of love, lust, and regret that threatens the fate of an entire empire as Navier strives to reclaim her power.
Starring Shin Mina (Karma, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) as Empress Navier, Ju Jihoon (Light Shop, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) as Emperor Sovieshu, Lee Jongsuk (Big Mouth) as Crown Prince Heinrey, and Lee Seyoung (The Red Sleeve, The Crowned Clown) as escaped-slave Rashta, The Remarried Empress has been adapted for the screen by Yeoh Geena and Hyun Choongyeol and is directed by Cho Suwon (Still 17, Pinocchio). With four episodes available to stream now, fans can look forward to two new episodes of The Remarried Empress dropping every Wednesday through the series finale on November 25, exclusively on Disney+.
