As we’ve said in the past, when internationally-acclaimed director Brillante Ma. Mendoza felt in love with the scenic view of Pola town in Oriental Mindoro Province and its cinematic touch while doing a movie with Julia Montes and Coco Martin, he immediately juxtaposed as well the setting to his succeeding films, initially with the Filipino traditional marital woes and pleasures in “Palitan.”
From that time, Brillante had brought in another two big screen projects, namely “Sisid” and “Bahay na Pula,” to the fore of Pola and unto the world.
Brillante brought to Pola town popular stars Irma Adlawan, Vince Rillon, Paolo Gumabao, Christine Bermas and Kylie Versoza to immerse themselves not only in the pristine waters of Mindoro but to their colorful characters as well to fulfill the logline of the film “Sisid (Gaano Kalalim ang ‘Yong Pag-ibig?).”
Next Dante Mendoza, Brillantes’ other screen name, oriented famous young stars Julia Barretto, Marco Gumabao and Xian Lim with the in-depth portrayal of underrated character actress Erlinda Villalobos to rethink, relive and throwback Pola’s history and present situation mixing the imperialistic and colonial aggression of Japan in the Philippines in the part-period, part-contemporary “Bahay na Pula.”
“Sisid” was first screened online to buyers of Vivamax and had a major share of cyber ticket sales so this time around, Viva Films sought to reach out to more over-the-top media services (OTTS) viewers. Subscribers to Viva Entertainment live streaming app are served with this titillating offer.
It was only in the second season of “Sisid” that Vince, Christine and Kylie (Paolo was in a lock-in shoot) were able to bond again before the movie press after staying several days in Pola.
It was in the crystal-blue seas of Pola that the Boys Love (BL) between Vince and Paolo was shot as well as the hetero love affairs of couples Vince and Christine and Paolo and Kylie.
