Netflix has recently acquired the international rights to stream the Filipino film Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi, a sweet, romantic comedy produced by Cignal Entertainment, October Train Films and The IdeaFirst Company.
Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi (translated as “The Girl Allergic To WiFi”) is now available on Netflix globally, except in China, Taiwan, Japan and India.
With more than 10.2 million Filipinos residing overseas, the acquisition of the film is expected to bolster support for Netflix from the big community of Philippine nationals working and living abroad. It is also the first title from media giant Cignal Entertainment to be shown on Netflix.
Directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana, Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi follows the story of
Norma, a popular girl in high school who ends up being diagnosed with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Disorder (EHS). Unable to use or be around any gadget, Norma is sent to a remote location without any mobile signal to help her recuperate from the rare condition. Unfortunately, the long distance and lack of communication with her boyfriend puts a strain on their relationship.
“I am excited that our film will reach the diverse audience of Netflix,” says director Jun Robles Lana. “The younger viewers will see themselves in the characters and perhaps wonder what it’s like to be suddenly disconnected from the digital world. Older viewers, meanwhile, will see the nostalgia and see how life, and love, survived without technology.”
Jane Jimenez Basas, President & CEO of Cignal TV Inc. adds, “The opportunity to tell relevant and heartwarming stories is an art. We chose to co-produce Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi with October Train Films and The IdeaFirst Company because of the popularity of using gadgets and being on social media amongst teenagers, around which the plot of the story revolves.”
The film stars Sue Ramirez, Jameson Blake and Markus Paterson. It had its first theatrical run during the 2018 Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino, a film festival organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
