Two Filipino HBO Asia Original productions are debuting globally at prestigious international film festivals in Venice, Busan, and Tokyo and are competing to win awards!
GENSAN PUNCH
An HBO Asia Original film inspired by the true story about a Japanese man with a prosthetic leg who goes to the Philippines to train and pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer, GENSAN PUNCH will have its world premiere in “A Window on Asian Cinema” section (Competition) at the upcoming 26th edition of Busan International Film Festival. The Filipino-Japanese title in English, Japanese and Tagalog, is also one of seven Asian films nominated for the Kim Jiseok Award in Busan. In addition, the film will screen in the “Gala Selection” (non-Competition) at this year’s 34th Tokyo International Film Festival.
Starring Japanese actor Shogen (Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist), GENSAN PUNCH is directed and produced by the internationally-awarded director and producer from the Philippines, Brillante Ma. Mendoza (Mindanao), whose films have competed and won in the three major international film festivals in Venice, Berlin, and Cannes. GENSAN PUNCH will premiere on HBO GO and HBO in the next few months.
On The Job
Select episodes of the HBO Asia Original series On The Job were screened as On The Job: The Missing 8 in Competition at this year’s 78th Venice Film Festival (September 1 – 11), making it the only film from Asia out of the 21 international films Venezia 78. John Arcilla won Best Actor at the prestigious event, becoming the first Filipino to win the coveted award.
Besides the 78th Venice Film Festival, On The Job continues to be screened at other international film festivals including:
- 26th Busan International Film Festival in Korea (October 6 – 15) – “A Window on Asian Cinema” section
- 29th edition of Filmfest Hamburg in Germany (September 30 – October 9)
- 27th edition of L’etrange Festival in France (September 9 – 19)
Directed by Eric Matti, the six-part Philippines crime thriller series On The Job is inspired by true events and centers around crime syndicates that temporarily release contracted prison inmates to carry out political assassinations for those in power, except that the crime syndicates are run by politicians. Stream the engrossing six-part hour-long crime thriller series exclusively on HBO GO.
Have you watched these originals? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
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