RP’s indie king Coco Martin makes U.S. theatrical debut via “Noy” this June

June 2, 2010 - PRLog -- The ink has definitely not dried on the recent presidential elections in the Philippines which makes the latest film offering of ABS-CBN International’s Starry Starry Store one of the timeliest to date.

From June 11-17, Noy, a realistic glimpse in the life of a tele-journalist covering the campaign trail of then presidential bet (and eventual winner) Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino  III, will be shown in San Francisco, Milpitas, San Diego and Los Angeles-Cerritos in California.  And for the first time, Filipino moviegoers in the U.S. will see on the big screen today’s fastest rising Filipino actor-model, Coco Martin – hailed as RP’s King of Independent Movies and recently voted RP’s Sexiest Man of 2010 in the annual poll of Starmometer, topping 99 other Filipino male stars.

Coco has drawn a lot of attention from TFC (The Filipino Channel) fans all over the world with his star-making turn as the elusive villain, Ramon Lecumberri, in the top-rating teleserye, Tayong Dalawa, for which he won a Best Drama Actor from the PMPC Star Awards.  He also currently stars in Kung Tayo’s Magkakalayo with Gabby Concepcion and Kris Aquino.  Unlike most actors of his generation, Coco didn’t follow the path matinee idols usually take to make it to mainstream showbiz.  Coco polished his acting skills by starring in numerous indie films– close to 20 to date – which has won him the praise of critics, the respect of his peers and movie fans overseas where some of his films played in international festivals.  He was voted Best Supporting Actor by Gawad URIAN and Golden Screen Awards for Jay, where he played the ex-boyfriend of a murdered gay teacher, and Best Performance from the Young Critics Circle for Masahista (The Masseur).

In Noy, Coco plays Manolo “Noy” Agapito, a street-smart, struggling tele-journalist commissioned by a TV studio to follow the campaign trail of his namesake, Sen. Noynoy Aquino, for the 2010 presidential elections.  The film is infused with actual documentary footages that inter-cut with dramatic scenes dealing with themes of poverty, survival and hope for the Filipino family.  Being the sole breadwinner for the family, Noy tries to find his moral center while he navigates all the challenges and temptations as he gets enmeshed in the campaign.  What makes the film so anticipated is the fact that Coco not only stars in it but also co-directed with Dondon Santos, co-wrote and co-produced the film.

Joining Coco in Noy is a sterling cast led by Cherry Pie Picache as Noy’s mother, Erich Gonzales as his girlfriend, Vice Ganda as his gay executive producer/boss, Baron Geisler as his video-editor, Joem Bascom as his brother and Chesca Billones as his little sister.

“While we always seek to entertain with our film offerings, we also make sure that what we screen remains relevant among our moviegoers,” said Kerwin Du, ABS-CBN International’s head of theatricals.  “Noy provides both.  It is a thoroughly watchable movie and an up-close look at the life of the Filipino family today, with all the joys and perils, and now with hope.  In Noy, people looking forward to catching Coco Martin on the big screen will understand all the hype about this talented young actor. ”

The film received an “A” rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines, the highest grade in terms of quality, which also awards tax incentives to the film.  Written by Rondel Lindayag, Coco Martin (a.k.a. Rodel Nacianceno) and Francis Xavier Pasion, and produced by Cine Media and distributed by Star Cinema, Noy comes to the following screens on June 11-17:

SAN FRANCISCO
UA Stonestown Twin
501 Buckingham Way
San Francisco, CA 94132

MILPITAS
Century Great Mall
1010 Great Mall Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035

SAN DIEGO
UA Horton Plaza
475 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101

LOS ANGELES-CERRITOS
Cerritos Stadium Cinema
12761 Towne Center Drive
Cerritos, CA 90701

For more information, please visit www.abs-cbnglobalmovies.com. Catch the trailer also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r9iXCrYvLI.



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About ABS-CBN International
ABS-CBN International was created 15 years ago to be of service to all Filipinos. With the launch of The Filipino Channel (TFC), the company became the first and most successful Filipino broadcaster in the U.S. The company offers telecommunication, retail, theatricals, money remittance and cargo services, online audio and video streaming along with philanthropic support for Filipinos and the communities they now call home. Based in Redwood City, Calif., ABS-CBN International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABS-CBN Broadcasting, the Philippines’ largest entertainment and broadcasting company. For more information, visit www.abs-cbnglobal.com.