''Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B'' () is a 2016 Filipino
independent
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Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
romantic horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
directed by Prime Cruz under
The IdeaFirst Company. It stars
Ryza Cenon, Martin del Rosario, Cholo Barretto, and Vangie Labalan.
Synopsis
Jewel (Ryza Cenon) is a lonely woman secretly a
manananggal
The ''manananggal'' () is a mythical creature in the Philippines that is able to separate its upper torso from the lower part of its body. Their fangs and wings give them a vampire-like appearance.
Mythology
The word ''manananggál'' is deri ...
who falls in love with Nico (
Martin del Rosario), a heartbroken man who also has a low self-esteem like her. She is puzzled between allowing herself to love Nico or saving him from herself.
Cast
*
Ryza Cenon as Jewel
*
Martin del Rosario as Nico
*Cholo Barretto
*
Vangie Labalan
Production
''Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B'' which had a genre described as "Romantic Gore" was directed by Prime Cruz and written by Jen Chuaunsu and was produced under The IdeaFirst Company.
Prime wanted to make a film revolving around the local folklore creature, the
manananggal
The ''manananggal'' () is a mythical creature in the Philippines that is able to separate its upper torso from the lower part of its body. Their fangs and wings give them a vampire-like appearance.
Mythology
The word ''manananggál'' is deri ...
. Jen Chuaunsu said that the production team wanted to create a film where the mananaggal is the protagonist instead of the antagonist as usually portrayed in film. Chuausnu who made a research on the folklore creature said that the particular character in ''Manananggal'' was added with human characteristic in an effort to make the supernatural more relatable.
were shot for the ''Manananggal'': the character of Cenon masturbating and sex between the characters of Cenon and Cholo Barretto. Cenon's portrayal in the film is considered as her first "mature" role and was initially hesitant to do the scenes. She considered the masturbation scene as easier to make since she was alone compared with her scene with Barretto.
The two scenes were shot a day each and the production staff - the camera and lighting crew involved in the scenes were all women.
The makers of ''Manananggal'' weighed in the reception of those who watch the film at the QC Cinema International Film Festival and made edits and shot additional scenes before it was screened at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
Release
''Manananggal'' had its first release at the 2016 QCinema International Film Festival which ran from October 13–22, 2016 as one of the official entries of the film festival.
The film had its first commercial release on August 16, 2017, as one of the twelve official entries at the
2017 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
Reception
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manananggal sa Unit 23B
Philippine romantic horror films
Philippine erotic horror films
2016 films
The IdeaFirst Company films
Filipino-language films