Tell Everyone To Watch The Movie

Leonor Sarmiento Vintervoll is a successful Filipino-Norwegian, yet her heart longs to be with her countrymen. When the opportunity to invest in movie production came along, she took the chance, if only to be able to help the ailing movie industry.
   With a company established in the Philippines, Win Asia Pictures, she produced Sapi, a movie about a family known in their little village as the center of faith healing.
   The movie stars Mark Herras in his most important role to date, and is joined on the screen by
   Aiza Marquez, Ricky Davao, Nanding Josef, Joel Torre, Keanna Reeves, Janvier Daily, Lauren Novero, Nina Medina, and Mosang.
   The film is by first-time director Arnold Argano and opens in digital cinemas in SM cinemas (Megamall, Manila, Fairview, Centerpoint, San Lazaro, and Bacoor).
   Vintervoll says that she is also working to have the movie screened overseas, Norway particularly.
   It took nearly two years to complete the movie. “I was busy with my business in Oslo that I couldn’t come home to oversee the project,” she tells us during a small gathering of the movie press recently. “But, I told myself we have to finish it somehow, so I made time to come home and look at how things were with the movie.”
   Now, Leonor is glad that finally that work is over, and it is going to be shown to the public. “Please, naman, tell everyone to watch the movie, because every member of the cast was very cooperative. They were all eager to finish the movie.”
   The Filipina who married a Norwegian has been impressed by the performances of the movie’s stars, most particularly Mark and Aiza Marquez. “They look good together in the movie,” she tells us, “and they are very talented.”
   In a gist, the movie tells about how a community is facing the test of faith already threatening to tear apart a small town under siege by communist-led insurrection. The conflict is set between the outspoken parish priest, Padre Allan (Ricky Davao), and the charismatic faith healer whom everyone calls “Manong” (Nanding Josef). In the middle of the conflict is the death of Ada (played by newcomer Stella Peñalosa), a young woman who many believed was possessed by evil spirits before her death.
   “Manong” still feels the agony for his failure to save Ada, as the soul of the young woman roams the barrio. He senses that his own death is near as well and anoints Mario, a young farmer (Mark Herras) to be his heir apparent. But Mario’s wife Isay (Aiza Marquez) is skeptical about the faith healer and his promise of a child for the couple.
   Leonor promises that if and when Sapi makes a little profit with its run in the Philippines and abroad, she will continue financing new movie ventures.
   For now, all she wants is for people to go to the theaters and watch Sapi.

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