Star Cinema’s Dubai: P60-M gross in 5 days

Star Cinema managing director Malou Santos was right all along when she said that she didn’t believe that the local movie industry is dying or dead.

"Make a good movie and they will come," said Malou.

Her latest brainchild, Dubai, has proven her right, as also did two other previous Star Cinema movies – Anak starring Vilma Santos and Claudine Barretto and Milan also starring Claudine and Piolo Pascual – done in the tradition of Dubai – that is, shot abroad and depicting the plight OFWs against a "romance" background.

Anak was filmed in Hong Kong and Milan in Milan, Italy.

Starring Aga Muhlach, Claudine Barretto and John Lloyd Cruz, Dubai is breaking box-office records since it opened in more than 100 theaters nationwide lsat Sept. 28. In five days alone, Dubai grossed close to P60M.

The movie, scripted by Ricky Lee and Sahira Mella-Salvador, and directed by Rory Quintos is about two brothers (Aga and John Lloyd) whose otherwise contented life in Dubai is challenged when Claudine comes into the picture.

"I knew that if you had a good story, a good cast and a good setting which is new to Filipino movie fans," added Malou, "you have a winner."

"The movie industry is not dying," repeated Malou, "It merely needs a shot-in-the-arm."

Malou, together with Aga, Claudine and John Lloyd, will leave tomorrow for the premiere of Dubai in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and London. The group will be away for 10 days.

Dubai is simultaneously being shown in Hawaii, San Francisco, Saipan, Guam, Milan (Italy), Vienna (Austria) and Canada.