MANILA, Philippines – First-time filmmakers meet heavyweight actors in Sabungero: Dangal at Tibay, set to premiere exhibition at the Cinemalaya Film Festival in July.
Directed by Miguel Kaimo and Rozie Delgado, Sabungero features Joel Torre, Ricky Davao, Mark Gil, Nonie Buencamino, Robert Arevalo, Leo Martinez, Maritoni Fernandez and Sid Lucero.
Joel plays Paco, an ordinary man blessed with the uncanny gift of breeding, raising and fighting gamecocks. He gets caught up in gambling, and loses everything he has, including his family. He works to get his life back on track, and has one chance left to prove himself to his family and friends: The World Slasher Cup International Derby at the Araneta Coliseum.
Sabungero, produced by Rooster Content Online (creator of No. 1 cockfighting website on the Internet, sabong.com.ph), is the first full-length feature on the Filipino sport of cockfighting.
According to executive producer JC Bernardo, Sabungero paints a realistic picture of cockfighting in the Philippines, where sabong has been part of local culture and heritage, and is a hobby for 6-M registered sabungeros and several million more.
The theme is realistic as well — so many sabungeros have gone through this sort of experience, and even the average Filipino can relate to this because it’s a situation nobody wants to get caught up in.
Co-directors Kaimo and Delgado admit to initial intimidation working with such an esteemed cast, but quickly got over it, as the actors’ veteran experience proved to be invaluable in the creation of the film.
“Our priority for now is a nationwide release after Cinemalaya. We plan to take Sabungero to the provincial theaters, especially in places where sabong is popular. We are also looking forward to joining film festivals abroad,” Bernardo concludes.