Unitel teams up with Studio 5 for grand movie-oke of the year

Manila, Philippines -  Two of local film industry’s production giants have made a conscious decision to join forces.

The result is a groundbreaking movie-musical extravaganza that is in line with both company’s objective of providing high-quality entertainment for the Filipino audience.

Unitel Productions (directed by Tony Gloria and Madonna Tarrayo) and Studio 5 (led by lawyer Ray Espinosa and Roberto “Bobby” Barreiro) are the forces behind the unique, powerhouse, heartwarming musical-comedy movie titled I Do Bidoo, Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila.

Dubbed as the first local movie-oke, the film celebrates the music of the APO Hiking Society whose hits have embodied the struggles and triumphs of the Filipino in various stages of life. Their songs also reflect the country’s collective aspirations and pining for a brighter future.

At its core, I Do Bidoo Bidoo is a story of young lovers torn by their families’ differences. The cast boasts of the industry’s most respected actors and performers, including Gary Valenciano, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ogie Alcasid, Eugene Domingo, Sam Concepcion, Tippy Dos Santos, Sweet Plantado, Frenchie Dy, Neil Coleta, Jaime Fabregas, Kiray Celis and Gerard Pesigan.

The movie is directed by Chris Martinez (Ang Babae sa Septic Tank and 100) who ventures on his first-ever full-length musical project. He brought to life in I Do Bidoo Bidoo the concept and vision that has long ago plagued the dreams of producer Tony Gloria.

Says Gloria, “I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila is a movie we can be very proud of. It is by the Filipino and for the Filipino.” For its part, Barreiro said, “We are excited with this partnership with Unitel, a world-class film production outfit whose track record boasts of blockbuster hits. We guarantee that film enthusiasts, the movie-going public, and APO fans will not be disappointed with the highly-enjoyable story and excellent production of I Do Bidoo Bidoo.”

I Do Bidoo Bidoo is the first film project to originate from the collaborative efforts of Unitel and TV5’s mother company, MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. (MediaQuest). The partnership was cemented back in November 2010 when MediaQuest invested in the film outfit headed by Gloria.

Unitel is behind Crying Ladies (2003) and La Visa Loca (2005), movies of box-office and critical acclaim. Crying Ladies was winner of Best Picture and four major awards in the 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). It earned international citations including the NETPAC Award and the Best Director Prize at the International Film Festival of Kerala, India.

In 2010, Studio 5 caught the public’s attention with its film debut, Rosario, also a strong contender at the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival.

I Do Bidoo Bidoo is set to be released nationwide on Aug. 29.