Internationally-acclaimed OTJ showing Aug. 28

MANILA, Philippines - Local fans will have a chance to watch and enjoy OTJ (On The Job) when it’s released nationwide starting Aug. 28.

Co-produced by Star Cinema and Reality Entertainment and directed by Erik Matti, OTJ has been praised by critics when it premiered at the Cannes Filmfest last May. It went on to the 17th Puchon (South Korea) International Fantastic Film Festival where Joel Torre, who plays a middle-aged hired killer, won Best Actor.

“The award took me by surprise,” said Joel. “I don’t even know what the jurors saw in my performance. All I can say is that I was so relaxed playing the role that I felt as if I wasn’t acting at all.”

It was the first international award for Joel who has appeared in a few made-by-Hollywood films. Besides OTJ, other films that Joel said he’s proud of include the 1981 Peque Gallaga (Joel’s discoverer) classic Oro, Plata, Mata (for which he was a second choice; the first having been Albert Martinez), Bayaning Third World (as Dr. Jose Rizal) directed by Mike de Leon; and Karnal (as a deaf-mute) directed by the late Marilou Diaz-Abaya.

“But OTJ stands out as very memorable because it gave me an international award, something I never expected, never imagined that I would ever get,” admitted Joel.

Also in the cast of OTJ are Piolo Pascual and Gerald Anderson who shone on the red carpet at Cannes where they represented the movie. Piolo plays an NBI agent on the trail of Gerald, who plays a professional hitman.

The other members of the cast are Rayver Cruz, Joey Marquez, Shaina Magdayao, Angel Aquino and Empress.

OTJ is part of the 20th-anniversary offering of Star Cinema being celebrated this month.