MANILA, Philippines — Former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon lauded FAMAS 2022 big winner "Katips" after watching the martial law film on its opening night.
Guanzon posted a series of tweets on August 3, the day "Katips" premiered nationwide, lauding the film and its director Vince Tañada who wrote and stars in his own movie as he did in the musical it is based on.
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The ex-commissioner said "Katips" had sold out in a mall in Taguig City where she had photos taken with Tañada and his co-star Nicole Laurel Asensio, granddaughter of newly-conferred National Artist Fides Cuyugan-Asensio.
"'Katips' stirs many traumatic memories for me, tumatayo balahibo ko," Guanzon said in one tweet as she called on others to watch. In another post, she said: "Rape, torture, murders, all these happened during Martial Law. Many survived to tell the horrible tale."
Katips is a movie that will make u cry, angry, and still entertain you. Direk Vince Tanada ,best actor and director, is at his best both as an actor and singer. Bravo! #KatipsTheMovie #KATIPSMOVIE @VinceTanada pic.twitter.com/BVnPSbyM2i
— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) August 4, 2022
Guanzon also took time to praise Tañada in a separate tweet by saying he at his best both as an actor and singer, and that his film will "make you cry, angry, and still entertain you."
At the 2022 FAMAS Awards, "Katips" had a haul of seven awards from 17 nominations by bagging Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score, with Tañada winning Best Actor, Best Director, and sharing Best Original Song with composer Pipo Cifra.
Meanwhile, the controversial film "Maid in Malacañang" claims to have grossed P41 million since premiering on the same day, at least according to a Facebook post by VIVA Films whch produced the movie.
VIVA Films also shared images and videos of people flocking to theaters to see the film, calling it a victory for the Philippine film industry.
RELATED: 'Katips' review: Anger, love, history through song