Another source of Filipino pride is coming home.
“Ignacio de Loyola,” the first-ever Filipino produced movie screened at the Vatican, will finally be seen by Filipinos as it premieres on July 23 at The Theater at Solaire Resort and Casino, Paranaque City in a fund-raising dinner organized by the alumni of Ateneo de Manila University for the benefit of the Jesuit Infirmary and Jesuit Scholastics in the Philippines.
The special screening of the Jesuit Communications (JesCom)-produced full length independent film on the life of the Society of Jesus’ founder St. Ignatius of Loyola will start at 4pm, and will have a live performance of the musical scoring, composed by the “Maestro” Ryan Cayabyab, featuring the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ateneo Chamber Singers, under the masterful direction of Gerard Salonga.
“Ignacio de Loyola The Movie” takes a modern approach on the story of the very first Jesuit who is known as the “Saint of Second Chances.” It narrates the story of a sinner who realizes that the greatest battles are fought within — the choice between violence and mercy, anger and forgiveness, hope and despair, darkness and light. Ignacio was a worldly soldier who gave up his dreams of knighthood after being crippled in battle. Eventually, he found the Jesuit order during his recovery.
Based on a post from the movie’s official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ignaciomovie, the movie received great reviews during its sneak preview last June 14 by the Vatican with Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., director of La Civilta Cattolica — an Italian magazine founded by a group of Jesuits, who said, “I like this film so much because it gives you the meaning, the core of the life of Ignatius of Loyola. The Ignatius here is represented as a person of great spiritual dynamic and struggle. At the same time, it represents the interior life in action. So this movie gave me a lot and it is very well done.”
“Ignacio de Loyola The Movie” is an ambitious project, produced by Filipino filmmakers in collaboration with a European cast and crew. The scope of the film meant shooting the biopic almost entirely in Spain, Ignacio’s home, for about two months. It also stars a Spanish-speaking cast led by Andreas Muñoz, who portrayed the revered “sinner soldier-turned-Soldier of Christ.”
Witness the making of the film in an ABS-CBN DocuCentral documentary airing on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel’s Documentary hour, that showcases behind the scene footage of the film, interviews with the actors as well as the Filipino crew including Cayabyab, who will all share their experiences and the challenges they encountered while making the film. The documentary airs this Saturday, July 16, at 10pm and on July 22 at 8pm on ANC’s Documentary Hour.
For tickets and inquiries to the July 23 special screening at Solaire Resort and Casino, call the Jesuit Communications office at (632) 4265971 to 72 and look for Cathy Cardoz or Cynthia Estrella. For more information, visit the ANC website, news.abs-cbn.com/anc or follow its social media account on Facebook and Twitter (@ANCALERTS) and the movie’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ignaciomovie/).
