Wenn Deramas’ s Ina film series solidified Ai-Ai de las Alas’s status as a Filipino box-office royalty.
Deramas and de las Alas’s tandem was tough to beat during its peak in the 2000s. The first Ang Tanging Ina film in 2003 held the distinction of being the highest-grossing Filipino film for three years. Its two direct sequels, Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat (2008) and Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To (2010), both grossed more than PhP200 million in the local box office.
Because of the film franchise’s massive success, spin-off and crossover films were also produced on its heels. In 2011, the film made a crossover with Okay Ka Fairy Ko, another successful movie franchise, via the MMFF movie Enteng Ng Ina Mo. The film starred the original cast of the ‘Ina’ series, alongside Enteng’s, Vic Sotto, Aiza Seguerra, Oyo Boy Sotto, and Amy Perez. Ai-Ai de las Alas reprised his titular role, Ina Montecillo, with Marvin Agustin, Nikki Valdez, Carlo Aquino, and Alwyn Uytingco reprising their roles as her children.
Prior to such crossover, de las Alas also starred in a spin-off film titled ‘Ang Cute ng Ina Mo’. Starring De las Alas and Anne Curtis in lead roles, the film has a completely detached storyline from the original film series, albeit being marketed as a spin-off film.
See some of the movie stills featuring Curtis, Manzano, and de las Alas, among others, on the photo gallery below:
It follows the story of Georgia, who got reunited with her Filipino-Australian daughter, Cristine (Curtis), after twenty years. Unfortunately, Georgia is set to marry Cristine’s Australian father, forcing Cristine to return to the Philippines to investigate her mom and thus prove that she is not worthy of marrying.
However, what initially began as an investigation became the ultimate way for Cristine why her mother was unable to follow them in Australia and why she indeed deserved to be her father’s wife.
The film also featured Anne Curtis’s team-up with Luis Manzano, who served as her prime love interest. It also starred Benjamin Alves, Eugene Domingo, John Lapuz, and DJ Durano.
