(SPOT.ph) Katips continues to make a buzz online and offline—no matter how much it may seem like an undercurrent—because of its volatile theme: Martial Law in the Philippines. The musical, written and directed by Vincent M. Tañada, bagged eight categories in the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (a.k.a. FAMAS) in July. It was first a play If you’re wondering why the movie has gotten so much buzz, aside from the obvious, then it’s about time to give it a watch yourself.
Need a little more information? We round up some of the names to remember below. Despite the dark plot and premise, wrapped up in a musical, the cast was able to shed light on the stories of this time by portraying roles that touch base with the reality that activists and students lived through.
Also read: Here's Where You Can Watch the Movie Musical Katips
Katips Cast and Their Roles
Adelle Ibarrientos-Lim as Alet
The Esoterika actress takes on the supporting role of a 30-year-old activist. Alet owns the safehouse fondly referred to as the “Katips”. The name definitely dates the story, as the place is now called Katip for today's young ones, and the realities of those who seek shelter within its walls are far different from that of those who now populate the area.
Johnrey Rivas as Art
Theater actor, director, and Tiktok star, Rivas has quite a following on Instagram as well. His wide reach means you've probably seen him in other projects such as Why Love Why and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Zomnia, a short he directed in 2021, was nominated for the best short film FAMAS award. However, it’s for his Katips role in 2022 that he finally received a FAMAS award, this time for best supporting actor.
Johnrey joins the Katips cast as a freshman student and photographer of the Philippine Collegian, UP Diliman’s weekly student publication. He is one of the two unfortunate souls who become desaparesidos in the movie.
Isobelle Nicole Laurel Asensio as Lara
If you think she looks and sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve seen her somewhere else—the music industry. Asensio is a singer and songwriter who provides the lead vox for General Luna, an all-girl band known mainly for their rock music. Their band debuted in 2015 with their album Schizoprano.
The General Luna vocalist plays as an actress from New York City who returns to the Philippines. She ends up staying at Katips and initially clashes with Alet thanks to their differing understandings of what exactly is going down to the country. All that changes, of course, when she learns what happened to her father Ka Manding, a professor in UP.
Joshua Bulot as Estong
You’ve probably seen Joshua Bulot before in the whimsical and upbeat Rak of Aegis as Tolits and in the 2020 Us Again directed by Joy Aquino. You may even had a debate with your friends whether this brawny guy is the same mushy boatman who kept on chasing the distressed and underpaid Aileen in PETA’s smash hit. Yup, he is! In Katips, Bulot plays Estong, a student and leader of the workers’ union who ends up disappearing alongside Art.
Vincent Tañada as Panyong
The writer-director of the movie itself, Tañada stars as Panyong, a lead character and the subversive writer for Ang Bayan, an underground anti-government newspaper. When asked about why he made the movie in the first place, he made it clear that he wanted to tell the younger people what happened when the country was placed under Martial Law. He earned recognition for the movie when he was awarded as best actor, best director, and best picture for the 2022 FAMAS.
Jerome Ponce as Greg
While Katips gave him one of his first lead roles, you've likely seen this guy in at least five other movies: The Ghost Bride, Otlum, Haunted Mansion, Gen Z, Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love, and The Good Son, just to name of few under his arsenal. The Hello, Love, Goodbye cast member plays as a student of Lara’s father, Ka Manding. While he and Lara add a romantic tinge to the movie musical, their story can’t escape the harsh realities of the time.
We say give the movie a watch to see the full picture. Pun intended. And then check out more shows to add to your list.