3 Cebuano films: A hero, pickleball and queer love

Last weekend brought developments for the Cebu film community: a Bisaya Lapulapu movie starring Aljur Abrenica, a Father’s Day special about pickleball, and the first Cebuano Girls’ Love (GL) film.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

The Abrenica starrer, titled “The First Defender: A Lapulapu Story,” was announced on June 19 with an aimed theatrical release in December. Meanwhile, “Pickleball” will be shown online on June 27 following its June 20 premiere, while “A Quiet Bloom” has been showing in five cinemas nationwide since June 24 following its premiere last June 21.

‘The First Defender: A Lapulapu Story’

After Elcid Camacho and Akiko Solon played the roles of Lapulapu and Reyna Bulakna at the Kadaugan sa Mactan reenactment last April, the BisayaFlix couple will depict this historic battle once again on the big screen titled “The First Defender.”

Only this time, Solon will reprise her role as Reyna Bulakna, while Lapulapu will be played by Aljur Abrenica and Camacho will be behind the camera as director.

At a press conference at Island Central Mactan Mall on June 19, Solon said she will have more time to prepare for her role for the big screen, versus the five days she had for the live reenactment.

The idea for a Lapulapu film started in 2022 when Camacho and Abrenica became acquainted. Camacho explained to The FREEMAN why he is not reprising his role alongside his real-life partner: “Lapulapu’s personality and appearance fit Aljur better. Also, I have a lot of tattoos all over my body and it’s taxing to cover them up. Aljur is a good actor who knows martial arts. That way, I can focus on directing and deliver my best.”

Camacho’s goal for “The First Defender” is to craft a “Hollywood-level” film that is also educational for Cebuano youth to learn about their history. He clarified that it is not a biopic, but rather a story that focuses on Lapulapu’s legacy to Cebu and Philippine history.

It is for this reason that Abrenica said yes to the project, as he wants to promote Filipino martial arts, particularly arnis.