Manalo makes it to Guinness

The INC-produced three-hour “historical epic” Felix Manalo has made it to the Guinness Book Of World Records when it held a world premiere last Sunday, Oct. 4, at the also-INC-owned Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The two records were for “Largest Attendance for a Film Screening” and for “Largest Attendance For a Film Premiere.” By headcount, 43,624 filled up the 55,000-seater arena built by Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC). The arena also boasts of perhaps the widest and tallest screen, estimated to be five-storey high (40x22 meters).

Directed by Joel Lamangan and produced by Viva Films (opening today in 300 theaters nationwide), Felix Manalo stars Dennis Trillo in the titular role as the founder of the INC with Bela Padilla as Manalo’s wife Honorata. More than 50 stars are featured, some of them with no speaking lines at all.

It took a while for the audience to warm up to what was unfolding on the giant screen (they could have been overwhelmed by the size).

“I was nervous,” Dennis was quoted as saying. “I was able to breathe easily only when the audience started reacting to scene after scene. I was stunned by the attendance. Para akong nananaginip.”

Although the fourth choice (after Bong Revilla, Aga Muhlach and Albert Martinez), Dennis turned out to be the perfect choice for the role that required him to memorize verbatim passages from The Bible.
The announcement was made on the same night by Guinness Book Of World Records UK adjudicators Marco Frigatti and Victoria Tweedey. The plaques were received by Viva executives Vic del Rosario and his son Vincent.

Manalo beat the previous records held by The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which had a crowd of 10,000 when it premiered at the 02 Arena in London in June 2008 and Honor Flight, which had 28,442 attendees in August 2012.

Besides Dennis, Bella and Joel, present at the premiere were the evening’s hosts Richard Gutierrez and Isabelle Daza, INC representatives led by spokesperson Edwil Zabala. Basil Valdez and Nadine Lustre performed during the premiere.

Frigatti and Tweedey made another startling announcement when they said that the Arena screen is a candidate for the world’s largest indoor screen for a film premiere/screening.

Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo recorded the movie theme for the music video, Sugo ng Diyos sa mga Huling Araw, arranged by seasoned musical director-composer Louie Ocampo.

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