UPSTREAM unveils early 2021 movie line-up

Bigger and more exciting things are coming to UPSTREAM – the biggest online streaming platform made by Filipinos, for Filipinos – as it announced its powerhouse movie line-up for the first half of 2021.

UPSTREAM will feature a myriad of surefire box-office hits and original films, bannered by masterpieces from multi-awarded and critically-acclaimed director, Erik Matti.

UPSTREAM Original, a program that highlights original content made by Filipinos, for Filipinos, opens the year with a bang with its maiden offering: an Erik Matti film titled, “A Girl and A Guy.” Now filming in Baguio City, it’s a super sexy story of relationships among millennials featuring talented newcomers Rob Gomez and Alexa Miro (TV5’s “Fill in the Blank”) with Donna Cariaga

(“Unli Life,” “3Pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon”), Candice Ramos, Sarah Holmes, Juan Carlos Balasbas, Shaun Salvador, Yvanne Evangelista, Pau Benitez (“Liway”), Chloe Dominique, Rosh Barman (“My Day”) and Roeder Camanag (“Jose Rizal”).

“A Girl and A Guy” is a modern tale of two people whose lives intertwine as they navigate the tricky world of relationships, connection, and intimacy in today’s society, while being oblivious to what they're missing all along. It starts streaming worldwide on March 26.

This will be followed by “Runaway.” It’s a romance-drama written and directed by Katski Flores (“Ang Pagsanib Kay Leah Dela Cruz”). Shot entirely in New Zealand, it tells the story of a young woman who decides to leave her home to go on an adventure of a lifetime in picturesque New Zealand, where she meets a Filipino man whose sole desire is to go back home to the Philippines. It stars Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 Winner Maureen Wroblewitz and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate, Kit Thompson.

Another Erik Matti masterpiece will be available worldwide as “Rabid” starts streaming on UPSTREAM this second quarter of 2021. Shot entirely in Baguio City, the movie stars Kent Gonzales (“Kuwaresma”), college basketball superstar Ricci Rivero, Vance Larena (“Dead Kids,” “Bakwit Boys”), Ayeesha Cervantes, Pam Gonzales (“Santigwar,” “Kuwaresma”), Ameera Johara (“LSS”), Ynigo Delen (“Damaso,” “And I, Thank You!”), Jay Glorioso, comedienne Donna Cariaga, together with veteran actors Jake Macapagal and Cheska Diaz. This film shows a world filled with fear, danger, and uncertainty where a family, a single mom, a nurse, and a couple experience the different ways our current reality can drive people to the brink of madness.

Other upcoming titles include “On The Job: The Missing 8,” the much-awaited sequel to Matti’s wildly successful “OTJ” movie released in 2013. The sequel features a powerhouse cast: John Arcilla, Dennis Trillo, Dante Rivero, Lotlot De Leon, Christopher De Leon, Andrea Brillantes, Leo Martinez, Agot Isidro, Eric Fructuoso, Vandolph, Wendell Ramos, Megan Young, Isabelle De Leon, and Levi Ignacio. Based on true events, this is a story about a corrupt journalist and a prisoner who are forced to question their loyalty to a local politician when eight people suddenly disappear without a trace.

An untitled drama movie featuring the one and only Megastar, Sharon Cuneta, a fitting follow-up to her 2019 horror-thriller, “Kuwaresma”; and a new suspense-thriller movie inspired by the Birkin Scam scandal, starring Bea Alonzo, are also in the works. Both Sharon and Bea’s projects will be directed by Matti as well.

UPSTREAM also features a slew of original content from different production companies, some of which are already available worldwide for streaming. The list includes: Dodo Dayao’s “Midnight In A Perfect World,” a horror-thriller, which features the best actresses of the country today, Glaiza de Castro (“Liway”) and Jasmine Curtis-Smith (“Siargao”) and the second season of “Ben x Jim,” Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s phenomenal BL series with more than 10 million views (and counting).

Now titled, “BXJ FOREVER,” Teejay Marquez and Jerome Ponce together with Kat Galang, Ron Angeles, Sarah Edwards and Johannes Rissler reprised their roles in the series and are now joined by actors from other BL series such as Miko Gallardo, Royce Cabrera, Jomari Angeles, with EJ Jallorina, Anikka Dela Cruz, Darwin Yu and Vance Larena. It started streaming on UPSTREAM last February 12. New episodes drop every Friday at 12:01 am.