Nora Aunor topbills horror flick Mananambal

MANILA, Philippines — Mananambal is a new horror film of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor. Principal photography starts this June in Siquijor island in Central Visayas.

At 70, the legendary icon of Philippine Cinema continues to essay lead roles in film, as long as she believes in the story material and finds it interesting to do.

From La Aunor’s own words, “Maganda ang istorya.  Mababait rin ang mga tao sa production,” that’s why BC Entertainment Productions, a new independent movie company, got Nora’s nod to accept the offer.

Mananambal will be directed by Philip Daffon, his directorial debut. For the record, direk Philip has been a seasoned thespian in the production industry for 33 years now. His background is doing work in advertising, documentary films and projects, and the likes.

Screenplay is from the collaboration of the creative minds of Bel Paquiz, Gabriel Divina, and Veronica Reyes.

Director of photography is Peter Frac (who did camera work in Way Of The Cross and Traslacion: Ang Paglakad Sa Altar Ng Alanganin). Producers are Alvin Anson and GWard, Inc. (headed by its CEO Gorio Vicuna) with executive producer Karen Ortua (whose initial movie venture was Lagaslas).

Mananambal is a Filipino practitioner of traditional medicine, who is also capable of performing sorcery, as common knowledge puts it.

Like the general albularyo, a mananambal obtain his or her status through ancestry, apprenticeship, or through an epiphany and is generally performed by the elders of the community, regardless of gender.

The practice, called panambal, has a combination of elements from Christianity and sorcery which appear to be opposites since one involves faith healing while the other requires black magic and witchcraft.

The supporting cast members of Mananambal will be announced soon.