One decade later, original ‘Bar Boys’ reunite for MMFF

MANILA, Philippines — The original cast members of the 2017 film “Bar Boys” reunite in “Bar Boys: After School,” an official entry in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025. Helmed by original director Kip Oebanda, the sequel aims to inspire a new generation as it revisits the characters’ lives and challenges after law school.

Reprising their roles are Rocco Nacino as Atty. Torran Garcia, Enzo Pineda as Atty. Chris Carlson, Carlo Aquino as Atty. Erik Vicencio, and Kean Cipriano as Josh Zuñiga, with veteran and award-winning actress Odette Khan returning as Justice Hernandez.

According to the media release, “Bar Boys: After School” picks up a decade after the original film’s ending. The law school barkada are now established professionals, but their 10-year reunion quickly turns bittersweet.

Their beloved mentor, a figure of uncompromising integrity and guidance, falls gravely ill, isolated and abandoned by her own family. The four friends, along with a vibrant new generation of law students, step up to fill the void left by her estranged family. In this act of profound service and loyalty, they find that life, not a syllabus, is the ultimate professor. They confront a new set of ethical dilemmas, realizing that the ambition that drove them through law school now competes with integrity, self-improvement, and the continuous search for meaning in their careers and lives.

The director, Kip Oebanda (center), and writers Zig Dulay (left) and Carlo Catu are on the set of the film.

The central message rings clear: Life is still the best teacher. Mistakes are not failures; they are simply the tests that make us better people.

Director Kip recalled at a presscon that he penned the original script years ago as an entry for “Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.” He did not expect the film to gain a cult following, amassing 17 million views on YouTube and spawning a sold-out run as a musical stage production.

“With 60,000 comments (on YouTube) and most of the comments there say, ‘I’ll come back here when I become a lawyer or a doctor or a criminology graduate,’” beamed Kip. “There’s even a message that read, ‘I’ll come back here when I become cancer survivor.’ It inspired generations of people to keep going kahit napakahirap ang pagiging Pilipino, ang pagiging adult, ang pagiging estudyante in this country.”

He also expressed gratitude to the people who made the second film possible and was happy to reunite with the team and cast.

“There are people who come into your life for a season and there are those who last a lifetime. And as you grow older mas hinahanap mo yung tao na who help you grow and help you be that person.”

The cast members of ‘Bar Boys: After School’ during a presscon 2025 Parade of Stars.

Kip co-wrote the sequel with two of his closest friends in the industry, Zig Dulay (“Firefly” and “Green Bones,” both Best Picture winners at the MMFF 2023 and 2024) and Carlo Catu (Cinemalaya 14 Best Film “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon”).

They wrote the script as a tribute to the people who help shape your growth and remain with you throughout your journey. As he elaborated: “When you’re young, ang mga hinahanap mong kaibigan masasaya, mga chill. You may still seek that later in life but as you grow with wisdom, you look for people who help you grow and help you become wiser,” he mused.

He reiterated how delighted he was to reconnect with his friends and the cast for the movie.

“And I can guarantee you, all of them are good people and all of them are real artists who want to be better in their craft. And I make memories with everyone in this stage and I will be forever grateful with what they have accomplished.”

Carlo Aquino with Odette Khan, who returns as Justice Hernandez, whose character was inspired by the late Senator Miriam Santiago.

He hoped that more people would support their film, which was produced by the independent production company 901 Studios, founded by Jon Galvez, Leo Liban and Carlos Ortiz.

“So I hope you prioritize watching us. I hope that you will support us so we can create more stories that tackle these themes and talk about issues that are happening in the country while being fun and entertaining. Nakaka-kilig and nakakaiyak.”

Joining the beloved barkada are new cast members Will Ashley as Arvin, Sassa Gurl as Trisha, Emilio Daez as Ziggy, Glaiza de Castro as Jazz, Klarisse de Guzman as Mae, and Therese Malvar as CJ.

Moreover, Odette, whose character was inspired by the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, became emotional during the presscon as the cast paid tribute to her, presenting her with hugs and a bouquet of flowers.

“If you knew what we’ve all been through para mapaganda ang trabahong ito, trabaho para sa amin ito, maraming matuto, lahat-lahat na. Malalaman niyo kung bakit mapula ang mata ko. Matapang ako pero pagdating dito ang puso ko ay mahina,” she said, thanking the production team and cast. “We love you. Thank you for sharing your heart with us.”

(“Bar Boys: After School” is showing in cinemas nationwide starting Dec. 25.)