The 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry ‘Deadma Walking’ is graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), the highest merit given to a film submitted for evaluation.

Starring reliable actors Joross Gamboa and Edgar Allan Guzman, the film is based on the screenplay of the same name which won the 2nd Prize in the Screenplay division of the 2016 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the most prestigious literary prize in the Philippines. Past winners in the same category include the blockbuster romance-comedy ‘That Thing Called Tadhana.’

The story revolves around gay BFFs (best friends for life) John and Mark whose friendship is put to the test when one of them has a terminal illness and asks the other to help him stage his fake death, wake, and funeral as his dying wish. The result is a comedy of “deadly” proportions.

‘Deadma Walking’ also features the special participation of Gerald Anderson, Vin Abrenica, and Ms. Eugene Domingo. They are joined by Candy Pangilinan, Dimples Romana, Ricci Chan, Jojit Lorenzo, Nicco Antonio, Ruby Ruiz, Bing Pimentel, and Bobby Andrews.

“Deadma Walking being part of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival is more than a blessing for us,” director Julius Alfonso told Cinema Bravo. “Having it Graded A by the Cinema Evauation Board is more than a Christmas bonus that will sustain the film’s leverage throughout the festival and more. We are ecstatic that the members of the CEB saw the charm, the fun, the vibe and feels of our film the way we intended it to be. This is indeed a Joyous Christmas for the whole team.”

“The grade A that the CEB gave Deadma Walking told me that the reviewers liked the movie a lot. But I was not prepared for the kind of raves they heaped on it. I’m shookt!” exclaimed Eric Cabahug, the film’s writer and producer.

He also shared the following highlights from the review summation of CEB on ‘Deadma Walking’:

• Superb storytelling
• Brilliantly visualized
• Combines humor, drama, and camp to come up with the right mix seldom seen in the yearend filmfest
• Witty exchanges and believable characterization
• That it was successfully transposed from a Palanca-winning script to the screen is a triumph in itself
• Cinematography is very good
• Production design has wow factor
• Musical score made good use of local talent
• Good performances from the entire cast
• The dark, morbid subject matter treated lightly is altogether entertaining and engaging
• The gay tragicomedy is a different fare for the filmfest and does not disappont

In pursuant to Republic Act 9167, films which have obtained an ‘A’ grading from the CEB is entitled to an amusement tax reward of 100% of the tax collection on such film.

Rated PG by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), ‘Deadma Walking’ opens December 25, 2017 across Philippine cinemas.