Acclaimed director Joselito “Jay” Altarejos—whose “Tale of the Lost Boys” won the Sinag Maynila 2018 Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Box-Office and Best Editing awards—returns to the celebrated festival with a new film, Jino To Mari (Gino and Marie).

Altarejos’ new work takes an inside look into the pornographic film industry. It tells the story of a young man, played by Oliver Aquino, and a young mother, played by Angela Cortez, who are hired to act in a pornographic film. The two are taken to a far place where they face challenges they never imagined. The film title is the Japanese phrase for “Gino and Marie.”

Jino To Mari is one of the five finalists in the Sinag Maynila 2018 full-length feature category, together with Akin Ang Korona by Zig Dulay, Persons of Interest by Ralston Jover, Jesusa by Ronald Carballo, and Pailalim by Daniel Palacio.

Being selected for Sinag Maynila 2019 marks the Philippine premiere of the movie that had its world premiere last January at the Black Movie: Festival de Films Festival de Films Indépendants-Genève in Switzerland. Also, Jino To Mari is one of eight local motion pictures in the “Panorama on Filipino Cinema” section of the 9th Cambodia International Film Festival held last March 9 to 14 in Phnom Penh.

Altarejos is known for tackling LGBT themes amid social issues, many of his previous films have won recognition in local and international filmfests; these include Kasal which won Director’s Showcase Best Picture at the 10th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, Lihim ni Antonio which won Best Film at the Festival del Mar de Gran Canaria; and Unfriend which premiered at the Panorama section of the Berlinale 2014. “My films are very personal and almost confessional. It’s an expression of what I am,” he said in an interview at the Black Movie Film Festival in Switzerland.

Jino To Mari is Altarejos’ most courageous to date. “It’s provocative, bold and daring… It poses the question, ‘When you take away one’s respect and dignity… what is left of that person?’”

You can catch Jino To Mari at the following theaters and times:

April 4, Thursday, 4 pm at SM North Edsa;
April 4, Thursday, 4 pm at SM Manila;

April 5, Friday, 1:30 pm at SM Megamall;
April 5, Friday, 1:30 pm at Cinema ’76 Anonas;
April 5, Friday, 6:30 pm at Gateway;
April 5, Friday, 6:30 pm at Black Maria;

April 6, Saturday, 9 pm at Gateway (Gala Screening);
April 6, Saturday, 9 pm at Black Maria;

April 7, Sunday, 6:30 pm at Black Maria;
April 7, Sunday, 9 pm at SM Megamall;
April 7, Sunday, 9 pm at Cinema ’76 Anonas;

April 8, Monday, 1:30 pm at Gateway;
April 8, Monday, 6:30 pm at Cinema ’76 Anonas;

April 9, Tuesday, 6;30 pm at Gateway; and
April 9, Tuesday, 6:30 pm at Black Maria.

For more information, log on to www.sinagmaynila.com and www.facebook.com/SinagMaynila/.