Mara Lopez stars as a battered wife in ‘T.P.O.’ by Jay Altarejos

“My film that will be shown during the festival would be my third attempt,” Direk Jay reveals. “I’ve shot something, I have a story in my mind, [but] when I saw some of the footage, they’re so experimental that it is not the requirement of the festival, so three times nabugbog sa pelikula ko pero iba’t-ibang atake.”

T.P.O. is a story about Teresa (Mara Lopez), a battered mother in the hands of her husband Miguel (Oliver Aquino). When their son Miguelito starts to get hurt as violence erupts at its worst, Teresa will seek Temporary Protection Order (TPO) against her husband. Meanwhile, Miguel, together with their son, goes through the same long and arduous process of applying for the custody of their son on the town’s most festive and busiest day. When they see each other in the middle of the road, an accident will ensue leaving them both destroyed and at the losing end. The narrative will start repeating backwards, the truth will be revealed with scenes that have yet to unfold.

The character of Mara is abused emotionally, physically, and mentally. “It was pretty challenging. I’m really glad that Direk Jay Altarejos talagang natulungan niya ko sa mga eksena,” she shares. “The nice thing about this film is that maganda siya para sa mga kababaihan na takot magsalita, takot lumaban… I hope mabigyan sila ng courage to stand up for their rights.”

T.P.O. also stars Micko Laurente, Menggie Cobarrubias, and Lui Manansala.

The 2nd Sinag Maynila Film Festival will run from April 21 to 26, 2016 in select SM Cinemas. For more updates, log on to http://sinagmaynilafilmfestival.com/, on Facebook via SinagMaynila, Twitter and Instagram via @sinagmaynila. Subscribe also to the official Sinag Maynila Youtube Account: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmZPI6kPKUCsbim9e_qByNQ. The roster of SMFF 2016 films also includes EXPRESSWAY by Ato Bautista, LILA by Gino M. Santos, DYAMPER by Mes De Guzman, and MRS. by Adolf Alix Jr

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Conceptualized and helmed by CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng, together with world-renowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Mendoza, Sinag Maynila gives grants to independent filmmakers so they can develop their individual material to a full-length film for public exhibition. Five chosen filmmakers closely collaborated with Tieng and Mendoza. This collaboration resulted in stories that reflect the Filipino culture while illustrating messages that will resonate globally.