“MAG-IINGAT KA sa mga taong nagsasabing ipagtatanggol ka.” (Beware those who say they will fight for you.)
TBA Studios has unveiled the official trailer for Quezon, Jerrold Tarog’s historical biopic detailing the presidency of Manuel L. Quezon. It’s the third and concluding film in his and the outfit’s “Bayaniverse” trilogy, a ten-year journey since 2015’s Heneral Luna and 2018’s Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.
The film stars Jericho Rosales in the eponymous role, playing alongside an unsurprisingly large cast, including Emilio Aguinaldo, Benjamin Alves, Romnick Sarmienta, Karylle, and JC Santos.
The film seems to underscore the highly contentious relationship Quezon had with Leonard Wood (played by Game of Thrones‘ Iain Glen), a Governor-General with whom he often clashed about the American’s perceived interference in domestic affairs. Arron Villaflor reprises his role as Joven Hernando (with Cris Villanueva playing his older counterpart), a photojournalist whose perspective becomes our in to the lives of the Filipino leaders in the ’30s.
Here’s the full synopsis from the press release:
“When his fight for Philippine independence from the United States is put to the test, Manuel L. Quezon finds himself playing the brutal game of politics to outmaneuver his rivals—including Leonard Wood, Sergio Osmeña, and Joven Hernando. In his relentless quest for power, he eventually faces off with Emilio Aguinaldo in the 1935 Philippine presidential elections, using charm and favoritism as both weapons and currency, in a campaign that ultimately changes the face of Philippine politics and history.”
It has been ten years since the release of Heneral Luna, a film that sprung a stable of national hero biopics, our historical reply to the cinematic universe-ification that had its chokehold on audiences in the 2010s.
Watch the full trailer after the bump, plus the official one-sheet for the film. Quezon opens in theaters October 15th.
