Kapamilya actress Loisa Andalio and award-winning Filipino actor John Arcilla are set to star in the upcoming film Bilyarista, helmed by American director Phil Giordano.
Loisa takes on the role of Aya, a prodigious talent teetering between ambition and survival. John, on the other hand, portrays Itoy, her morally corrupt uncle who pulls her away from the path of tournament glory and into the unforgiving world of underground money games.
According to the press release, Bilyarista follows the story of Aya, a young girl living in the slums of Manila who dreams of becoming a world billiards champion. Her aspirations take a dark turn when her father is killed, and she is manipulated by her hustler uncle into competing in high-stakes underground gambling matches held in back-alley pool halls.
Earlier this May, the production released a first look at Loisa and John in character, offering audiences a glimpse of the film’s story, tone, and vibes.
Director Phil Giordano is best known for his award-winning short film Supot, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and earned accolades such as the Grand Jury Prize at the New York Screenplay Contest and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award. He also directed the viral KFC “Sorry, Not Sorry” commercial campaign.
Joining Phil behind the camera are Hollywood cinematographer Adam McDaid (Single Drunk Female, Everything's Trash) and camera operator Aaron Brown (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Smile 2, Past Lives, Good Time).
The film is produced by Gale Osorio, whose previous work Babylon was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. It is edited by Lawrence Ang, best known for Leonor Will Never Die, which won the Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Post-production was handled by Terminal Six Post, with color grading completed in New York by leading Hollywood post-production house Company 3, known for their work on The White Lotus and the Minecraft movie. The film is executive produced by Arcadio Ivan A. Santos III.
As it follows the story of the billiards community, the film also features appearances of Filipino billiards legends Efren 'Bata' Reyes and Francisco Django Bustamante.
On his social media page, director Phil also revealed on social media that veteran actor Niño Muhlach is part of the cast, sharing behind-the-scenes photos with the lead stars. The images were taken during filming last year.
“With the stars of my upcoming film #RaceTo23 @iamandalioloisa and @johnarcilla!!” Phil wrote.
“With @oninmuhlach on the set of our upcoming billiards film…” Phil said in another post.
As per the press release, Bilyarista was shot on location in various real pool halls around Metro Manila, including Tondo, Makati, Las Pinas, Paranaque, and Quezon City.
Further details, including the film’s official premiere date, are expected to be announced soon.