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Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde grateful for MMFF’s recognition of Topakk 

9:25 a.m. December 31, 2024

TOPAKK’S first ever entry in the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) under Nathan Studios is satisfying and inspiring for its makers after the film took home three awards and 12 nominations, according to film producer veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde. 

“We are grateful to the Metro Manila Film Festival for accepting us here even though we are new as a producer. With that, we are already a winner for making it in our first try,” Sanchez-Atayde said after receiving one of Topakk’s three awards — the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence. 

Topakk — the only action-packed film entry in this year’s MMFF since 2022 and directed by award winning director Richard Somes — also bagged the Jury Prize Award for reviving a lost genres in action movie and the Best Float. 

The basis for the FPJ award is not only as being an epic action film but also the content and the film’s elements from creative execution, great appeal to the masses, redeeming values, and to the love for family and the oppressed have also seen in the movie. 

Sanchez-Atayde is very thankful to the FPJ board for recognizing the movie. 

She also shared that Topakk was also shown internationally in 2023 from the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France, at the 76thLocarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August 2023, and film festivals in Austin Texas, and Catalonia, Spain in September 2023 before coming home this year to the MMFF. 

“The movie was screened, praised and recognized by foreigners in various film festivals in Locarno, Cannes, Austin, Texas and Catalonia, Spain in 2023. That’s why I told Direct Richard why we do not show it in our own country.” 

Starring Quezon City first district Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, antagonist Sid Lucero, and Julia Montes, Topakk has set the Filipino action movie into a higher global level from overall production, visual effects, great castings, sounds, cinematography, and unique storylines.

“We are incredibly happy that they allowed us to be in the MMFF this year. We didn’t encounter any problems with our staffs, actors, actresses and crews. We made sure every scene would be great for our viewers,” she added. 

Sanchez-Atayde added that Nathan Studios would return in the 2025 MMFF. 

Aside from the FPJ Award for Excellence and Jury Prize Award, Topakk also won the Best Float with its artistic design based on the movie during the parade last week. 

“I told direct to make a float and I wanted to win the best float. And we did,” Sanchez-Atayde said.

OBRA

TCL QD-MiniLED: The new benchmark for visual excellence

3:21 p.m. June 15, 2025

Clarity is paramount for any visual display, transforming everyday viewing into an immersive experience. Whether you’re enjoying a cozy movie night or binge-watching the latest K-drama, you want a TV that renders every color, shadow, and scene with stunning detail.

Go for a TV with brighter visuals and richer contrast. TCL, the Triple Global Top 1 TV Brand and a trusted leader in home appliances, finally announces the arrival of TCL C7K QD-MiniLED TV.  Dubbed a groundbreaking innovation that sets a new benchmark for TV technology. 

The TCL C7K delivers a powerful, precise, and purely immersive viewing experience. Every scene, every pixel, and every detail comes through with incredible clarity. Whether you’re directly in front or off to the side, the view remains breathtakingly sharp. Enjoy the cinematic experience from the comfort of home, without the hassle of a crowd.

“Finally, the time has come to meet the newest TCL QD-MiniLED TV featuring cutting-edge technology and advanced features you’ve always wanted. Now, you get to experience the Big Screen energy inside your homes,” Joseph Cernitchez, Brand Manager at TCL Philippines, excitedly announces.

A New Era of Clarity

The TCL QD-MiniLED TV seamlessly blends style with smart living, offering a sleek, modern design that saves space and enhances any décor. Powered by TCL’s advanced Mini LED optical technology, the C7K achieves an astonishing Micro-OD. This not only results in a slimmer TV but also eliminates the common Mini LED halo effect. It achieves this by utilizing a super-condensed micro-lens and ultra-high zoning, ensuring that even the most delicate details, like stars in a night sky, appear deep, precise, and incredibly sharp.

No more distracting glow around bright scenes—TCL’s halo control keeps the picture sharp and clear, ensuring a premium viewing experience. It integrates high-efficiency light-emitting chips, self-developed lens technology, Micro-OD, and advanced light and shadow control algorithms. Combined with TCL’s unique CSOT HVA Panel technology, this system-level control effectively eliminates haloing.

Experience stunning clarity from the deepest blacks to the brightest highlights, as up to 2880 zones work in perfect harmony to refine every scene. Get ready for a display that intelligently dims and brightens with precision of up to HDR 3000 nits brightness.

This TV also features a groundbreaking, powerful light-emitting chip that significantly improves brightness and energy efficiency compared to its predecessor. This allows it to reproduce natural bright and dark scenes with exceptional clarity.

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Glowing reviews for Nathan Studios’ co-produced film ‘Renoir’ in Cannes

10:57 p.m. May 20, 2025

International collaboration gives hope to the Philippine film industry in its efforts to enter the world market.

This was true again after Japanese art film “Renoir”, co-produced by Nathan Studios, officially became a part of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 17.

“Renoir” is a collaboration among Japan’s Happinet Studios, France’s Ici et Là Productions, Singapore’s Akanga Film Asia, Indonesia’s Kawan Kawan Media, and the Philippines’ Daluyong Studio and Nathan Studios. The international sales are being handled by Goodfellas.

Shown here are (from left) Art Atayde, wife Nathan Studios producer Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde, Yui Suzuki, Filipino film producer Alem Berg of Daluyong Studios, Lily Frankly, Hikari Oshida, Japanese co-producer Eiko Mizuno Gray of Loaded film.

Filipino actress and producer Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde, the chief executive of Nathan Studios, said she is grateful for having co-produced the film as it led to the company getting a chance to foster international partnerships and broaden its international market, aside from achieving another red-carpet appearance in the Cannes Film Festival at the city of Cannes, France.

“This international collaboration creates a massive positive impact to the Filipino film industry, it also gives a lot of hope to Filipino film producers to go to the global market, especially here in Cannes,” Sanchez-Atayde said.

“Malaking impact ito, the mere fact na three years pa lang kami nagpupunta sa Cannes as a producer, isa na kami sa nakapag-partnership sa international productions at nakapag-red carpet muli dito sa Cannes,” she added. “I am hoping for more Filipino film producers to enter the global stage whether it is solo or collaborations, with other foreign producers.”

Two of Nathan Studios’ earlier movies — the psychological thriller Cattleya Killer in 2022 and action flick Topakk in 2023 — also premiered in the Cannes Film Festivals, starred both by veteran actor and Quezon City first district reelected Congressman Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde. The movies gained the attention of international film buyers, film aficionados, and distributors for the last three years.

Sanchez-Atayde, who celebrated her birthday in the European country, also said she is “ecstatic” that the “Renoir” film is part of the main competition in Cannes.

“I’m still in disbelief and absolutely ecstatic that Renoir (directed by Chie Hayakawa, and co-produced with Eiko Mizuno Gray and Jason Gray, Christophe Bruncher, Yulia Evina Bhara, and Alemberg Ang) was selected as part of the 2025 Cannes’ competition slate,” Sanchez explained.

“When we were starting out with Nathan Studios, this was only something we dreamt of and aimed for—and now, it is finally here. All the hard work, determination, belief, and prayers finally bore fruit!” she added.

“Renoir” is a coming-of-age drama that depicts a daughter coping with the illness of her father is making waves at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and has the potential of winning the highly coveted Palme d’Or or grand prize.

“Renoir,” directed by noted Japanese auteur Chie Hayakawa (Plan 75), tells the story of Fuki, whose father is fighting a terminal illness, and mother is stressed out from caring for him. She later becomes fascinated with telepathy and leads herself into her own fantasy world.

The film, which will be released in Japan on June 20, stars newcomer Yui Suzuki as the 11-year-old Fuki, alongside Hikari Ishida and Lily Franky.

Sylvia Sanchez and husband businessman Art Atayde

‘Glowing reviews’

Reviews for the film are glowing, with Deadline’s Stephanie Bunbury noting that while the film is scattered, it does not “detract from the film’s beauty or the strength of the performances,”

“If this story doesn’t coalesce as seamlessly as her first film does, it still has the power to touch and then to haunt us. It does not take a fortune teller to predict that Chie Hayakawa soon will make her masterpiece,” Bunbury noted in her review.

Writing for Variety, Jessica Kiang said that Hayakawa’s film is a “slender but appealingly impressionistic story of an inquisitive young girl’s summer of life, death and amateur parapsychology,”

““Renoir” is a more diffused yet in some ways more interesting sophomore feature, that follows where its lovely, mercurial central character leads and, taking a cue from the painter of the (rather tangential) title, lets the brushstrokes show to deliver a firsthand impression of growing up in 1980s Japan,” Kiang added.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Lovia Gyarkye, on the other hand, said the movie is a “poetic meditation” on a crucial summer of Fuki as she navigated her father’s battle with cancer, her mother’s ambient stress and persistent loneliness.

“Part of the reason Renoir, despite its modesty, hits emotionally of Suzuki’s compelling performance. The newcomer has a wide-eyed, penetrating stare that at once communicates the reality of Fuki’s innocence and the depth of her curiosity. In the actress’ hands, the character becomes someone you come to feel deeply protective of, ” Gyarkye noted.

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Captured with Magic? Photos shot by renowned photographers using HONOR Magic7 Pro 

5:39 p.m. May 8, 2025

Experience Professional-Grade Imaging in the Palm of Your Hand 

HONOR Philippines proudly unveils the HONOR Magic7 Pro, a groundbreaking flagship smartphone engineered to redefine mobile photography.

Designed with creators and photography enthusiasts in mind, the HONOR Magic7 Pro combines cutting-edge technology, exceptional design, and user-friendly features to deliver professional-grade images and videos effortlessly. 

Boasting an industry-leading quad-camera system, the HONOR Magic7 Pro is more than just a smartphone, but a creative tool that empowers users to capture life’s finest details with precision and artistry. 

“With the HONOR Magic7 Pro, we’re not just introducing a smartphone; we’re giving our users a chance to push their creative boundaries. This device reflects our commitment to innovation, empowering users to create stunning visuals and experience photography like never before.” said Stephen Cheng, Vice President of HONOR Philippines. 

A New Era of Mobile Photography 

To showcase the revolutionary camera system of the HONOR Magic7 Pro, some of the most talented photographers in the industry were invited to test its capabilities. The results speak for themselves: 

  • Sherard Yu delivered striking portrait shots that reveal the device’s expertise in capturing subtle lighting nuances and intricate details.  
  • Dookie Ducay showcased vibrant color reproduction and remarkable sharpness in his fashion-forward imagery. See more here
  • Rainier Gonzales leveraged the ultra-wide camera for expansive landscapes, demonstrating its ability to encapsulate breathtaking vistas. 
  • Ryan Tasic pushed the boundaries of low-light photography with the Night Vision Pro feature, capturing atmospheric and detailed images even in dim environments. 

Unmatched Camera Features for Every Shot 

The HONOR Magic7 Pro delivers unparalleled versatility with its sophisticated quad-camera system: 

  • 200 MP Ultra HD Main Camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS): Ensures sharp and dynamic shots with extraordinary resolution. 
  • 50 MP Ultra-Wide Lens with a 120° field of view: Perfect for capturing expansive landscapes and group shots. 
  • 64 MP Periscope Telephoto Camera with 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom: Enables high-clarity close-ups, even from a distance. 
  • 12 MP Macro Lens: Focuses on intricate details, capturing subjects as close as 2.5 cm. 

The camera system is further enhanced by next-generation imaging technologies such as: 

  • AI Ultra-Clarity Mode: Merges multiple frames into one image for unmatched detail and color vibrancy. 
  • Night Vision Pro: Ensures brilliant low-light performance, producing stunning shots even in the darkest settings. 
  • 8K Cinematic Video Recording: Offers HDR10+ support for videos with exceptional sharpness, vividness, and dynamic range. 
  • Super Stable Video Mode: Guarantees smooth, jitter-free recordings, even during fast-moving scenes. 

Discover More About the HONOR Magic7 Pro 

Available in Lunar Shadow Grey and Black, the HONOR Magic7 Pro is now officially available nationwide for only Php 59,999! Order now at any HONOR Experience and Partner Stores or online via Lazada https://bit.ly/Laz_M7Pro_PR, Shopee https://bit.ly/M7ProLaunch_PR, and TiktokShop https://bit.ly/TikTok_M7Pro_PR

For more affordable offers, the HONOR Magic7 Pro is also available at Home Credit for as low as Php 2,484/month with 0% interest and payable up to 18 months. 

To know more about HONOR Magic7 Pro, head on to: https://bit.ly/Web_M7Pro_PR. For more exciting announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram(Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok Shop: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out HONOR’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/.

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