‘Beastmode’ replaces ‘Citizen Jake’ in Cinemalaya 2018 line up

This film was de Leon’s comeback to cinema after an 18-year break and Araullo’s acting debut. (File photo by Jet Leyco via Citizen Jake/Facebook)

Documentary film “Beastmode” starring Baron Geisler and Kiko Matos will take over the place of “Citizen Jake” in the lineup for the 2018 Cinemalaya film festival.

This happened after “Citizen Jake” was pulled out by its producers few days before the film festival began, according to Cinemalaya.

“We have no information on the official reason of pulling out,” it added.

“Citizen Jake,” directed by Mike de Leon, was supposedly scheduled for screening last Sunday, August 5 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Little Theater but it did not push through as it was replaced by the documentary film.

Cinemalaya said those who have already purchased tickets for de Leon’s film can have them exchanged for another film.

“Citizen Jake” revolves around the story of a Baguio-based teacher and “citizen journalist” Jake Herrera (played by Atom Araullo), who is torn between being a member of a political family and a journalist who vowed to expose the truth to the public.

This film was de Leon’s comeback to cinema after an 18-year break and Araullo’s acting debut.

Aside from Araullo, other actors and actresses like Cherie Gil, Dina Bonnevie, Nonie Buencamino, Luis Alandy, Gabby Eigenmann, Max Collins, Teroy Guzman, Lou Veloso, Richard Quan, Victor Neri, Allan Paule, Anna Luna, Elora Españo, Cholo Barretto, Raquel Villavicencio, Nanding Josef, and Ruby Ruiz also starred in the film.

The said movie made headlines last May as its filmmaker and the lead star engaged in a Facebook post war.

De Leon said although Araullo is not a professional actor, he still chose him to play the lead role for his film as he thought that it would be interesting to work with someone who has a background in journalism and whom he thought shared the same political convictions as he did.

He, however, realized that Araullo’s journalism “was not exactly the kind of journalism” he had in his mind.

Despite explaining how immensely proud he is to be part of the movie, Araullo still acknowledged that the filmmaker “made deliberately hurtful remarks about his journalism, which ironically, has nothing to do with my participation in the film.”

The “Citizen Jake” star said he would just leave it to the public’s hands the assessment of the value of his work he accumulated over a decade of being a journalist.