What started out as a small comedy play at the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City is now a motion picture that will be shown in Metro Manila theaters starting March 1 and in Bacolod City March 8.

The play originally titled "Diin Na Si Francis?", has been renamed Nasaan Si Francis?", its director Gabby Fernandez, who studied at USLS where he obtained a degree in mass communications in 1993, said yesterday.

Produced by independent groups and distributed by Unitel Pictures (Crying Ladies, Santa-Santita, Pinoy/Blonde), it stars Paolo Contis, Rico Blanco, Epy Quizon, Christopher de Leon backed by an ensemble cast of veteran actors, Fernandez said.

"Francis" was originally staged as an output of the Being Class of the Negros Summer Workshops in 2003. From a story concept of Peque Gallaga and Fernandez, the actors improvised on the scenes to create a one-act play.

"This was then turned into a film script. The script got the attention of Unitel Pictures who proposed to produce it into a movie," Fernandez said.

The synopsis is simple: two friends go to Francis' hacienda house set in Victorias to borrow money. Instead of lending them money, Francis proposes a drug deal involving Ecstasy which will earn the two a lot of money. But before they are able to get the drugs, Francis gets a heart attack and dies, Fernandez said. Thus, the two look for the Ecstasy all over the house. In the meantime, a parade of characters - Francis' siblings, his pusher (played by Christopher de Leon), his girlfriend, his GRO's - come into the house and look for Francis. What ensues is a hilarious cat-and-mouse game wherein the two friends hide the body or make him look like he's sleeping while they search for the drugs, Fernandez said.

Not only is this movie set in Negros Occidental, its creative staff all come from Bacolod, Fernandez said.

Fernandez himself is an adopted son of the Bacolod arts scene having studied in the city as well as worked in Bacolod as a theatre director. The other Bacoleños involved in the movie are production designer Roy Lachica, image consultant RJ Lacson, assistant directors Jay Abello and Manny Montelibano, and the entire art department crew.

Rhea Sol Hiballes, Bacolod theatre actress, is one of the actors who match skills with the veteran and multi-awarded actors, Fernandez said.

"Here is rare chance for us Bacoleños to watch a hilarious and entertaining movie set in our province as well as created by one of our own," Fernandez said.*CPG

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