After its successful red carpet premiere at SM Megamall Cinema on Monday, The Heiress, the horror film produced by Regal Entertainment, Inc., the company that has introduced Filipino iconic creatures in numerous movies, unspools in the major theaters today.
The film introduces the Mamalarang, a powerful dark spirit that intends to use its evil powers through a human medium, a Mambabarang.
In Filipino folklore, a Mambabarang is described as an evil sorceress who can make and put a powerful evil spell—even death—on a person.
The Heiress also takes pride in putting together a powerhouse cast from different generations: Maricel Soriano, Sunshine Cruz, McCoy de Leon, and Janella Salvador.
The Diamond Star plays Luna, the aunt and surrogate mother of Guia (Janella).
Luna devotes her life to protect Guia, and shield her from those who want to harm and hurt her.
Luna is a powerful mambabarang (Demon Sorceress) who’d ruthlessly punish or kill anyone who would steal from her Guia’s love and attention, including her biological mother, Carmen (Sunshine), and her boyfriend, Renz (McCoy de Leon).
Unbeknownst to Guia, she is the next heiress, and the only one who can stop the evil spirit Malalarang that controls Luna.
But at the same time, since she is the heir, Guia is also capable of inheriting the powers of her aunt and can also be a threat to those who will belittle her.
While shooting the movie, Maricel recounts an eerie story that she experienced.
She relates, “Nakaramdam kami sa set ng nilalang na nakikialam. Pinapakialaman nya ang audio namin at para bang pinipigilan niya kami matapos sa shoot. May isang araw na pareho kami ni Direk Frasco, bigla na lang sumakit ang tuhod at di makalakad ng maayos. Sabi ko, baka tinatakot tayo nilalang na ito. Gusto ko lalong maniwala sa Barang, after this experience.”
Regal Entertainment, Inc., which has been reputed for coming up with unforgettable movies in horror genre Philippine cinema, promises that The Heiress will be full of intense horror, suspense, elicits fear of reality, with familial story about an OFW and the kids that are left behind.
The movie boasts a very well thought of story and promises to exceed in visuals and production value, which are evident in the previous movies of Regal Entertainment, Inc. such as Shake Rattle and Roll franchise movies, Haunted Mansion (MMFF 2016) and Haunted Forest (MMFF 2017).
The film is directed by Frasco Mortiz, who proved his mettle in horror genre with his exceptional work in PAGPAG, which was an MMFF blockbuster in 2013.
