TBA STUDIOS’ NEWLY ACQUIRED TITLES “BOUNDARY” AND “A IS FOR AGUSTIN,” SET FOR MARKET SCREENINGS IN CANNES
TBA Studios recently acquired the dramatic thriller “Boundary” and award-winning documentary feature, “A is for Agustin.” Both films will have premiere screenings in Cannes’ global film market, Marché du Film, this coming July 6 to 15.
Inspired by true stories of taxi drivers of metropolitan Manila, “Boundary,” a riveting crime thriller helmed by Filipino American filmmaker Benito Bautista, explores the lengths and sacrifices that a person is willing to take in order to survive. This is Bautista’s first feature length film, but already the film has garnered critical acclaim during its premiere.
It also earned several nominations and wins including Best Film Award – NETPAC Category (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) at the 2011 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, and nominations at the 35th Gawad Urian Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor for both its lead stars Ronnie Lazaro and Raymond Bagatsing.
Another acquisition is “A is for Agustin,” a powerful and compelling documentary feature by Grace Simbulan. Set in a remote mountainous region of the northern Philippines, the film follows the story of an illiterate indigenous man who decides to go back to school. With the goal of making a better life for himself, 40-year old Agustin starts learning his ABCs.
“A is for Agustin” is Simbulan’s first full-length documentary. The film took eight years to complete as Simbulan fully immersed herself with the indigenous community where Agustin belongs.
It has been selected and nominated in several notable festivals and award-giving bodies, including QCinema International Film Festival 2019—Official Selection, FAMAS Awards 2020—Best Documentary Nominee, Gawad Urian 2020—Best Documentary Nominee, Guam International Film Festival 2020—Grand Jury Award Nominee for Best Documentary, and Udine Far East Film Festival 2021—Non-Competition Film (Documentary) Selection
This year’s Marché du Film will be held online. For this virtual film market, the screening schedule for “A is for Agustin” are Online #9 – July 7, 2021 9:00 and Online #10 – July 11, 2021 15:30. “Boundary” will have its screening on these dates: Online #17 – July 8, 2021 11:00 and Online #6 – July 12, 2021 17:30.
For more information on these films and TBA Studios, visit https://www.tba.ph/