Becky & Badette | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Jun Lana |
Written by | Jun Lana |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Kara Moreno |
Edited by | Benjamin Tolentino |
Music by | Teresa Barrozo |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | The IdeaFirst Company |
Release date |
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Running time | 114 minutes |
Country | Philippines |
Language | Filipino |
Becky & Badette is a 2023 Filipino comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by Jun Lana. Starring Eugene Domingo and Pokwang, it revolves around the story of two best friends since high school who gain fame over a viral video that tackled woman-to-woman relationship.[1]
Produced by The IdeaFirst Company and OctoberTrain Films, it was theatrically released on December 25, 2023, as one of the official entries for the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival.
Plot
Plot is patterned after the musical, Dear Evan Hansen.
Becky (Eugene Domingo) and Badette (Pokwang) are best friends. They work as maintenance personnel in a corporate building. While on break, they sell packed foods and their own specialty, fried chicken.
One day, Nirvana (Agot Isidro), their schoolmate, organizes a high school reunion. She went to a place where Becky and Badette resides to invite them to their reunion as their batchmates haven't heard any update from them. Nirvana tells them that they will be receiving an award from their alma mater and wear colorful outfits, and the batch expects them to be successful because their principal has said that they are the ones who are likely to succeed.
Becky and Badette go to the reunion. They are wearing colorful outfits, which are costumes from the bar beneath their boarding house. The whole batch ridicules them for their outfit, and worse, they ridicule them when Nirvana gives awards for every batchmate, except them. So they resort to drinking and get drunk.
While drunk, they revealed to the batch over the microphone that they are actually lovers. Their revelation is recorded on video and the video goes viral. This viral video becomes their gateway to their fame... and downfall.
Cast
- Eugene Domingo as Becky Naman
- Pokwang as Badette Imaculada
- Agot Isidro as Nirvana Batungbakal; Becky and Badette's schoolmate and nemesis. She holds a grudge against the two.[2]
- Romnick Sarmenta as Pepe Feniz, the love interest of Becky and Badette
- Adrian Lindayag as Bona
- Peewee O'Hara as Aida
- Angie Castrence as Fe
- Sue Prado as Fifi
- Diana Alferez as Lala
- Iza Calzado as Working girl 1
- Karylle as Working girl 2
- Sunshine Dizon as Working girl 3
- Via Antonio as Security Guard
- Moira Dela Torre as Herself
- Christian Bables as Luka
- Empoy Marquez as TV Assistant director
- Ice Seguerra as Himself
- Sigrid Andrea Bernardo as Herself
- Gladys Reyes as Herself
- Sheryn Regis as Herself
- Janice de Belen as Herself
- Joross Gamboaas Commercial Director
- Sharlene San Pedro as Herself
- Samantha Ashley Lo as Herself
- Press Hit Play as Pop male group
- Timothy Castillo as Boatman
- Thysz Estrada as Herself
Production
Becky & Badette was produced under The IdeaFirst Company and OctoberTrain Films[3][4] with Jun Lana as the director and scriptwriter.[5] Lana described the film as a "love story for Philippine cinema", with the film made as a tribute to Dolphy, Sharon Cuneta and Maricel Soriano. It also has reference to film performances by Vilma Santos.[6] Its main plot is patterned after the musical, Dear Evan Hansen .
Lana cast the main two leads Pokwang and Eugene Domingo after seeing their performance in a short scene in Sampung Mga Kerida where they showed "electric chemistry".[6]
Sequel
Director Jun Lana is already working on a sequel for Becky & Badette as of November 2023, prior to the film's premiere.[1]
Release
Becky & Badette premiered in cinemas in the Philippines on December 25, 2023, as one of the official entries of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival.[7]
Accolades
Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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2023 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Director | Jun Lana | Nominated | [8] |
Best Actress | Eugene Domingo | Nominated | |||
Pokwang | Nominated | ||||
Best Supporting Actor | Romnick Sarmenta | Nominated | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Agot Isidro | Nominated | |||
Best Cinematography | Kara Moreno | Nominated | |||
Best Production Design | Jaylo Conanan | Nominated | |||
Best Sound | Armand de Guzman | Nominated | |||
Best Original Theme Song | "Finggah Lickin" from Becky & Badette – by Eugene Domingo | Won | |||
Gender Sensitivity Award | Becky & Badette | Won | |||
2024 | Platinum Stallion Media Awards | Comedy Film of the Year | Won | [9] | |
Manila International Film Festival | Special Jury Prize | Becky & Badette | Won | [10] |
References
- ^ a b "'Becky and Badette' starring Pokwang, Eugene Domingo already has sequel in the works". GMA News. November 29, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "'Becky And Badette' trailer reveals claim to fame of Eugene Domingo, Pokwang's character". ABS-CBN News. November 21, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "A celebration of true friendship". Malaya Business Insight. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "Pokwang, Eugene Domingo team up for comedy film 'Becky and Badette'". ABS-CBN News. September 21, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "Pokwang, Uge hiling na mapanood ni Ate Vi ang 'Becky and Badette'" [Pokwang, Uge wishes Ate Vi to watch ‘Becky and Badette’]. Bandera (in Filipino). Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Ignacio, Alwin (December 8, 2023). "Why 'Becky and Badette' is a 'love story for Pinoy cinema'". Daily Tribune Lifestyle. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "'Firefly' among six new films included in official 10-movie list of MMFF". GMA News. October 17, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ Antonio, Josiah (December 27, 2023). "LIST: Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 winners". News.ABS-CBN.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "Platinum Stallion National Media Awards 2024 Winners". Trinity University of Asia. February 4, 2024. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024.
- ^ Uson, Melanie (February 3, 2024). "LIST: The 2024 Manila International Film Festival winners". Philstar Life.