Shaina Magdayao, JC de Vera headline new ‘Florante at Laura’ film
Shaina Magdayao and JC de Vera are set to bring Francisco Balagtas’ literary classic “Florante at Laura” to the big screen in a new film adaptation directed by Alvin Yapan.
Titled “Ang Florante at Laura ni Balagtas,” the film will introduce the 19th-century Filipino literary work to a new generation.
The film’s official trailer is scheduled to launch on Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. at Booth F14 of the Asian Contents & Film Market in Busan, South Korea. A simultaneous Philippine digital premiere will also be available on the same day via YouTube and Facebook.
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Produced by FEAST Foundation, the film carries the campaign theme “Love, our last revolution,” highlighting the relevance of the classic’s themes in the contemporary world.
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De Vera plays Florante, while Magdayao portrays Laura. The cast also includes Royce Cabrera as Aladin, Gillian Vicencio as Flerida, Kristof Garcia as Minandro and Brian Sy as Adolfo.
READ: Sylvia Sanchez, Nour Hooshmand grace 2026 Busan Int’l Film Festival red carpet
Written for the screen and directed by Yapan, the adaptation seeks to translate the emotional conflicts of Balagtas’ work into a contemporary cinematic experience.
First published in 1838, “Florante at Laura” is an awit, a narrative poem written in Filipino verse. Set in the fictional kingdom of Albania, the story follows Florante, a nobleman who faces betrayal and political intrigue, and his love for Laura. It also follows Aladin, a Muslim prince who rescues Florante despite their differences in faith and background, and Aladin’s love for Flerida.
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The literary classic has been adapted for stage and other performance formats over the years, remaining a fixture in Philippine education and theater. Its latest film interpretation seeks to revisit the story’s central conflicts for audiences outside the classroom.
Magdayao, known for her roles in the films “Ang Tanging Ina” and “Four Sisters and a Wedding,” last appeared in the TV series “My Bespren Emman.”
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De Vera, meanwhile, known for his roles in the series “La Vida Lena” and “Nag-aapoy na Damdamin,” currently stars in Coco Martin’s action-drama “Sigabo.” /edv
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.