Filipino romance drama film “Rewind” has made history by surpassing $16 million at the global box office, becoming the first Filipino title to achieve the milestone.
About the film: Directed by Mae Cruz Alviar, “Rewind” follows a married couple, John (Dingdong Dantes) and Mary (Marian Rivera), who find themselves in the midst of relationship challenges. After an accident and a divine intervention, John gets a chance to travel back in time to mend their relationship.
The film premiered on Dec. 25 at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, which restricted foreign films during its run. “Rewind” is currently screening across more than 270 cinemas globally.
Breaking records: “Rewind,” which is now the Philippines’ highest grossing film, made box office records with a worldwide gross of 900 million Philippine pesos ($16 million), surpassing the record previously held by another 2019 romance drama film, “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” which earned around $12 million.
Trending on NextShark: Michelle Yeoh opens up about divorce with ex-husband
Behind its success: The movie’s success is attributed to the acting prowess of Dantes and Rivera, who are also a real-life couple. The film also generated positive reviews among viewers, which spread on TikTok and Facebook.
“We have seen so many people posting videos of them crying after watching the film. This led to a lot of people being so curious about the film, and they’d love to be part of the conversation,” Kriz Gazmen, head of Star Cinema, the film division of ABS-CBN Corporation, told Deadline.
“Very emotional experience”: Despite initial challenges during the pandemic, including the temporary withdrawal of the leading couple, the film resumed production in early 2023. This marked the husband-and-wife’s first film collaboration in almost a decade.
Trending on NextShark: Ukraine-born Miss Japan 2024 relinquishes title following report of affair
“Who doesn’t want to be given the chance to be able to go back in time and try to rectify their mistakes?” Gazmen said of the film’s plot. “It’s a very emotional experience, but it’s introspective at the same time and it makes you question yourself if you’ve been a good person all along. For the Filipino audience, after the stress of the pandemic and the realization that our days on this earth are numbered, the film was a good cry that they might have held back all along.”
