There’s always a point in your life when your barkada or group of friends are about to part ways, whether you just graduated from high school and will study in different universities in college, or one or maybe some are going to work in another town or outside of the country, there’s always that plan or attempt to have a get together, a last hurrah for all time’s sake.
“Being my first, tungkol ito sa buhay o pinagdaanan ko with my barkada. That’s my main inspiration. ‘Yung parang, diba every barkada may last hurrah kayo, may last trip before you go work,” shares director Philip King.
On directing the young and hot actors, who are now bigger stars than they are before when they filmed the movie, “sinabi ni Derrick an super friends talaga sila lahat. Minsan magulo and minsan sinasabayan ko sila sa gulo but overall, fun, very steady ‘yung shoot. And because LU (La Union) ang venue, kahit stress ang vibe, kapag nakikita mo ‘yung dagat at tinatamaan ka ng hangin, parang may natural na nagpapa-relax because of the beautiful place,” answers director Philip.
The last seven days of summer! Seven days to be wild and free! Seven days to push the limits of youth!
For the six members of the VBC (Valley Boys Club), these are seven days to strengthen their friendship and live their best life, because for one of them, these may be the last days of his life.
This is the major premise of ALV Films’ latest movie project, in tandem with Benchingko Films and Rein Entertainment.
Titled G! LU, the movie revolves around the adventures and misadventures of a motley crew of hunks and babes all ready to bare their well-chiseled abs and bikini-ready bods on the silver screen.
With La Union’s breathtaking beaches and rustic scenery as its backdrop, G! LU also serves as a travelogue—a timely nod to environmental awareness and ecotourism promotion.
G! LU stars David Licauco, Teejay Marquez, Derrick Monasterio, Kiko Estrada, Enzo Pineda and Ruru Madrid, together with Pinky Amador, Michelle Dee, Katarina Rodriguez, Chanel Morales, Maureen Montagne, Sophia Senoron, Kimi Mugford, Ali Forbes, Carl Guevara, Ken Anderson, Denver Hernandez and many others.
David, Teejay, Derrick, Enzo, and Katarina, together with G! LU writer/director Philip King and G! LU producer Arnold Vegafria faced the entertainment media during their press conference at KAO Manila, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
The Valley Boys Crew is a barkada comprised of affluent teenagers. Their friendship began as neighbors in an exclusive subdivision and carried on until their third year of collage in a private university.
Together, they face the perils and challenges of young adulthood, heightened and complicated by their upper class upbringing.
Their world is turned upside down after a bar altercation sparks their parents’ decision to have them finish their last year of college in different parts of the world. With their looming separation upon them, they embark on their last barkada trip to La Union where their friendship transforms into a real brotherhood.
No stranger to the movie industry, respected talent manager and entrepreneur Arnold Vegafria is slowly gaining critical success as film producer.
The Beauty Gonzalez-Kelvin Miranda starrer, After All, was ALV Films most recent release last February. After G! LU, the sexy romance flick My Stepmother’s Lover, starring Sunshine Cruz, Kiko Estrada and Martin del Rosario, is expected to hit the theaters in June.
For G! LU, Vegafria is grateful for having conceptualized a movie that will resonate with the millennial generation.
He says, “I’m sure today’s kids will identify with the different characters they’ll see in the movie, and can relate to all their coming-of-age problems, especially now that mental health issues have become more relevant.”
Vegafria also thanks the Kapuso network for the support that they have accorded him.
He says, “I’m very grateful for the trust and support, to the extent that they have acquired the TV rights for the movie.”
“I’m also very happy for my former Miss World queens – Katarina, Michelle, Maureen, Kimi, Sophia and Chanel – since this is one of their very first movie projects.”
“The local movie industry is definitely on an upswing, and we plan to keep it alive by continuously creating relevant and meaningful content. Hopefully, we at ALV Films can come up with truly unique storylines, and maybe even collaborate with some foreign productions who share our vision for movie magic.”
Scheduled to open in local theaters on April 24, G! LU is written and directed by Philip King of Rein Entertainment.