
Alfred Vargas gave his fans and followers a short and intriguing (but satisfying) peek of Pieta, his emotionally charged movie that also features Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Nora Aunor and multi-awarded actress Gina Alajar.
On his social media accounts yesterday, he posted the teaser trailer of his upcoming drama flick and wrote this as the caption: "Is love enough to bring memories back?"
The lead actor, who also sits behind the camera as the producer of the project, can hardly wait for people to see this heartwrenching work on the big screen.
Alfred also dropped the teaser trailer in his Instagram and wrote, "The Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Ms. Nora Aunor is back on the big screen together with Alfred Vargas and an ensemble of the best of the best of Philippine Cinema in a story of a mother and son caught between the secrets of the past and what lies ahead of them as they try to reconcile and move on.
"PIETA. Coming very soon. From Alternative Vision Cinema and NobleWolf. Directed by Adolfo Borinaga Alix Jr. based on the screenplay by Jerry B. Gracio.
Directed by internationally acclaimed director Adolfo Alix Jr. and written by Carlos Palanca winner Jerry Gracio, Pieta revolves around the life of Isaac, an ex-convict who finally gets out of prison after gaining his pardon. He returns to his family home in the province where he finds his mother, Rebecca, aged and senile, and can barely recognize her own son.
Still battling with his own bouts of regrets and guilt, Isaac tries to mend his broken relationship with his mother, who is slowly slipping into Alzheimer's and dementia due to old age.
The suspense drama movie is a special one because there were moments in the filming that hit too close to home for the actor and Quezon City councilor.
In his interview with GMANetwork.com back in May 2023, Alfred Vargas said that working with Nora Aunor gave him flashbacks of his own mother, the late Atty. Susana Dumlao Vargas.
"Yes. Definitely. There were quiet scenes with Ate Guy that I really felt she was my mother. Then, in the scene itself, I actually saw my mom.
Alfred, who is enrolled at the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning (UPSURP) where he aims to earn his doctorate degree in urban planning, also said that sharing copious screen time with La Aunor is probably his "best and most magical Nora Aunor experience I've had during the entire shoot."
Fans, especially those who have been dying to see again Nora Aunor on the big screen, seem to be excited about Pieta as well.
A Facebook user named Elvie Ampil commented on Alfred's Facebook post, "Teaser pa lang maganda na,lalo pa pag napanuod mo buong pelikula.magbaon po tyo ng panyo pag manunood tyo ,tiyak babaha ang luha,marami makakarelate. Ang galing ng mga cast ,mga premyadong artista.abangan po natin ang showing."
Another Facebook user with the handle "Willilam Moreno Cata," wrote, "Ang galing po ninyo, sinayang ng MMFF ang magandang obra na ito."
That user was, of course, referring to the non-inclusion of Pieta in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023's "Magic 10." The movies that did make this year's list of MMFF entries are: A Family of Two (feauring Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards); K(ampon) (featuring Beauty Gonzalez and Derek Ramsay); Penduko (featuring Matteo Guidicelli and Cristine Reyes); Rewind (featuring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes); Becky & Badette (featuring Eugene Domingo and Pokwang); Broken Heart's Trip (featuring Christian Bables and Jaclyn Jose); Firefly (featuring Alessandra De Rossi); GomBurZa (featuring Dante Rivero, Cedric Juan, Enchong Dee, and Piolo Pascual); Mallari (featuring Piolo Pascual and Janella Salvador); and When I Met You In Tokyo (featuring Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon).
While this news was a tough pill to swallow, especially for Noranians, it somehow opened the possibility of an earlier showing for Pieta at the cinemas. In Alfred's earlier message to GMANetwork.com, he said that his team's MMFF bid was a "suntok sa buwan" and that if unsuccessful, they would go for a November screening.
Fans seem to see the silver lining of the "rejection" quite clearly. One commenter said, "Its not rejected, its redirected! Excited na po kami sa showing ng PIETA sa November?"
Pieta also stars Bembol Roco, Ina Raymundo, Dan Alvaro, Miggy Jimenez, Tommy Alejandrino and Jak Roberto--with the special participation of Jaclyn Jose.