The true-to-life story of the known martyr priests, GomBurZa will be unveiled in a film once again as a local film company announced the characters to be portrayed in the role of the priests this year.
Artists Dante Rivero, Cedric Juan, and Enchong Dee will bring the GomBurZa to life by portraying the roles of Padre Mariano Gomez, Padre Jose Burgos, and Padre Jacinto Zamora after its release of close-up shots on September 29.
Other cast members, such as veteran actors Piolo Pascual, Epy Quizon, Jaime Fabregas, and Michael Allan Eusebio, introduced young film actors Elijah Canlas and Tommy Alejandrino.
GomBurZa took almost one year and four months after its cast audition until post-production completion for Director Pepe Diokno with Jesuit Communications (JesCom), MQuest Ventures, and CMB Film Services Inc.
Diokno ensured back in February 2022 that the film wasn’t merely retelling but showcasing the characters’ dynamics, decisions, consequences, and motives that would engage the audiences in the discourse of the historical figures.
“The story is intriguing. It’s about friendship and betrayal. It’s about faith and religion, but also about politics. “I don’t want the three priests to be two-dimensional characters. I want to see who they are as friends and as mentors to others. I want to see how they are when they’re at home. I think when you make historical characters more relatable, the audiences of today would sort of latch on to them much more,” Diokno explained to a local news outlet.
Gomburza producer Pauline Mangilog-Saltarin shared the same sentiments on January 14 with JesCom, saying the film is taking its time. “There must be a good reason for the long wait. Hindi namin ito minadali. I’m sure it will reveal itself in the coming days.”.
Diokno and Mangilog-Saltarin’s words also resonated with Cedrick Juan and Enchong Dee; they shared with a local news outlet how they had to embody the figures audiences are yet to empathize with.
“Kailangan todohan ng effort, time, and puso,” Juan said. “Yes, he is a hero, but you can’t take away the human part of him—the temptation, the weaknesses—but those are the things that will bring him closer to the audience,” Dee said.
While there are no premiere dates announced, it was previously mentioned that GomBurZa will be submitted for the Metro Manila Film Festival.
