Spanish docu Just Javier hits Ayala Cinemas

Starting Aug. 12, the Spanish documentary Just Javier will have a limited one-week run in Ayala Malls Cinemas. Directed by Josepmaria Anglès and produced by Adauge, the film tells the true story of Javier Sartorius Milans del Bosch.

Born into Spanish nobility, Javier appeared to have a promising future in business and sports, including a paddle tennis championship win while studying in the United States. After a life-changing encounter with unhoused people in Los Angeles, he embarked on a spiritual journey that led him away from privilege, wealth, and an athletic career and toward missionary life in Cusco, Peru. The film joins a growing roster of international faith-themed and spiritual-journey documentaries reaching Filipino audiences, who comprise one of the world's largest Catholic populations.

Filipino audiences can watch the film at Ayala Malls Cinemas in Makati (Greenbelt, Glorietta, Circuit), Pasig (Feliz), Quezon City (Trinoma, UP Town Center), Parañaque (Manila Bay), Taguig (Bonifacio High Street), Cebu (Central Bloc), Cagayan de Oro (Centrio), and Bacolod (Capitol Central).

Chito Miranda to perform at City of Dreams Manila

OPM icon Chito Miranda will stage a one-night-only show on Aug. 19 as part of the CenterPlay Concert Series at City of Dreams Manila. The concert begins at 9:30 p.m. and will feature songs from Parokya ni Edgar and Pinoy rock of the 1990s. Parokya ni Edgar, the band Miranda co-founded in the early 1990s, remains one of OPM's most enduring acts, with a catalog that spans decades of Filipino radio staples.

Seats or tables may be reserved starting at P3,500 per person, inclusive of consumables such as bar nosh, burgers, fries, and beverages. VIP couch seating for groups of four and eight is also available.

Nat Geo brings wildlife series on a lion cub

National Geographic is bringing a four-part series titled Lion to Disney+ on Aug. 20. Set in a Maasai Mara lions' den, the series centers on a cub named Kio.

Narrated by O.J. Lynch, who played Mufasa in The Lion King stage production, the documentary follows Kio's four-year journey from cub to king of the jungle. It is executive produced by Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit creative director Mike Gunton, with a score by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer. The series continues Disney+'s investment in premium natural-history programming, a genre the BBC Studios Natural History Unit has shaped for decades through landmark productions.

Kris Aquino reveals new role at Netflix

Kris Aquino, known as the Philippines' "Queen of All Media," is back on screens after a long struggle with her health. Her new role on the streaming platform is as Netflix's official C.H.I.K.A. (Chief Head of Insights and Kontent Analysis).

In the reveal video, she sat down with editor Earljohn and reacted to scenes from upcoming Filipino content: A Secret in Prague, Blood vs Duty, and The Master Cutter. These Filipino titles are now streaming on Netflix. The partnership underscores Netflix's continued expansion of its Filipino content library as competition among streaming platforms in Southeast Asia intensifies.

SunKissed Lola returns with new single

More than a year since their last EP release, SunKissed Lola has returned with "Edi Magalit Ka," a playful new single that continues the storytelling found in fan favorites such as "Pasilyo," "Paki Sabi," and "Makalimutan Ka." The band's breakout hit "Pasilyo" became one of the most streamed Filipino tracks of 2022, helping establish SunKissed Lola among a new wave of OPM acts gaining traction across digital platforms.

The track turns a familiar Filipino phrase into a song about love, patience, and choosing the relationship over the argument. It is now available on all digital music streaming platforms.

Filmmakers launch Edjop Campus Conversations

A youth-led forum is set to bring the filmmakers behind the upcoming biopic of 1970s activist Edgar "Edjop" Jopson to students across the country ahead of its Sept. 16 theatrical release. Jopson was a student leader at the Ateneo de Manila who championed democratic reforms before the declaration of martial law in 1972, and later joined the underground resistance movement against the Marcos dictatorship. He was killed in a military operation in Davao in 1982.

Edjop stars Elijah Canlas in the title role, with Jodi Sta. Maria, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Kakie Pangilinan in her acting debut, Cedrick Juan, Teroy Guzman, Gab Pangilinan, and Issa Litton. Instead of a standard press tour, the youth-led Campus Conversations program will give students never-before-shared footage and firsthand insights from director and co-writer Katski Flores and cast members.

The tour begins on Aug. 26 at Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu and on Aug. 27 at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, then continues to Metro Manila universities from Sept. 1 to 4. It concludes on Sept. 11 at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro. Edjop opens nationwide on Sept. 16, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines.

Jade So releases new single

M1SS JADE SO, who describes herself as Manila's "doll dominatrix and esoteric drag queen superstar," has released a new single titled "GODDESSA" under Offshore Music. The track was produced by Naive Supreme.

According to the artist, the song was inspired by affirmations she has chanted for herself, which transformed into declarations. It is described as a sonic manifestation built on dirty electronic synths and heavy bass. The single is out now on all digital music streaming platforms. Offshore Music, founded by Ely Buendia, has become a home for genre-pushing Filipino artists, and the release adds to a growing catalog of drag-adjacent music emerging from Manila's nightlife scene.

SB19's Wakas at Simula global CD version sells out

P-pop boy group SB19 recently released the global CD version of its album Wakas at Simula. The first batch sold out, prompting Backspacer Records and Sony Music Entertainment to release another batch. The sellout reflects the group's highly engaged international fanbase, which has helped SB19 become one of the most recognizable Filipino acts on the global stage since their debut.

Fans can purchase the album through

Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration coming to Manila

The wizarding world is coming to the Philippines for the first time through Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration. Presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and Fever, in collaboration with GMG Productions, the event invites guests to celebrate the Christmas season in wizarding fashion.

After runs in Milan, Montreal, Sydney, and Mexico City, Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration will be held at The Space at Solaire beginning Sept. 3. Manila joins the roster as immersive, IP-driven fan experiences continue to expand across Asia, following similar large-scale licensed events in the region. Tickets are available through TicketWorld, priced at P1,500 for children aged four to 10 attending Family Sessions and P2,750 for General Admission.

Four-ticket bundles start at P9,000. VIP tickets start at P4,250 and include one food and beverage item, early access to the pre-show area 10 minutes before General Admission, one complimentary printed photo, and an exclusive VIP commemorative lanyard. Senior citizen and PWD tickets start at P2,200.

Thandii joins drummer Jun Regalado for new album

British alt-soul and art-pop duo Thandii has teamed up with Filipino drummer Jun Regalado, widely regarded as the country's most recorded drummer, for their upcoming collaborative album Coco Okayo.

The project pays tribute to the Manila Sound era — the 1970s musical movement that fused Filipino lyrics with Western pop, rock, and disco influences and produced acts such as Hotdog, VST & Company, and the APO Hiking Society — while blending contemporary soul, disco-funk, and art-pop into what the duo calls a new genre: "MAR-NILA." The release also highlights Filipino musicianship on a global stage. The album is set to launch on Sept. 11 across streaming platforms.