The internet was riding the Popoy and Basha train these past few days after Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz went on Instagram for a live reunion on Apr. 27. Fans were equally giddy to watch the famed love team seemingly flirting on cam and doubtful about whether it was staged or not. In a previous article, we also cast a bet that the stream was scripted. Our guess turned out to be (sadly) right.
Director-screenwriter Antoinette Jadaone confirmed in an Instagram post that the reunion video was the work of fiction that JLC was talking about in his own post published two weeks ago. The love story told entirely on Instagram is titled “Love Team.” The project is part of an initiative called Unconfined Cinema which is “founded on the idea of exploring what else cinema could be, freeing our stories to be told outside of the traditional spaces and conceptual boundaries set by the last century of the medium.” It was launched last February as an outdoor cinema experience by curators Erwin Romulo, Philbert Dy and Teddy Co. Jadaone’s Instagram film is produced by Romullo, Dy and Dan Villegas.
The lingering looks between the on-screen couple might not have translated into a real life romance but we’re excited about the possibility of getting to watch more boundary-breaking films that promote creative storytelling. Jadaone wrote on the caption, “In this unprecedented time of quarantine, in a time when movie production is impossible, we found it especially pressing to find ways to tell our stories.”
Jadaone added that the story she wrote was about ”two people reconnecting in a trying time; separated by distance, but united in their memories.” The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global phenomenon and we are faced with the challenge of adapting to a new normal. It’s hard not to notice how it’s been affecting the creation of art and the narratives artists choose to spotlight.
Unconfined Cinema is inviting other artists to explore the possibilities of cinema in every stage imaginable. This is just the beginning. Maybe Bea and JLC will give us one more chance to watch them work their kilig magic?
Photo screengrab from the trailer for “A Second Chance” on YouTube
Follow Preen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber
Related Stories:
I watched Bea Alonzo and JLC’s reunion live and I still think it’s not real
A third ‘One More Chance’ movie? Fans want it to happen!
Preen Exclusive: One on one with the author of the ‘One More Chance’ novel
A third installment to ‘One More Chance’? Bea Alonzo says she’s all for it