In 2013, On The Job – a neo-noir action-thriller that explored the black, white, and gray areas of Philippine politics and law enforcement – hit Philippine cinemas.
It was a breath of fresh air in then, a movie that “helped revive the long dormant action genre” in the country. A lot of things have happened since On The Job debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to a standing ovation and hit Philippine cinemas in 2013.
After years of research, production, and delays (and a pandemic to boot), On The Job: The Missing 8, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2013 movie, is set to debut at the Venice Film Festival. It’s also set to get an Asia-wide release as an HBO Asia Original – the first On The Job and On The Job: The Missing 8 are set to stream as a series on HBO Go.
In this Rappler Talk Entertainment episode, entertainment editor Bea Cupin talks to director Erik Matti, who’s dialing in from Italy ahead of the movie’s Venice premiere. We talk to the acclaimed director about the many stories that led to On The Job: The Missing 8, how the political climate under President Rodrigo Duterte influenced the storytelling, and the impeccable timing of the series’ release – just as the chaos that’s Philippine politics goes into full swing ahead of the 2022 presidential elections.
Bookmark this page to catch the interview on Tuesday, September 7, at 7 pm (Manila time), or follow Rappler on social media. – Rappler.com
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