Kalel, 15 is a 2019 Philippine drama film[1] starring Elijah Canlas and directed by Jun Robles Lana under The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, and Cignal Entertainment.

Kalel, 15
Directed byJun Robles Lana
Screenplay byJun Robles Lana
StarringElijah Canlas
CinematographyCarlo Mendoza
Production
company
Release dates
  • November 29, 2019 (2019-11-29) (PÖFF)
  • December 18, 2019 (2019-12-18) (Philippines)
Running time
104 minutes[1]
CountryPhilippines
LanguageFilipino

Cast

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  • Elijah Canlas as Kalel Fernandez, a 15-year old teenage boy who is HIV positive. This is Canlas' first lead role. He originally auditioned for the role in 2014 but was not accepted – back then the character was envisioned as a mestizo who is a son of a Spanish friar[2] The director would eventually tap him to play the character in 2018.[3]
  • Jaclyn Jose as Edith, Kalel's mother[3]
  • Eddie Garcia as George, Kalel's estranged father, who is also a Catholic priest.
  • Gabby Padilla as Sue, Kalel's girlfriend.

Production

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Kalel, 15 was produced under The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, and Cignal Entertainment. with Jun Robles Lana as the director.[4][5] Carlo Mendoza was the cinematographer.[4] The film reportedly took five years to make.[3]

The film under the working title Our Father was pitched by Lana at the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum in 2014. In 2019, the film was promoted as Son of God at the HAF Work-In-Progress Lab.[4][6]

The film made in black-and-white, tackles about the stigma of HIV/AIDS, the attitude of Filipino youth on sex, and how the consequences of a dysfunctional family dynamic and "Christian double moral".[6]

Release

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Kalel, 15 premiered at the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival which began on November 29, 2019, in Tallinn, Estonia.[4] It would have a theatrical release in select cinemas in the Philippines on December 18, 2019.[2][7]

The film became available for streaming at Netflix on December 9, 2020.[8][9]

Accolades

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Accolades received by GomBurZa
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2019 Jury Prize for Best Director Jun Robles Lana Won [10]
59th Asia-Pacific Film Festival January 8, 2020 Best Editing Benjamin Tolentino Won [11]
17th Asian Film Festival (Rome, Italy) August 5, 2020 Best Actor Elijah Canlas Won [12][13]
43rd Gawad Urian Awards November 10, 2020 Best Actor Elijah Canlas Won [14]
Best Screenplay Jun Robles Lana Won
16th Harlem International Film Festival May 14, 2021 Best Actor Elijah Canlas Won [6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "KALEL, 15". MQ Worldwide. MediaQuest Group. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Cruz, Marinel (December 17, 2019). "Why Elijah Canlas thinks 'Kalel, 15' role destined to be his". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Guno, Niña (November 17, 2020). "'Kalel, 15' starring Elijah Canlas to stream this December". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "Film: "Kalel, 15" Gets World Premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Festival, Competing as the only Filipino Film Against 20 Global Entries". adobo Magazine. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "Kalel, 15 Now On Cignal Play". OneNews.PH. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Caparas, Celso de Guzman (May 20, 2021). "Elijah Canlas wins Best Actor at Harlem International Film Festival". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  7. ^ Hawson, Fred (December 19, 2019). "Movie review: 'Kalel, 15' immerses the audience in PH's HIV crisis". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "This eye-opening film on HIV is finally heading to Netflix". Scout Magazine. November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Award-winning Filipino drama 'Kalel, 15' coming to Netflix this December". GMA News. November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "Cignal Entertainment hails 'Kalel,15' and 'Babae at Ba". Malaya Business Insight. November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  11. ^ "'Kalel, 15' editor triumphs in Macau". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 11, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  12. ^ "Elijah Canlas wins best actor award at 17th Asian Film Festival in Rome". GMA News. August 6, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  13. ^ Cruz, Marinel (October 3, 2020). "Elijah Canlas wins 1st int'l best actor award". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  14. ^ Balboa, Jen (November 10, 2020). "Janine Gutierrez and Elijah Canlas win best actress, actor in Gawad Urian 2020". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
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