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EXCLUSIVE Mon Confiado is set to play the role of Emilio Aguinaldo in two more films

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Rhea Manila Santos

<div><img src="" alt="103015-MON_main.jpg" width="400" height="290" align="left" border="0"/>With his silent but imposing presence as president Emilio Aguinaldo in the movie Heneral Luna, Mon Confiado admitted no one on the cast and crew knew it would turn out to be one of the most successful movies about Philippine history. &#x27;Actually <i>lahat kami hindi namin ini-expect na mag-hi-hit siya, magiging P250 million mark na siya as of this time. Marami itong binuksan na kumbaga eye-opener sa mga independent films dahil sino ba ang magsasabi na kahit walang</i> superstars or big stars <i>pero naka</i>-P250 million?” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>In fact after the initial week of screening commercially, more than half the cinemas stopped carrying the film due to low ticket sales. &#x27;<i>Ang totoo hindi namin ini-expect na magiging ganun siya kasi nun</i>g first week, out of 103 cinemas<i>, naging</i> 43<i> na lang siya.</i> So <i>chineck namin yung mga sinehan nung</i> first week, 10 or 20 <i>lang nanunuod pero yung sampu o dalampu na yun ang mahigit limang beses na nakanuod kasi nung napanuod na nila hinihila nila ang pamilya nila, mga kaibigan at walang katapusang</i> post <i>sa</i> Facebook.<i> Kasi ang pag</i> promote<i> nun sa </i>Facebook <i>lang eh,</i>” he told <i><a href="/">Push.com.ph.</a></i></div><div><br/></div><div>With his latest role in one of the entries of the Cinema One Originals film festival this year, Mon plays another influential character in the story. The indie film Miss Bulalacao revolves around the story of a young drag queen whose life is changed by a strange encounter. It was shot on location in Biliran Island in Eastern Visayas. &#x27;<i>Pari ako dito. Kasi parang may pagka-</i>religion topic <i>yung </i>movie<i> kasi nabuntis yung bading so akala ng buong bayan ito na yung second coming of Christ. Kasi yung bayan naniwala sa kanya. Ako yung pari ng bayan</i>,” he explained.</div><div><br/></div><div>Before Heneral Luna, Mon admitted his knowledge of Philippine heroes was limited to the roles he’s played in various historical films. &#x27;Actually<i> hindi ko kilala si </i>Antonio Luna. Heneral lang period. Mas <i>kilala ko pa si</i> Juan Luna <i>pero siyempre</i> because of this film, as an actor and with the research,<i> mas alam ko na ngayon. Although madami na akong ginawa na mga</i> historical films.<i> Nasa </i>Jose Rizal <i>ako ni </i>Marilou Diaz-Abaya as Mariano Ponce<i>, nasa</i> Supremo<i> ako ni </i>Richard Somes<i> na si </i>Alfred Varga<i>s ang</i> Bonifacio, nasa Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo ako ni Robin Padilla, <i>pero hindi ganito ang epekto ng pelikula</i>,” he shared.</div><div><br/></div><div></div><div><br/></div><div><img src="" alt="103015-MON_main.jpg" width="400" height="290" align="left" border="0"/>With the popularity of the movie, Mon admitted he is happy to see more interest in local history. “<i>Napag-alaman din namin na tinanggal na pala ang</i> Philippine history <i>sa</i> high school,<i> ginawa ng Asian history o world history, naging</i> general na. So <i>nakakalungkot pero nakakatuwa dun na naging</i> aware <i>na ulit ang mga tao</i> because of <i>Heneral Luna. Ngayon kasi, after nung few weeks nung unang bugso ng Heneral Luna, punong puno ang National Museum eh dahil sa Spoliarium at pati yung ibang mga ano ng bayani natin ay pinuntahan ulit at nabuhay. Hanggang ngayon interesado ang mga kabataan o mga tao sa Philippine history,</i>” he added.</div><div><br/></div><div>Now that Heneral Luna has been selected as the country’s official entry for selection in the foreign language category of the Oscars, Mon said it will be a tough battle to win. &#x27;<i>Nakakatuwa pero dadaan pa tayo sa butas ng karayom eh. Kailangan pang i-kampanya yan eh dun sa mga jury at kailangan makabuo pa n</i>g P90 million para mai-<i>kampanya siya. Hindi ako familiar sa ganung sistema pero naririnig ko ikaka-campaign pa yan kasi </i>80 countries ang pagpipilian at pipili lang sila ng lima muna. Of course kung isa lang yung mananalo sa Best Feature for Foreign Films.<i> So marami pang pagdadaanan. But as of now pinili na ng Pilipinas na Heneral Luna ang ipapasok natin sa</i> Oscars<i> at isang</i> step <i>na yun. Sana mapili man lang tayo kahit na dun man lang sa</i> elimination <i>nila a</i>t eventually<i> mapili dun sa talagan</i>g major competition.<i> Mga lima yan eh. So dun pa lang pag nakalusot tayo</i> achievement<i> na yun ng Pilipinas kasi bukod nga sa napaka-mahal eh napakahirap pa talaga ng pagdadaanan,</i>” he admitted.</div><div><br/></div><div>With the last scene in <i>Heneral Luna </i>leaving hints of another historical sequel (rumored to be focused this time on Gregorio Del Pilar who led the battle of Tirad Pass), Mon said he is set to reprise his role as the controversial president two more times on the big screen.  &#x27;Well, ang number one kong alam dun sa trilogy, ang common denominator dun sa films <i>ay si A</i>guinaldo <i>at ako pa rin ang mag-</i>a-Aguinald<i>o sa tatlong pelikula. Kasi napakahaba ng buhay ni </i>Emilio Aguinaldo. 1964 <i>nung namatay siya </i>eh. <i>So inabot niya si </i>Gregorio del Pilar and partly<i>, may kasalanan din siya sa pagkamatay nun</i> and of course <i>si </i>Manuel L. Quezon <i>ang lumalabas na</i> second president of the Philippines and first president of the Commonwealth, <i>kalaban niya sa</i> election.iAguinaldo,” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>Watch Mon Confiado in the Cinema One Originals film Miss Bulalacao from November 9 to 17 at participating cinemas in Trinoma, Glorietta, Resorts World and SM Megamall.</div>