Father Jejemon is a 2010 Philippine comedy drama film directed by Frank Gray Jr. and starring Dolphy, in his final film role before his death in 2012, as the titular priest.[1]
| Father Jejemon | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Frank Gray Jr. |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Produced by | Rodolfo V. Quizon |
| Starring | Dolphy |
| Cinematography | Alex Espartero |
| Edited by | Efren Jarlego |
| Music by | Mon Del Rosario |
Production company | RVQ Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
Cast
edit- Dolphy as Fr. Jeremiah "Jejemon" Jerome Montes. The new parish priest of Parmbil with an unconventional approach, attire and demeanor. He speaks in Jejemon slang, has an affinity to rock music, and loves to organize talent competitions and other novel events for the youth in his parish.[2]
- Cherie Gil as Violeta. She is not fond of Father Jejemon and wants him out as the town's parish priest.[3]
- Maja Salvador as Isabel, Violeta's teenage daughter who support's Father Jejemon's endeavors.[3]
- Roy Alvarez as Mr. P, a rich manipulative businessman who seeks to control Parmbil.[3]
- Ejay Falcon as Luis, Mr. P's son who is also a suitor of Isabel.[3]
- Nash Aguas as Carlo[4]
- Tony Mabesa as Fr. Baby, Jejemon's predecessor
- Moymoy and Roadfil as Moy and Moy[4]
Premise
editThe town of Parmbil is assigned a new parish priest. Fr. Jeremiah Jerome Montes, better known as “Fr. Jejemon”, succeeds Fr. Baby whose health is declining.
Not all the townsfolk immediately accept Fr. Jejemon, so he works hard to win their confidence. The priest also deals with Mr. P, a rich businessman who wants to seize control of the town.
Production
editDevelopment
editFather Jejemon was produced under RVQ Productions with Frank Gray Jr. as its director. The film is Gray's first work since the 1977 film Omeng Satanasia[5] Bibeth Orteza and Rhandy Reyes did the screenplay.[3] Dominican priest Larry Faraon served as a story consultant.[4][3][6]
Dolphy came up with the idea to create a film about a priest, as it was his long-time dream to portray a clergyman since his uncle was a priest. Dolphy was initially hesitant due to fear of the film being censored, but his uncle offered him to help write the script. The idea was put on hold when his uncle died.[3]
Communion scenes
editThe film still received backlash from leaders of the Philippine Catholic Church for depictions of the communion; one scene shows the priest accidentally dropping a host between a woman's breasts, while another host is caught in a worshipper’s false teeth.[6][7] The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board received a complaint over these contentious scenes.[8] Consultant Fr. Faraon approved the scenes, reasoning that these scenarios actually happen in real life.[4] These ultimately were voluntarily edited out by the production studio for the theatrical release,[6] and the film passed a second review by the MTRCB.[9]
Release
editFather Jejemon was released in the Philippines on December 25, 2010 as one of the official entries of the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival.[1]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award Giving Body | Category | Nominated Work/ Person | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 29th Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards | Best Actor | Dolphy | Won[10] |
| 2010 | 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Actor | Dolphy | Won[11] |
References
edit- ^ a b "PEP: Official entries to the 2010 MMFF bared". GMA News. June 30, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Samio, Veronica (December 8, 2010). "Santa tatapatan ni Father Jeje" [Father Jeje goes against Santa]. Pilipino Star Ngayon. The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tomines, Nica (December 8, 2010). "Dolphy portrays a progressive priest in Father Jejemon". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Llanes, Rommel (December 28, 2010). "Father Jejemon showcases Dolphy's effortless brand of comedy". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Comedy King plays priest in Filmfest entry". Filipino Journal. December 5, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dolphy cuts 'Father Jejemon' amid Catholic protest". ABS-CBN News. December 21, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Bishop criticizes Dolphy's 'Fr. Jejemon' film". GMA News. December 21, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Francisco, Butch (December 21, 2010). "Father Jejemon intact sans communion scenes". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Dolphy absent on 'Father Jejemon' premiere". ABS-CBN News. December 23, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Cruz, Marinel R. (July 12, 2011). "29th FAP Awards without the awardees". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ Cruz, Tonyo (December 27, 2010). "Winners of the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival Awards". Travel Wire Asia. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2024.