From techno horror to Filipino folklore, Nadine Lustre and Mikhail Red’s next team-up, Nokturno, takes the frights to the province.
Related: 3 Things We Loved (And Didn’t) About Deleter
From taking home her second FAMAS for Best Actress for Greed and Deleter becoming a box office hit, it’s safe to say that Nadine Lustre is one of Philippine cinema’s newest horror muses. And she’s showing no signs of slowing down with her recent team-up with Mikhail Red for their latest horror movie. Going from the trappings of content creation, Nadine and company head to the province for Nokturno, a horror film delving into local folklore.
While we’ve known about the project for a while now, the recent release of the first teaser trailer gave us our first look at the new mystical horrors awaiting us. Here are a few reasons why Nokturno should be on your movie radar.
THE STORY FOCUSES ON PHILIPPINE FOLKLORE
Given how rich Philippine folklore is, it’s a good place to mine for stories to tell, especially in the horror genre. And Nokturno looks to be doing just that. The film centers on a curse brought by the Kumakatok, tall, thin creatures that have long, pale fingers. They wear veils and come knocking at night. If you answer the door, you are cursed to die or lose a loved one in three days.
The movie’s events kick into motion when Jamie (Lustre), an OFW, returns to her isolated home province when rumors of mysterious killings brought about by a primal curse begin to circulate. There, she deals with her estranged mother Lilet (Eula Valdez) and the rest of her conservative family. Given how Jamie is progressive and a skeptic, a conflict arises between Jamie and her traditional family. But she must confront her family’s dark and troubled past to survive the curse of the Kumakatok. As seen in movies like In My Mother’s Skin, Philippine folklore can serve as the setting for a compelling narrative, and we hope Nokturno takes the same route.
IT’S NADINE’S NEXT HORROR MOVIE
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It has always been a dream for many to see Nadine Lustre take on horror roles. And going by the reception of Greed and Deleter, it’s a lane many are excited to see her continue. Nadine knows how to get us in the frights department, so we’re excited to see how she brings to life Jamie as she channels her inner scream queen and has us clenching our seats once again.
IT’S ANOTHER NADINE LUSTRE AND MIKHAIL RED TEAM-UP
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While Deleter had its flaws, there’s no denying the synergy Nadine had with director-writer Mikhail Red. So, seeing these two talented creatives work together is a reunion we’re supporting. Mikhail’s world-building and Nadine’s brooding energy is a combo that works well together, which we saw the first glimpses of in the teaser trailer. Moving away from the city setting, Nokturno, which has been said to be darker than Deleter, looks to explore the more sinister imagery of local folklore with Nadine’s Jamie being there to experience it all.
THE STRONG CAST
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Nadine Lustre isn’t the only actor to watch out for in Nokturno. Stars such as Bea Binene and Wilbert Ross will be joining the superstar in the project. Most excitingly, Eula Valdez is playing Lilet, Jamie’s mother. We can already imagine the intense mothering between Nadine Lustre and Eula Valdez in their scenes together.
THIS COULD BE THE START OF A NEW ERA FOR LOCAL GENRE MOVIES
ICYDK, Nokturno isn’t just another horror-thriller from Viva. It’s the first film under the partnership between Mikhail Red’s Evolve Studios and Viva Films. Evolve has been touted as a new hub for local creators to make genre films for a wide audience, something we can use more of. Philippine cinema deserves a space for genres like horror, thriller, and sci-fi to be told, and Nokturno might just start a new period of local filmmakers and creatives making stories that go beyond the typical drama, comedy, and romance stories.
Nokturno is set for a release at either the end of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.
Continue Reading: Nadine Lustre Is A Woman Scorned In Her Comeback Film, Greed
