Film, theatre and live events made with care — and the stories behind them. This is a living archive of what iChill Productions has created, hosted and championed.
Film
Changing Direction (Cambio de Sentido) — feature film
A feature film written, directed and produced by iChill Productions’ founder Kuya Manzano. Shot in Spain and the Philippines, 104 minutes, in Spanish with English subtitles. Production began in Spain in 2009 and the final images and post-production were completed in the Philippines in 2014.
The story: a parallel universe where only men exist. Everyone desires everyone, but no one can touch for fear of “the virus” — until one man, by accident, loses his manners and shakes the foundations of a polished, retro-futurist society.
Official selections: Festival del Sol – Festival Internacional de Cine Gay y Lésbico de Canarias (Spain), screened at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes; and Festival de Cine LGBT El Lugar Sin Límites (Ecuador). Source: Promofest film page.
Watch the trailer · IMDb · press: start of shooting (dosmanzanas, 2009)
World premiere: Festival del Sol, at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, 1 February 2010 (TEA listing). A Spain–Philippines production.
Marriage War (En el amor y en la guerra) — short film
A Spanish short film (2004) written, produced and directed by Kuya Manzano, with a premiere in Madrid at sala The Monkey (premiere announcement, archived). The short received several international film festival official selections.
iChill Manila International Film Fest
Our own international short and feature film festival, run from iChill Theater Cafe in Manila with Kuya Manzano as festival director. Films arrived from all over the world, in every genre and with every kind of message.
The January 2018 edition in numbers, as reported by the festival director:
- More than 60 films
- Around 300 audience attendance
- 2 weeks of screenings
- 2 screens, upper and lower floors
- 25 awards given
Editions and highlights:
- January 2017 edition – selections
- June 2017 edition – awards and nominees
- January 2018 edition – conclusions and full awards list
- July 2018 edition – La Jaula, Best Film winner · Spinoza Hotel, Best Avant Garde
- 2020 edition – official selections · 2020 Best Film award
Theatre & Live Events
El Mal de Sirenita — theatre play
A theatre play produced and directed by iChill Productions, written by Irene Castro and Kuya Manzano. It played in Madrid in March 2011 at El Caldero de Cobre and Estudio Landén.
Kuya Manzano on Broadway — Rizal Park, Manila
A free Broadway concert at the Rizal Park Open Auditorium on 22 August 2014, staged as a thank-you to audiences after three years of work in the Philippines, with Kuya Manzano as soloist. Source: The Muralla, 25 August 2014.
Songs from Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Man of La Mancha, plus Spanish and Tagalog surprises. The show was produced at iChill Theater Cafe (concert announcement).
Hamlet at iChill Theater Cafe (2015)
Hosted at iChill Theater Cafe: Ikarus Productions’ Hamlet, directed by Jay Crisostomo IV, played 13–15 March 2015 after its run at DITO Bahay ng Sining in Marikina. Kuya Manzano played Hamlet. Read the original post.
Shows at iChill Theater Cafe
Our former Sampaloc venue hosted plays, concerts, open mics and screenings.
Marketing & AI Content
Content, research and AI visuals for brands. See our AI creations and services.
Founder / Creative Director: Kuya Manzano
28 years in the business: Spanish-Filipino actor, singer, host, director, producer, casting director and writer, performing since 1998, born in Spain and based in the Philippines since 2011. Selected personal credits, as listed in his work history:
Direction, production & writing
- Director – Producer of feature film “Changing Direction”. Spain – Philippines.
- Director, Producer, Writer of the short films “El sexo enemigo” & “Marriage War”.
- Director – Producer of theatre play “El Mal de Sirenita”. Spain. (Script also by Kuya Manzano.)
- Director – Producer of Disney in concert. Spain.
- Director – Producer of Broadway in concert. Spain.
- Executive Producer for musical theatre play “A Chorus Line”. Spain.
- Producer of “Saint John’s Night”, children’s theater. Spain.
- Directing and producing shows at iChill Theater Cafe. Manila, Philippines.
- Script collaboration in feature films Heneral Luna and Pedro Calungsod. Philippines.
- Casting Director, Dojo TV. Spain. · Casting Associate, Rainbow Modelling Agency. Philippines.
- Video producer for Musicals on line & Zarzueleros.com.
Selected acting & stage credits
- Feature film Gomburza, dir. Pepe Diokno. Role: Padre Tressera.
- Feature film Heneral Luna, dir. Jerrold Tarog. Role: Spanish businessman.
- Feature film Sisa, dir. Jun Robles Lana. Role: Commander Harrison.
- Feature film Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, dir. Lav Diaz. Role: Padre Camorra.
- TV series Can’t Buy Me Love. Role: Ahmed Al Juffali. ABS-CBN–Netflix.
- TV series Bad Genius. Role: Mr. Clarke. Viva ONE.
- “Noli me tangere”, the opera. Lead role: Ibarra. Dulaang UP.
- “Miong”, the musical. Role: Spanish General Ramon Blanco. Repertory Philippines.
- “Marco Polo”, the musical. Role: Emperor Kublai Khan. CCP Main Theater.
- “Hamlet”, lead role: Hamlet. Dir. Jay Crisostomo.
- Soloist at Kuya Manzano on Broadway, Rizal Park Open Auditorium, Philippines.
Reels: English · Español · Tagalog
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