Phil-Am War epic “AMIGO” to premier in RP, US

Highly-anticipated Phil-Am War epic “AMIGO” to premier July 6 in RP, August 19 in the US

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, JUNE 3, 2011 – When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael (played by legendary Philippine actor Joel Torre) comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer (Oscar winner Chris Cooper) to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael’s brother (Ronnie Lazaro) is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.

AMIGO, the 17th feature film from Oscar-nominated writer-director John Sayles, stars multi-awarded Filipino actor Joel Torre as Rafael Dacanay, a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War in 1900. When U.S. troops garrison his village, Rafael comes under pressure to collaborate with the blood-and-guts Colonel Hardacre (Cooper) as he tries not to betray his people, especially his brother Simon (Lazaro), head of the local Filipino guerillas. A sympathetic American lieutenant (Garret Dillahunt) learns that ‘hearts and minds’ cannot be won at gunpoint. A devious Spanish friar (Tony nominee Yul Vasquez) thwarts communication with his spiteful intrigues. And Rafael is forced to make the near-impossible, potentially deadly decision faced by civilians in an occupied country. An epic portrait of friendship and betrayal, romance and heartbreaking violence, AMIGO is a page torn from the forgotten history of imperialism and a mirror of today’s unresolvable conflicts.

Winner of 10 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress – 2011 Urian Awards (Philippine Film Critics’ Association), AMIGO is written and directed by John Sayles (Matewan, Passion Fish, Lone Star, Eight Men Out), produced by Maggie Renzi, co-produced by Joel Torre, Mario Ontal. Starring Joel Torre, Chris Cooper (Oscar winner, "Adaptation"), Garret Dillahunt, Ronnie Lazaro, Rio Locsin, Bembol Roco, DJ Qualls and Yul Vasquez (Tony nominee, "Mother F With A Hat").

AMIGO will open across America in major cities (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.) on August 19 and will platform weeks later in other cities. It will open in the Philippines (Manila & other cities) on July 6.

For more information, please visit: http://www.variancefilms.com/amigopress.html, or www.johnsaylesbaryo.blogspot.com.