Former Black Sheep head Kriz Gazmen succeeds Olivia Lamasan as ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc. head effective May 1. FILE/ABS-CBN
MANILA — Kriz Anthony Gazmen, whose business unit Black Sheep produced the Kapamilya hits “Alone/Together” and “Exes Baggage,” has been appointed as the new head of ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. effective May 1, the company announced on Friday.
Gazmen succeeds acclaimed filmmaker Olivia Lamasan, who remains with ABS-CBN Films as consultant for its film brands Star Cinema and Black Sheep.
First joining Star Cinema in 2007 as creative producer, Gazmen went on to take bigger roles in the group, eventually becoming creative director in 2015. He then led the establishment of Black Sheep in 2018.
Among Gazmen’s notable projects over the years, prior to his stint in Black Sheep, were “I Love You Goodbye” (2009), “No Other Woman” (2011), “One More Try” (2012), “The Trial” (2014), and “Etiquette for Mistresses” (2015).
“In his new role, Kriz will usher in a fresh era of storytelling as ABS-CBN Films continues to explore novel approaches in content creation and platform migration in order to reach more audiences,” the company said.
Lamasan, who is fondly called “Inang” in the film industry, will continue to be part of ABS-CBN Films as consultant for content, partnerships, and talent management via RISE Artists Studio.
The award-winning filmmaker has been with ABS-CBN for 34 years, during which she directed the acclaimed titles “Sana Maulit Muli” (1995), “Madrasta” (1996), “Milan” (2004), “In the Name of Love” (2011), “The Mistress” (2012), “Starting Over Again” (2014), and “Barcelona: A Love Untold” (2017), among others.
Lamasan also helped shape ABS-CBN’s drama landscape on television, as creator of the iconic “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” the pioneering teleserye “Pangako Sa ‘Yo,” as well as the well-loved primetime series “Forevermore.”
“Amid the many challenges brought by the pandemic, Olive steered ABS-CBN Films towards new ventures and partnerships, making its well-loved content available across different platforms while maintaining its position as a reliable producer of inspiring Filipino stories,” the company said.