MANILA -- (UPDATED) Director Antoinette Jadaone lambasted netizens for sharing links and uploading a pirated copy of her movie "The Achy Breaky Hearts," less than a week after it opened in theaters.
The movie, which stars Richard Yap, Ian Veneracion and Jodi Sta. Maria, earned P14 million on its opening day on June 29.
Jadaone, who is currently vacationing in the Maldives, took to Twitter to express her exasperation after the movie was illegally uploaded on social media, which was then shared.
Star Cinema, in a statement, denounced the act of uploading footage online without their consent, claiming that piracy is one of the major factors that has been "slowly killing" the local movie industry.
"Naalarma ang Star Cinema sa pagkalat na kopya ng pelikulang 'The Achy Breaky Hearts' sa Facebook habang ito ay ipinapalabas pa sa mga sinehan nationwide," the production outfit said.
"Ang pag-post ng buo o bahagi ng pelikula sa social media na walang pahintulot mula sa Star Cinema ay isang uri ng pagnanakaw na labag sa batas.
"Mahigpit naming kinukundina ang krimeng ito dahil ito ang dahan-dahang pumapatay sa industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino. Napakasakit nito at isang malaking pinsala sa daan-daang tauhang nagpagod para mabuo ang pelikula para sa mga manonood.
"Kaya naman nananawagan kami sa publiko na makiisa sa aming laban kontra piracy.
Star Cinema's advertising and promotions manager Mico Del Rosario also asked the help of the netizens to fight piracy by reporting the links and sites to report@abs-cbn.com.