MANILA -- Anima Studios teased the first look of their biggest film projects this year: Two Cinemalaya Entries, a festival closer, and a long-awaited comeback.

The Philippine-based entertainment studio under KROMA Entertainment kicked off their 7th anniversary by unveiling the films to watch out for at their “Future Horizons” event in Makati City.

“ANIMA Studios has embarked on a journey of growth, innovation, and creativity. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and to paint the full spectrum of emotions across genres,” Head of Studio Bianca Balbuena said in her opening speech.

Among the Cinemalaya entries this year is the coming of age movie “Rookie,” written by Natts Jadaone and directed by Samantha Lee, as well as “When This Is All Over,”a “trippy, mind-bending story” directed by Kevin Mayuga.

The films will be shown at the 2023 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines from August 5 to 14 as well as select malls from August 10 to 16.

“Rookie,” starring Aya Fernandez, Pam Tingjuy and Agot Isidro, revolves around an awkward 6-foot teen who is forced to learn and play volleyball half-heartedly when the Catholic school she transferred to did not have a basketball team, and whose life will change when she meets their star player.

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Fernandez explained the film will be breaking new ground in the industry.

“This is going to be a very great opportunity to set for the future of where our film industry is going, of the change I want to see,” she noted.

Fernandez recalled training for the role for months.

“Volleyball is not my main sport so I had to train to get the proper form,” she said. “My role here is very different from my past works because you really have to hack your subconscious so I could react the way my character would react.”

• 'Rookie' a 'dream come true' for Aya Fernandez

“When This Is All Over,” starring actor-musician Juan Karlos, is meanwhile set around the biggest illegal rave party the lockdown has ever seen. It also delves on “the repressions caused by both social division and social distancing.”

According to Mayuga, the film will pick the brain of viewers.

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“Makes you think about the themes of the film. A little about privilege, a little about past. But also the party culture or the scene our film is in,” he teased.

“The whole film to me felt like a trip. The whole process felt like I put so much of my life and energy and everybody else…It is a film but is is a whole journey,” the director added.

Closing out this year’s Cinemalaya is the highly acclaimed Quark Henares-directed movie “Marupok AF (‘Where Is The Lie?’)” starring EJ Jallorina, Royce Cabrera, and Maris Racal.

The dark comedy, inspired by a real-life Twitter thread on catfishing, made rounds in international festivals this year including Slamdance, the Udine Far East Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

The big reveal of the evening, however, was the comedy-adventure “I Am Not Big Bird.” It serves as the comeback project for Enrique Gil, who was last seen in the teleserye “Make It With You.”

This initiative also marks Gil’s first venture into film production under his own outfit Make-A-Break.

“Sa tagal ko nawala start to zero nanaman ako. Hindi na ako sanay mag taping… I didnt think would act because of pandemic,” Gil admitted.

He went on: “Feels good to be back. Kala ko di ki namiss pero siyenpre mamiss mo. I just want to have a good time.”

• Enrique Gil to headline comedy film 'I Am Not Big Bird'

Set in the 2000s, the plot follows a group of Filipino friends who vacation in Bangkok. But chaos stirs when one of them draws unwanted attention as he is a look-alike of a famous Thai porn star named Big Bird.

“I Am Not Big Bird” was written by Palanca Award winner Lilit Reyes and Joma Labayen (“John En Martian,” “Kusina Kings,” “Boy Bastos”) and directed by Victor Villanueva (“Patay na si Hesus,” “John En Martian,” “Boy Bastos”). It will begin production soon and is slated for release before the year ends.

The actor, however, teased the line-up is just the beginning.

“Lahat ng projects nakahalad na, hindi pa nakikita or nagagawa in a while,” he shared.

“[I want] Filipinos makilala tayo sa ibang bansa legacy na maiwan natin,” Gil added.

ANIMA Studios has produced critically acclaimed winning films at Sundance, Toronto, Venice and Berlin. They have also landed a nominations at the Emmys and fielded an entry to the Oscars.

The production house also flaunts the first Netflix Originals film and the highest grossing MMFF entry at the height of the pandemic.