MANILA – The writer and director of “Four Sisters Before the Wedding” are appealing to the public to watch Star Cinema’s most recent offering legally in a call against piracy.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, filmmaker Mae Cruz Alviar said they poured their blood, sweat and tears in making this movie and it would mean a lot to everyone behind it if people would see the film through the many legal ways available.

“We risked it all to come up with a movie for the company and for the audience. Nakikiusap talaga ako. Buhay namin ang tinaya namin to make this film. Itong film na ito, kabuhayan ng mga tao. Kabuhayan ito ng mga gumagawa ng pelikula hindi lang para sa ABS-CBN pero sa industriya namin,” she said.

“Kapag nakagawian niyo ang pamimirata, anong klaseng future ang meron tayo? Nakakaiyak, nakakagalit na nangyayari iyon. Sana tigilan natin, lalo mga bata pa yung nakikita kong ibang namimirata. Please let’s stop doing that. Let’s watch legally. Let’s support the industry,” she added.

Writer Vanessa Valdez echoed Alviar’s statement, while also asking Filipinos to help spread the word of where the movie could be watched.

“Sana po tulungan niyo kami na i-spread 'yung word na sana mapanood ang aming pelikula pero sa legal na paraan. Lagi ko nga pong sinasabi na kapag pinapahalagahan niyo ang aming pelikula, kapag hindi niyo ito ninanakaw, pinapahalagahan niyo po hindi lang ang aming ginawa pero pati na rin ang buhay namin na inalay namin dito,” she said.

Starring Alexa Ilacad, Gillian Vicencio, Charlie Dizon and Belle Mariano, “Four Sisters Before the Wedding” is available to stream for P150 on KTX.ph, iWant TFC, Sky Cable PPV, and Cignal PPV, with each ticket allowing a 48-hour window to view the film.

The Star Cinema production is also being screened at select cinemas of SM and CityMall nationwide.

It is a prequel to the 2013 film “Four Sisters and a Wedding” helmed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, with the principal cast including Bea Alonzo, Angel Locsin, Toni Gonzaga and Shaina Magdayao.

The follow-up, set 10 years before the wedding, explores the relationships of the sisters and the events that led to their respective conflicts as shown in the original film.

When asked why they decided to pursue this project instead of just creating a new story, Valdez said: “Hindi ko alam kung tama 'yung salitang kinailangan pero ginusto siya talaga ng management. Nakitaan po nila ng potential na pwede pa tayong magkuwento tungkol sa magkakapatid na ito. Kasi every year, we get questions if will there be sequel.”

“Sa totoo lang, given the schedules of our more senior actresses, it was always going to be a difficult endeavor kung paano pagsasama-samahin 'yun. And then we also have these new stable of talents and we thought why not give them a chance to shine,” she added.

Meanwhile, Alviar shared how the movie helped her grow as a director.

“It gave me confidence kasi siyempre I had my fears doing this because of the kind of film that it is. It’s a prequel of a very iconic film. Tapos this film was done during the pandemic. Marami akong fears coming in, kung kaya ko ba with the limitations and all,” she said.

At the end of the day, Alviar said she went ahead in directing this movie “out of love.”

“And pinakaimportante doon is in spite of all the fears, my driving force was the love for my company. Kaya gusto ko talagang gawin ito. Ginawa ko ito primarily because of that. Iba pala kapag ang motivation mo pagmamahal. Grabe yung tapang na nabibigay niya sayo,” she said.

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