“LSS” (Last Song Syndrome), the latest on-screen offering of real-life sweethearts Khalil Ramos and Gabbi Garcia as well as OPM powerhouse Ben&Ben, bagged five major accolades at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino “Gabi ng Parangal, Pagkilala, at Pasasalamat.” LSS won “Best Original Song” (‘Araw-Araw’ by Ben&Ben), “Best Sound Design” (Aurel Claro Bilbao & Arnel Labayo), “Special Jury Award,” “Pistapp Audience Choice Award,” and “Best Supporting Actress” (Tuesday Vargas), on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at the One Esplanade, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
Apart from taking part in the celebration of Philippine cinema’s centennial year, the lead stars consider their Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino entry special because it espouses local filmmaking as well as original Filipino music.
“It’s a two-in-one kind of a film because it integrates the music of Ben&Ben with its beautiful story. The fans and supporters would be able to feel the characters and their emotions,” Khalil shared with DJ Alice during his and Gabbi’s latest Roadshow gig.
The movie follows the story of an aspiring musician named Sarah (Gabbi Garcia), who’s willing to do everything to make a name for herself in the industry, and Zack, an IT specialist who’s desperate to find the love of his life. The two crossed paths inside a point-to-point bus and instantly bonded over their shared love of Ben&Ben’s music.
Gabbi shared that their personal takeaway from the film is how essential music is in bringing people together.
“When the script was pitched to us, we were impressed. And we were surprised that Ben&Ben is a part of it. Ben&Ben was a huge factor for us to say yes to this film,” the twenty-year-old multihyphenate, who admittedly got hooked with the folk troupe’s “Pagtingin” and “Bibingka,” revealed.
And the admiration is mutual. In a social media post, Ben&Ben professed their love and respect for the talented pair.
“I did not expect to be this obsessed with these two because of their character individually, how they treat each other, and how they treat us. They never made us feel alienated in the set, especially that we are newbies and it isn’t usual that a band ventures into acting. Most of all, they respect and love our music the same way we respect their art… And for that, they will forever have our love and respect and we will never forget this project,” vocalist Miguel shared.
Additionally, Khalil and Gabbi emphasized how the group played an integral part on how audiences experience the film. Patricia Lasaten, who plays keyboards in the band, did the original score for the entire movie and was even nominated for the Best Musical Score at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
On September 3, the “LSS” celebrities returned to the Wish Bus and gave their own spin to Ben&Ben’s hits — the WMA-winning track “Maybe The Night” and one of their latest releases, “Pagtingin,” featuring Gabbi’s sister Alex Lopez (guitars) and Noreen Yambao (violin).
The pair’s charming Wishclusive performance of “Pagtingin” premiered on Wish 107.5’s YouTube channel last September 13.
“We’re finally back inside the Wish Bus, and this time, we’re here together. We always love going here to perform, so thank you so much for having us again,” Ramos enthused.
Both acts have previously boarded the Wish Bus to showcase their music on separate occasions. Gabbi performed her debut single “All I Need,” which she wrote with Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, while Khalil breathed new life to the Rivermaya original “214.”
Prior to the debut of “LSS,” Ben&Ben has shared their music on the streets to give viewers a preview of the music-centered film. On September 10, their premiere night at the Trinoma Cinema in Quezon City got even more magical as the troupe surprised spectators by transforming the typical red-carpet event into a mini-concert.
READ: Back on the Bus: Ben&Ben Brings New Single ‘Mitsa,’ Performs with 4-Year-Old Fan
Directed by Jade Castro, #LSSTheMovie (Last Song Syndrome) starring Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos, featuring Ben&Ben (Paolo Guico, Miguel Guico, Poch Barretto, Jam Villanueva, Agnes Reoma, Patricia Lasaten, Andrew de Pano, and Toni Muñoz) is an official entry to the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019. This film is produced by Globe Studios and Dokimos Media Studios, Inc.
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