Hong Kong-based ACT3 and Philippine production company Blackops Studios Asia have cast Cuba Gooding Jr., Luke Ford, Keith Duffy and multimedia artist Qymira in the international action thriller “Lotus,” the first project under the companies’ multi-year five-film slate deal.
The film was introduced to international buyers and distribution partners at the Cannes Film Market, with principal photography scheduled to take place in Manila from September through October, alongside additional scenes in Brazil.
Filmmaker Pedring Lopez directs the project from a screenplay co-written with Rex Lopez. The production also stars actor-producer Cristian Lavin and Brazilian actor Alberto Cowboy.
Gooding Jr. said, “‘Lotus’ marks my first major project shooting in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. There’s an energy to this project and to Manila that immediately pulled me in. The vision Pedring and the team have for this film is raw, dangerous and global.”
Ford added, “What drew me to ‘Lotus’ was how grounded and unpredictable the world felt. There’s a rawness to the story and the way Pedring wants to shoot the film that makes it feel immediate and immersive. Manila and Brazil are incredible backdrops for this kind of action-thriller, and I’m excited to be part of something that feels both intimate and global at the same time.”
Qymira also shared: “This film is bigger, darker and even more ambitious, and I’m excited to be part of a story that connects Manila and Brazil in such a visceral way.”
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