Cinemalaya Entry Starring Jasmine and Janella Draws Complaint from Resort Guest
OPEN ENDINGS – A guest at The Beach Resort in Batangas has raised concerns about the filming of the upcoming Cinemalaya 2025 entry. The movie stars Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Janella Salvador, Leanne Mamonong, and Klea Pineda, and tells the story of four queer friends. Directed by Nigel Santos, the film is set to premiere in October.
The complaint came from an Instagram user, @chitet_cruise, who shared that her family and friends—along with more than 20 other guests—had their vacation disrupted by the movie’s production team. According to her post, the crew acted as if they owned the place, giving instructions to paying guests on what to do, where to stay, and even where to place their belongings. She claimed they were told not to gather in groups and were even directed where to look or sit, which she found unreasonable.
She also noted that the café inside the resort was turned into a makeshift dressing room for the artists and crew, making it inaccessible to other guests. This included ironing clothes inside the café, which she described as inappropriate. She questioned why the production team did not rent the entire resort if they planned to take over shared spaces.
Her frustration was evident, especially since her group had booked the resort three weeks in advance and traveled long distances to be there. She emphasized that guests had paid for their stay, while the film crew appeared not to have rented the venue exclusively.
There is speculation that the production may have asked some guests to appear as background extras, which could explain the instructions. However, if that were the case, many believe proper communication and consent should have been ensured.
As of this writing, the Instagram account @chitet_cruise has been set to private, although screenshots of the original post are still circulating online.
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