At long last, after 5 years in the making, director Quark Henaress RAKENROL is finally coming out. The much-anticipated movie is Henares and co-writer Diego Castillos (guitarist of Sandwich and music video director) ode to the Philippine rock music scene, which both consider their home. In the film, Irene (Glaiza de Castro, Grazilda, Amaya) and Odie (Jason Abalos, Endo, Mara Clara) are outsiders who become best friends because of their common love for Rock n Roll. Odie eventually falls in love with Irene, and helps fulfill her dreams of forming a band. They eventually recruit an ex-punk-turned-barista named Mo (Ketchup Eusebio, Guns and Roses, My Amnesia Girl) and the school bully Junfour (Alwyn Uytingco, Imortal, Ang Tanging Ina movies), eventually deciding to call their band HAPIPAKS. In the process, Irene is wooed by her all-time supercrush, the famous rockstar Jacci Rocha (Diether Ocampo), and the one thing that brought her and Odie together might end up destroying them. The supporting characters add color and humor to the cast, with Ramon Bautista as the music video director Flame Tigerblüden, Ricardo Cepeda as a samurai marketing guru, Jun Sabayton as Mos artist roommate, Hiyasmin Neri as Junfours pregnant girlfriend, and Matet de Leon as... Matet de Leon.

RAKENROL is Henaress fifth film, the director having done everything from internationally-acclaimed cult films (Keka) to big-budget Metro Manila Filmfest movies (Super Noypi). This, however, is his most personal film, and hes glad to collaborate with one of his closest friends on the project. Diego and I have probably done everything music-wise together, the young fimmaker says, weve hosted radio shows, co-directed videos, weve written articles about music. We were even in a band together once!  Castillo reveals that the film is very autobiographical. Were both from and into the local music industry and I guess a lot of our mutual friends started off in the scene and we both thought it would be a good idea to chronicle the things that weve seen over the years, he says.

RAKENROL will come out in theaters on August 10, but even now its had its fair share of international critical acclaim. The film has already screened in Italy (Udine Far East Film Festival), Los Angeles (Asia Pacific Film Festival) and San Francisco, and has been invited to international film festivals in Hawaii, Göteborg, San Diego and New York. In LA it won the Audience Choice award, and the top Asian film site Film Business Asia called the film "a lightly comic charmer that's sustained by its likeable leads and easygoing, big-hearted style." (Derek Elley)

   RAKENROL will be making its premiere as the closing film of Cinemalaya, on July 23, 2011 at 9pm. There will also be a concert at Harbour Square at the CCP Complex, featuring Itchyworms, Ciudad, Taken by Cars, Pedicab, Techy Romantics, Halik ni Gringo and Arigato Hato. Tickets are available through Ticketnet, just call 911-5555 for inquiries.