Corporate Info

US OFFICE:
Unico Home Entertainment
P.O. Box 642319
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Tel: (310)-451-7476
Fax: (310)-496-0252

PHILIPPINE OFFICE:
1196 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extn., Makati City 1205
Philippines
Tel: (632)-899-3321
Fax: (632)-899-5678

Email addresses:
For general information
info@cinefilipino.com

When the company began in 2004, Unico Entertainment dedicated itself to distribute quality Filipino and Asian films to the world.

It is but a beginning of a mission to bring the best of Asian cinema to the global market through wholesale distributorship. This is UNICO’s own way of showcasing Filipino film greats by making these treasured masterpieces available for DVD distribution by international retailers.

As a division of Unitel Pictures, Unico Entertainment was established in New York to handle the film distribution of Unitel Pictures in North America. Unitel Pictures, an emerging creative force in independent cinema in the Philippines, has made a niche for itself in the local and global film industry by creating “homemade” movies – truly Filipino creations from conceptualization to actual production!

With this venture into theatrical releases, UNICO unleashes its strength as the fresh, new authority when it comes to releasing quality art house films. Recently, it became solely responsible in distributing two Unitel Pictures box-office hits to North America: the insightful drama, “American Adobo” and the heartwarming comedy, “Crying Ladies.” This is a true testament to UNICO’s capability in bringing Asian films to the American silver screen.

And the company remains committed! More Filipino and Asian films are planned for wholesale DVD distribution or theatrical releases in the months to come. It is a commitment that leaves the film industry richer as UNICO continues to make its mark as one of the world’s premier entertainment company.

About Unitel Pictures

Unitel Pictures International has always taken great pride and pleasure in making its movies. “Homemade” is what it wants to call them because every project -- from conceptualization to actual production, to editing and post-work to marketing – is Unitel’s own. “Homemade” too because the movies’ stories hit closer to home. They are elaborations and close-up encounters with the little quirks, sensitivities and eccentricities of Philippine culture.

Unitel likes to take stories that most would consider mundane and easy-to-take-for-granted, and turn them into artistic representations that audiences resonate with. With an eye for making the usual unusual and worth a closer look, Unitel Pictures places a premium on out-of-the-box-thinking. It continues to lead the way in making attention-getting, out-of-the-ordinary Filipino films that earn critics’ nods and audiences’ enthusiasm.

Tony Gloria, Unitel Pictures President, says the secret is being “eloquently simple”. It is not about being outlandish and radical, or overly dramatic. It is simply taking the various life situations that reflect Filipinos and their culture, and retelling those stories in a fresh, interesting way.

Unitel Pictures International’s first venture into film production was the insightful drama “American Adobo.” Directed by Laurice Guillen, one of Philippine cinema's most critically and commercially successful directors, “American Adobo” is a Philippine-American co-production of Unitel Pictures, ABS-CBN Entertainment (the Philippines' largest film and TV company), and Kevin J. Foxe, Executive Producer of "The Blair Witch Project."

“American Adobo” had a theatrical run in the United States in early 2002. It is now released in video stores in the United States. “American Adobo” continues to entertain audiences round the world and can be ordered on the web thru Amazon.com.

Unitel Pictures’ second project, “Crying Ladies” is a story based on a Palanca literary award-winning script written by its director, Mark Meily, who made his first ever full-length feature film. The movie stars the biggest star of Philippine cinema to date, Sharon Cuneta, the Mega Star of Philippine Cinema. A stellar cast gives her ample backing in this funny but poignant story of a mother and her young son. Screen legend, Hilda Koronel and outstanding actors Eric Quizon, Angel Aquino and Ricky Davao round up the cast..

“Crying Ladies” won six major awards in the 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Eric Quizon), Best Supporting Actress (Hilda Koronel), Best Child Performer (Julio Pacheco) and Best Actress-People’s Choice Award (Sharon Cuneta). It was also one of only two entries that received a Grade A from the Cinema Evaluation Board in 2003. It’s also 2004 Philippines’ Official Entry in the Best Foreign Language Film competition for the Academy Awards.

It has had a successful theatrical run in cinemas across America including New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Honolulu. It got raves from the international press, specifically the New York Times, the LA Times, LA Weekly, Star Ledger and Box Office Magazine, among others.

“Crying Ladies”, The Movie is now available on VCD and DVD, while “Crying Ladies”, the album CD, a compilation of songs by 12 extraordinary local musical talents inspired by the movie, is also now on sale locally and in the US.

With two box office hits in its score chart, Unitel Pictures International now has the reputation of being the home for dynamic, independent cinema in the Philippines. Unitel Pictures International meanwhile continues to distinguish itself by securing theatrical distribution for its films in the United States, and other parts of the world.

“Imelda”, winner of the Excellence in Cinematography Award (nonfiction category) at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, is Unitel Pictures International’s first film acquisition, with the rights to distribute it both in the Philippines and abroad. “Imelda” is a documentary about the former Philippine First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos which has been warmly received wherever it’s played, including the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam and, most recently, the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Unitel’s other film acquisition, “Magnifico” is a heartwarming story of a young boy whose amazing love, faith and courage shine through life’s sadness and misfortunes, which won the International Jury Grand Prix, Crystal Bear Award and Kinderfilmfest awards at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival.

UNICO Entertainment, a division of Unitel Pictures International, was established in New York in 2004 to handle the distribution of Unitel’s films in North America. UNICO specializes in handling the theatrical release of Filipino films, Asian cinema and other quality art house features in theaters worldwide.