This International Women’s Month, Netflix puts the spotlight on its strong, diverse, and authentic female characters through the eyes of two Filipino artists, Betsy Cola and CJ De Silva. They’re two talented Pinoy illustrators who share their favorite female Netflix characters through stunning artwork in their own signature style.

Check out what they have to say about their work:

CJ De Silva

Seo Dal-mi from Start-Up

“I am 100% Team Dal-mi! She’s unapologetically ambitious and street-smart. She’s a pragmatic dreamer who’s fascinated by brilliant ideas and takes risks to bring it to life.”

Enola Holmes from Enola Holmes

“I wish I had an Enola Holmes to look up to when I was a young girl. I hope a lot of parents saw this movie. Because imagine raising a girl in a home filled with knowledge, skills, art and most of all, freedom!”

Max from Stranger Things

“I love Max so much I named our second cat after her. I love how she shook the boys out of their geeky snobbery, beating Dustin at Dig Dug and proving that she’s an essential part of the ‘Party.’ But more importantly, I also love how her relationship with Eleven evolved: from being someone Eleven was initially jealous of, to the best of friends who want the best for each other.”

Maeve and Aimee from Sex Education

“Maeve and Aimee’s friendship is a powerful representation of female friendships  -- being each other’s source of strength and bravery.”

Yuzuha Usagi from Alice in Borderland

“I identified with [Usagi’s] introversion and her sense of independence. I also think her being a mountain climber is such a powerful symbolism for the mountain of struggles women face.”

Devi Vishwakumar from Never Have I Ever

“[Devi] is a nerd and proud of it. She’s intelligent and eloquent, but still naive and makes a lot of mistakes. She’s got a temper and that doesn’t make her a bad person, it normalises vulnerability.”

Betsy Cola

Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit

“I couldn't look away from Beth's journey in The Queen's Gambit. It was great to watch her embrace her femininity at a time when women have to endure so much in order to be respected in a male-dominated field like chess.”

Vivian and Lucy from Moxie

“I've always been fascinated with the Riot Grrrl culture and movement, and when I saw that Moxie was inspired by that same fierce, feminist spirit, I was thrilled. I decided to illustrate Vivian, whose warranted anger pushed her to fight for her fellow female students, and Lucy, who is so inspiring by being unapologetically herself.”

Captain Jang from Space Sweepers

“It's rare to see a woman front and center in a sci-fi blockbuster, but even rarer to see a woman of color in that spot. Captain Jang from Space Sweepers is a badass leader in every way.”

Penelope and Eloise from Bridgerton

“Penelope and Eloise stand out because amid the societal pressure of getting married and becoming perfect marriage material, they demand to be seen as women who can be more than what is expected of them.”

Mildred Ratched from Ratched

“She's a complex woman with a traumatic past, and while she has to present a cold front in a male-dominated world, she also gets a queer love story -- which is great to see in a period piece!”

For more stories by, for and about women, check out the International Women’s Day collection at www.netflix.com/internationalwomensday. 

The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big... “In the Heights.”

Lights up on Washington Heights...The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community.  At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.

“In the Heights” fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director John M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.

“In the Heights” stars Anthony Ramos (“A Star is Born,” Broadway’s “Hamilton”), Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton,” “BlacKkKlansman”), singer/songwriter Leslie Grace, Melissa Barerra (TV’s “Vida”), Olga Merediz (Broadway’s “In the Heights”), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Broadway’s “Rent”), Gregory Diaz IV (Broadway’s “Matilda the Musical”), Stephanie Beatriz (TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Dascha Polanco (TV’s “Orange is the New Black”) and Jimmy Smits (the “Star Wars” films).

Chu is directing the film from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes; it is based on the musical stage play, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and concept by Miranda. “In the Heights” is produced by Miranda and Hudes, together with Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman and Mara Jacobs. David Nicksay and Kevin McCormick served as executive producers.

“In the Heights” was filmed in New York, primarily on location in the dynamic community of Washington Heights.  

“In the Heights” is distributed worldwide and in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a WarnerMedia Company. Use the hashtag #InTheHeightsMovie

2021 Mar 5th  - The trailer for Navillera, a drama about the unlikely friendship between Deok-chul, a 70-year-old man who takes up ballet, and Chae-rok, a late bloomer 23-year-old ballerino, has been unveiled. Adapted from the highly acclaimed webtoon of the same name, Navillera unites director Han Dong-hwa, called the master of the human drama for his works Squad 38 and Miss Lee, with writer Lee Eun-mi who made a strong impression with Tunnel. Their collaboration has set high expectations.

In the drama, Park In-hwan plays a retired postman, Deok-chul, who seeks to fulfill his lifelong dream of ballet as he nears the end of his life. Song Kang plays a young man, Chae-rok, who has a unique talent for ballet but realizes his talent fairly late compared to his peers. Chae-rok’s life unexpectedly changes as he becomes a ballet mentor to the 70-year-old grandpa.

The trailer shows Park In-hwan (Deok-chul) nearing the end of his life and Song Kang (Chae-rok) who wonders if he’s on the right path with his late career start, as they find their dreams together. In the trailer, Park In-hwan captures the audience’s attention as he throws away cherished mementos in an effort to erase his attachment to ballet. However, seeking a final purge, he heads to the ballet studio where he states, “I’ve never done anything I wanted to do,” signaling a final pursuit with no regrets after recollecting his past.

The trailer gives a glimpse of the confusing reality Song Kang finds himself in. With nothing going his way - not his family, not the people around him, not even ballet - Song Kang sits on the practice room floor alone with his frustration. Tired of his cold reality, he vents, “I don’t know how to live in the future, whether there’s a tomorrow or not,” expressing regret.

In the next shot, we see Park In-hwan remark to Song Kang, “I only have one life. That’s why this moment is precious to me.” He expresses his final pursuit of his lifelong passion, ballet, as he nears the end of his life. The two men - Park In-hwan, who had no choice but to bury his dream, and Song Kang, who stands in front of his dream but without full commitment - come to pursue their challenging passions together.

Watch Navillera when it premieres on March 22 with new episodes every Monday and Tuesday at 10.00pm Philippine Standard Time, two hours after release in Korea, only on Netflix! 

Production Information

Title: Navillera

Director: Han Dong-hwa

Written: Lee Eun-mi

Starring: Park In-hwan, Song Kang, Na Moon-hee, Hong Seung-hee

Produced by: Studio Dragon, The Great Show

Distributed by: Netflix

Release Date: March 22, 2021 with new episodes every Monday and Tuesday at 10PM Philippine Standard Time

DUBAI, UAE, MARCH 3, 2021 - And so, March has begun. To millions around the world, it is the month that sits at the cusp of winter and spring when, as the cliche goes, birds sing, flowers bloom, bees buzz and people fall madly in love. 

So, it's a very good time for leading Filipino film outfit ABS-CBN Star Cinema to make a special delivery of a much-awaited Filipino romantic comedy pairing right to your home or personal gadget via the streaming app iWantTFC. 

Starring award-winning TV and film superstars Coco Martin ("Ang Probinsiyano", "Walang Hanggan", "You're My Boss") and Angelica Panganiban ("Walang Hanggang Paalam", "Banana Sundae", "That Thing Called Tadhana") in their first film together, the rollicking movie delight, "LOVE OR MONEY, becomes available for global viewing on iWantTFC starting March 12, but viewers can avail of the early bird rate now till March 11!* (See details below).

Seal the package with premium label as it is directed by blockbuster hit filmmaker Mae Cruz Alviar ("Crazy Beautiful You", "Bride For Rent", "She's the One", "Maging Sino Ka Man"). 

To date, the film trailer has earned over 5 million views across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in just two weeks.

The story of "LOVE OR MONEY" revolves around ex-lovers, Leon (Coco Martin) and Angel (Angelica), who cross paths in Dubai three years later after they spent one magical night together that ended with a proposal.  But the following day, Angel left Leon without any word.

When they meet again in Dubai where Leon works as a waiter, he finds out that Angel is determined to do anything to realize her dreams and ambitions. As Angel helps Leon figure out his way into the city, Leon sweeps her off her feet again. But will love be enough the second time around?

The Magic of Dubai

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Coco said he has been to Dubai three times. "I always look forward to coming to this city," he said. "It's beautiful. There is always something new.  Something is always being built. The architecture continuously evolves."

The film was shot before the COVID pandemic. Coco shared his observations about Filipinos in Dubai, a destination city in United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, and a lively nightlife.

"There are so many Filipinos living in Dubai, and they are competitive, professional, proud of their work and happy with their jobs," Coco said. "Maayos sila doon. (Their situation is good over there). I learned a lot from them. But you also feel a sense of sadness as they don't have their families with them." 

Coco added that he completely understood where his character Leon is coming from. "Before, I was one of the many Filipinos who dreamt of working abroad. Our mentality is working abroad is the solution to hardships in our country. The character of Leon was me in my younger years. My character is a waiter and I worked as a waiter before in restaurants and hotels.  I also worked as a janitor.  But in doing the role, I had to study the location as overseas Filipinos in Canada, America, Italy and here in UAE are different because they live in different environments and cultures."

This was echoed by his co-star, Angelica, who said that playing the role of Angel was a challenge. "It's a responsibility," she said in an interview with ABS-CBN. "When you're playing a role that represents your kababayan abroad, you have to be accurate. You have to make sure that they can truly relate to what they're seeing. That when they watch it, they'll say, 'oo, ganyan talaga kami (that's really how we are)'". 

Angelica said that she enjoyed finally working with Coco where she got to know him better as a person.  Coco, on the other hand, said that when you mention "Angelica Panganiban", you know it's going to be a good project.  And that Star Cinema didn't make a mistake with "LOVE OR MONEY".

"Sulit na sulit ito (this is worth your money)," said Coco. When asked if he will choose love or money, "Before money, but today love," Coco said with a big laugh.

Joining Coco and Angelica in "LOVE OR MONEY" are Gelli De Belen, Ketchup Eusebio, Cai Cortez, Matet De Leon, Dante Rivero, Teresa Loyzaga, Norm McLeod, Pinky Amador, Cheska Inigo and Rose Artist Studio's Jeremiah Lisbo.

You can catch "LOVE OR MONEY" on iWantTFC for a special early bird rate of USD3.99/AED14.99/EUR4.49/GBP3.99 until March 11. Register on iWantTFC for free, no need for subscription or commitment.  *For instructions on how to buy tickets to "LOVE OR MONEY", visit this link.

The upcoming fantasy series tells the story of Davion, a renowned Dragon Knight devoted to wiping the scourge from the face of the world. Following encounters with a powerful, ancient eldwurm as well as the noble Princess Mirana on a secret mission of her own, Davion becomes embroiled in events much larger than he could have ever imagined.

About Valve:

Valve Corporation, founded in 1996, is a global leading game developer headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Its game titles include Half-Life, Portal, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, and more.

About DOTA 2:

DOTA 2 is one of the leading online games in the world, hosting millions of players daily and holding multiple records for top e-sports tournament prize earnings. Launched in 2011 by Valve, the annual International DOTA 2 Championship has paid over $150 million to its winning teams.

About Studio MIR:

Studio Mir Co., Ltd is a South Korean animation studio specializing in the entire production from start to finish. Founded in 2010, the studio has quickly tapped into the North American market with its strong producing skills of 2D animation sensibility and CGI technology. Among other works, it is best known for The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender, and the recently announced The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, expanding its traditional platform into the global OTT market.

About Netflix:

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 204 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.