It’s a win for Bliss as the MTRCB changed their rating from X to R-18.
This was confirmed by MTRCB Chair Rachel Arenas after the film went through a second review. The R-18 rating gives Bliss a chance to be shown in local cinemas starting May 10, and it’s going to be uncut. Better prepare yourselves because we heard it’s messed up and creepy.
“We are delighted that the Filipino audience can finally see Bliss in its integral version,” executive producers Eduardo Rocha and Fernando Ortigas said. “We hope the public would continue to show the same passion and support for this film once it comes out in the cinemas.”
Bliss was given an X rating due to its “prolonged and realistic depiction of aberrant sexual activity, sexually oriented dialogue, profanity, [and] gory violence.” This was questioned by director Jerold Tarog and lead actress Iza Calzado, who also won Best Actress at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.
Meanwhile, the R-18 rating also means that the film will be shown in selected cinemas only. But Iza’s manager Noel Ferrer assures everyone that there may be an R-16 version coming. This is “to accommodate more audiences and more theaters.”
We’ll definitely make time to catch this once it premieres. If you need a reminder on why you should too, watch the trailer below:
Congratulations, Bliss!
Screengrab from YouTube
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