'Penduko' is Matteo's moment

Matteo Guidicelli was speechless for a moment, struck by The T-Zone's question about how he feels that for 2023, the turf that had long belonged to the likes of box office kings Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. and Vic Sotto is his at the Metro Manila Film Festival this year. Chosen to be Philippine Cinema's legendary superhero Pedro Penduko for this generation, he's the man to bring the all-important action-fantasy genre to the all-Filipino Christmas film festival.

"It's truly overwhelming," said the 33-year-old actor, who led the film's star-studded cast Tuesday at a grand media conference at Viva Cafe in Araneta Center, Quezon City.