Dannyka Manangan

Carlo Aquino on being excited for this year’s MMFF: ‘Ang daming magagandang pelikula!’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>As one of the stars of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival entry <em>Bar Boys: After School,</em> Carlo Aquino revisited his role as Atty. Erik Vicencio ten years after leaving law school. This time around, his character and the rest of the cast encounter a whole new set of challenges in life as they navigate adulthood. Carlo admitted that unlike his MMFF entry last year <em>Hold Me Close,</em> the pressure to perform and be considered for an acting award is bigger this year. </p><div><br/></div><p>“Feeling ko naman sa lahat ng pelikula mataas ang expectations dahil Metro Manila Film Fest ito. Excited lang talaga ako dahil kasama ako dito. At saka excited ako for the FIliipinos kasi ang daming magagandang pelikula! Well every MMFF film festival naman magaganda ang pelikula,” he told the press during the MMFF Parade of Stars event. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/21/carlo-aquino-reveals-his-scary-health-struggle-this-year-nakakita-sila-ng-parang-bara-sa-puso-ko-0851"><strong>READ: Carlo Aquino reveals his scary health struggle this year: ‘Nakakita sila ng parang bara sa puso ko’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DScGXf5Ekbz/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A122338.09999999963%2C%22ls%22%3A122075.90000000037%2C%22le%22%3A122084.90000000037%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="719" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>As part of a talented roster of returning cast members like Kean Cipriano, Enzo Pineda, and Rocco Nacino, Carlo explained why he believes there are no big solo highlight scenes here for him.</p><p>“Feeling ko wala eh kasi ensemble siya. So yung buong pelikula is the highlight. So iaangat namin yung isa’t isa. Pero siyempre all the scenes with Ms. Odette (Khan) talagang yun yung mga inaabangan dahil siyempre  medyo senior niya si Ms. O tapos mahina na and everything, pero nakakapag-deliver pa din.” </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/22/carlo-aquino-reveals-that-he-and-charlie-dizon-want-to-have-a-baby-in-2026-sana-mapagbigyan-0838"><strong>READ: Carlo Aquino reveals that he and Charlie Dizon want to have a baby in 2026: ‘Sana mapagbigyan!’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>If there is one message that <em>Bar Boys: After School</em> hopes to spread to its viewers, Carlo said it is to encourage people to be more discerning about the systems and policies in place in society.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Wake up call, ganun. Kasi yung mga nangyayari dito sa role ni Will (Ashley), sa mga working students, tapos yung mga nagtatrabaho ng napakatagal pero wala pa ring nararating at kayod pa rin ng kayod. Ito yung mga sumasalamin sa mga araw-araw na Pilipino na nakikita natin. So feeling ko, sana maging wake up call sa kanila na kumwestiyon, magtanong sa mga nangyayari sa sistema sa bansang ito,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQeHiKTEg4m/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A122350.40000000037%2C%22ls%22%3A122075.90000000037%2C%22le%22%3A122084.90000000037%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="865" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2018/8/6/fresh-scoops/carlo-aquino-shares-the-reason-why-he-almost-quit-47806"><strong>READ: Carlo Aquino shares the reason why he almost quit showbiz</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Watch Carlo Aquino in the 2025 MMFF entry <em>Bar Boys: After School </em>which opens in cinemas nationwide starting December 25. The film also stars Odette Khan, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, Will Ashley, Kean Cipriano, Glaiza de Castro, Sassa Gurl, Klarisse de Guzman, and Emilio Daez. Directed by Kip Oebando and and produced by Leo Liban, Carlos Ortiz, and Jon Galvez</p>

<p>'Bar Boys: After School' star Carlo Aquino says the sequel to director Kip Oebanda’s 2017 film hopes to share a message of awareness for all the working class people in the country.</p>

'Bar Boys: After School' star Carlo Aquino says the sequel to director Kip Oebanda’s 2017 film hopes to share a message of awareness for all the working class people in the country.