Teleserye queen Judy Ann Santos and reigning Box-Office queen Sarah Geronimo will be portraying loving sisters in the family-oriented movie Hating Kapatid. This Viva Films production is slated to open in cinemas starting July 21, 2010. The film will have its premiere at SM Megamall on July 19.

When asked to describe the chemistry of Judy Ann and Sarah in their first movie together, director Wenn Deramas quipped: "Naku, umabot po ng physics! Hindi lang chemistry, umabot sila sa physics! Maganda! Mahirap lang pagsalitain si Sarah pero mamaya, tumatabi na siya amin at niyayaya na namin siyang kumain at pumapasok na kami sa tent niya...hanggang sa siya na ang nag-o-open sa lahat-lahat. Kaya marami kaming alam kay Sarah."

Scriptwriter Mel Del Rosario differentiates their movie from other movies done in the past about siblings.

"Ito kasi hindi lang siya kuwento ng magkapatid. Na-tackle rin niya ang kuwento ng pamilyang OFW. It is not just a story of sisters but nagkaroon ng change ng dynamics sa relasyon dahil wala ang nanay at tatay. Nag-assume ang ate ng role ng mga magulang at nang bumalik, dun nagkagulo. It's very timely."

Hating Kapatid tells the story of Rica (Judy Ann Santos), the strict sister of Cecilia (Sarah Geronimo) who cares for her younger sibling because their parents are working abroad as OFWs.

Their closeness is tested when their parents come back to the Philippines. In addition, because of Rica's interference in her love life, Cecilia rebels against her sister, causing them to have a falling out. How will the two sisters patch things up?

Aside from Judy Ann and Sarah, Hating Kapatid will also star Luis Manzano, JC de Vera, Gina Pareño, Tonton Gutierrez, Vice Ganda and DJ Durano.


ON THEIR SISTERLY BOND. Members of the press asked Juday and Sarah to describe their relationship with each other as they portrayed sisters this movie.

Judy Ann says, "Hindi naman kasi mahirap maging kaibigan si Sarah. Mahirap lang siyang pagsalitain dahil ang alam lang niyang isagot ay tawanan ka. Pero si Sarah, pag nag-open na sa 'yo, dire-diretso naman. Pero ang sinasabi ko nga sa kanya na even after this movie, magiging mabuting magkaibigan kami hanggang sa nabubuhay kaming dalawa.

"Masuwerte ako na nakasama ko si Sarah kasi isa siya sa mga totoong tao na pwede mong makasama sa industriya na ito."

For her part, Sarah pointed out, "Napakaswerte ko na nabigyan ako ng chance na makatrabaho ang nag-iisang Ms. Judy Ann Santos. Hindi lang ang opportunity na makatrabaho kasama ang young superstar, pero ang chance rin na magkaroon ng totoong kaibigan sa magulong business na ito. Magulo pero masaya lalo na pag nakatagpo ka ng totoong tao."

When asked how they bonded with each other, Sarah replied, "Actually, meron kaming common friend ni Ate Juday at nakasama ko na si Ate Juday sa birthday party ng anak ni Ms. Beth Tamayo. Blessing po talaga na nakatrabaho ko si Ate Juday kasi mas maraming time para makasama ko siya at makausap at hingan ng advice. Nakapunta pa ko sa bahay nila at nag-bake kami ng cookies at nagkwentuhan."

The singer-actress also pointed out that she felt very relaxed while shooting Hating Kapatid with Juday. "Sa set, para kang nagbabakasyon. Walang bigat kasi sa ibang pelikula ko, pressured na pressured ka...halos nanginginig ka sa takot pero dito ang gaan-gaan ng pakiramdam."
 
In the 2002 movie Magkapatid, Juday formed a strong bond with her then co-star Sharon Cuneta. How would Juday compare her bond with Sarah considering that they have already worked as co-stars in this film?

"Kami naman ni Ate Sharon, yung pagiging magkapatid namin, hindi naman namin ine-expect na aabot kami sa puntong mamahalin namin ang isa't isa ng sobra-sobra. Hindi ko sinasabing hindi kami aabot sa puntong ganun ni Sarah pero hindi ito ang pagiging magkaibigan na tina-trabaho. It will naturally happen. Naniniwala ako na ang pagmamahalan namin ni Sarah, hindi nagtatapos sa pelikulang ito kasi si Sarah ang nakikitaan ko ng personality na hahanap-hanapin mo even after the project. Nagkataon lang na yung sa amin ni Ate Sharon, it gave us a chance to know each other better. And si Sarah, may effort naman siya to do the same. Willing akong maging ate ni Sarah kung gugustuhin niya."

Is Juday open to getting Sarah as one of the godmothers of her son? The wife of Ryan Agoncillo, who is scheduled to give birth this October, candidly said, "Ayokong kunin si Sarah na ninang. Ayaw ko siyang maging kumare kasi kapatid ko siya! Mas gusto ko siyang alagaan. Kung aalagaan ko yung baby ko, kasama si Sarah. Saka baby sister talaga yung tingin ko sa kanya. Hindi ko siya nakikitaan na kumare."

When asked if they already have a short list of godparents for her unborn son, Juday revealed: "Sa short list ng mga ninong at ninang, ang sigurado pa lang ang kapatid ni Ryan na si Kuya Dondi at ako sa part ko, si Beth [Tamayo]. Yun pa lang ang napag-usapan namin at two to three pairs lang at the most kasi inisip namin na kung masyadong mahabang listahan ng mga ninang, hindi naman nakikita, di ba? For sure, maraming magiging 'fairy godparents' na advisers tulad nina Direk Wenn at Biboy. Mga fairies namin talaga kasi sila ang nagpapasaya sa akin at sa kanila ako tumatakbo pag may problema ako. Kumbaga, sila ang angels na tinatawag namin."


ON THEIR LEADING MEN. The two sisters in the story will have their respective suitors, portrayed by Luis Manzano and JC de Vera.

This marks the first time that Sarah has been paired with Luis. She says of her leading man, "Napakasayang katrabaho ng taong yun. Napakabait niya. Yung atmosphere sa set namin lalong gumagaan kasi napaka natural niyang komedyante. Nadadala namin ang kakulitan niya onscreen at sana ma-appreciate ng tao kung ano man ang mai-o-offer namin sa kanila. Sana magustuhan nila yung chemistry namin."

She later adds: "Si Luis OA [over-acting] sa pag-alaga. Napaka-caring niyang tao pero nakita ko na 'yan at napaka-sincere rin siyang leading man. Makikita mo na on a professional level ang pagiging sweet niya kumbaga trabaho lang, at kaibigan lang."

Juday jokingly refers to her leading man JC as her "pamangkin." She quipped, "Ang kasunod ko pong ka-love team si Nash [Aguas]! Si JC nakasama ko na sa Ouija pero ka partner niya si Rhian Ramos. In fairness, lumevel naman siya ng edad sa akin. Ina-adjust naman niya ang sarili niya sa character niya na halos mukha kaming magka-edad...bilang bumalik ako sa katawan ko nung panahon ng Esperanza."


This Viva Films production will soon have international screenings in the following venues: Ontario, Canada; New York City, California and Honolulu in the United States; Dubai; and Guam.

Hating Kapatid will be screened in Austria on July 24 at the Plus City Hollywood Megaplex, Pasching; and July 25 at the Hollywood Megaplex Gasometer, Vienna. The movie will then be shown in Switzerland on July 31 and August 7 at the Kino Uto, Zurich. Moviegoers can also look forward to the screening of Hating Kapatid at the Uptown Cinema in Geneva on August 8. In Spain, the movie will be shown on August 21-22 at the Cine Comedia in Barcelona.


(CLICK HERE to watch Sarah Geronimo's interview with the press)