A Saint in the Making: Ben Yalung’s Upcoming Film on Venerable Archbishop Teofilo Camomot
Ben Yalung’s comeback film will be about Venerable Archbishop Teofilo Camomot
Ben Yalung, the filmmaker behind religious-themed movies Kristo and Ama Namin, is back again with a full-length feature to be shot this 2025. The film is about Venerable Teofilo Camomot, a Cebuano archbishop who has touched the lives of many through his life of miracles and pious work.
Known to many as Father Lolong, Camomot was ordained a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Cebu in 1941, and finally a coadjutor archbishop in Cagayan de Oro in 1958. The movie, to be written by Celso de Guzman, will be in the vein of classical religious movies such as The Passion of the Christ and The Ten Commandments, taking the serious, evangelical route in hopes of spreading the gospel through the movie.
The biopic will focus on the humble beginnings of the archbishop during his childhood to adolescence, and finally as a priest serving God and his community. The lead actor is yet to be casted, but Yalung and other media personalities have mentioned the names Paulo Avelino, Cedrick Juan, Coco Martin, and Piolo Pascual. “One thing’s for sure, the actor must be religious himself,” Yalung emphasized.
The filmmaker also teased other upcoming projects, such as the sequel to Kristo and a film on the Lipa apparitions. Aside from film, he also gave some updates on his other initiatives, like the Asia Pacific Film Institute (APFI) and Emmanuel Television Network Philippines (ETVN). The former is a film school that offers “à la carte” classes and 6-month courses for those who want to pursue a career in the industry, while the latter is a platform for the faithful, with a variety of content on Catholicism.
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