MANILA, Philippines - The movie ?Botelya? marks a series of firsts, says Eloisa Matias, head of Entertainment and Events of Unitel?s Gener8.

The full-length feature debut of Emmanuel ?Manny? Palo is set to be screened in different barangays, to popularize among nursing mothers the healing wonders of touch therapy for babies.

?This is the first time for Johnson & Johnson to produce a film, and also the first project of Gener8, Unitel?s new branch that handles projects outside of the advertising and film worlds,? Eloisa explains.

Comprehensive

Confirms Ita Karokaro, senior brand manager for Johnson?s baby moisturizer: ?For the first time, we are talking to mothers outside of the 30-second commercial format. We feel that, through a movie, we can connect better with our audience [and] be more comprehensive in relaying our message.? (She says a roving cinema will visit various villages in the Greater Manila Area starting this month until August.)

Agrees Alex Tacderas, marketing manager, ?We know that Filipino mothers love melodrama, [so] film is the best medium to educate them on the many benefits of touch therapy.?

To make this ?educational? film ?entertaining,? Tacderas signed up the ?country?s most respected actresses? to play stellar roles: ?Anita Linda, Rosa Rosal, Boots Anson-Roa and Caridad Sanchez?mothers in real life?give the film the credibility it deserves.?

The veteran actresses are ably supported by young talents Katrina Halili, Pauleen Luna, Alessandra de Rossi and Angel Aquino.

When she read the script, Anita says, she exclaimed, ?How can this be a commercial? It has a beautiful story. Very touching.?

Director Manny says he made sure of this, precisely. ?If viewers feel it?s just an extended TV commercial, they may get turned off,? he points out. ?As writer-director, my goal is to engage the audience. I want them to get engrossed in the narrative, to identify with the characters.?

Boots concurs: ?It?s not a direct endorsement. It talks about the unity of the Filipino family, transcending generations. It also reflects the nurturing nature of Filipino mothers.?

Endemic

Anita relates that the idea of ?touch therapy? is endemic to Filipinos. ?Our elders call it hilot. When a baby has a tummy ache, we are told by our mothers to massage the tummy with oil.?

Like her character in the movie, Boots says, she has become adept at giving massages.

?I had plenty of practice with my late father (Oscar Moreno) and husband (Pete Roa). The actor (Christian Moses del Rosario) who plays my grandson in the movie complimented me when I gave him a massage in a scene. Magaling daw akong mag-masahe.?

(Email: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)