New ‘GomBurZa’ movie set to honor the 3 martyred priests in Philippine history

Here’s a first look into Pepe Diokno’s upcoming period piece ‘GomBurZa’ | Screencap from the ‘GomBurZa’ teaser trailer

If you’ve been around social media long enough, you might remember the infamous “MaJoHa” incident that went viral in 2022. 

This was what the housemates of reality TV show “Pinoy Big Brother” mistakenly called Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, the three martyred Filipino priests collectively known as GomBurZa. The then trending topic made Filipinos reflect on the state of Philippine history in education and the importance of nationalism at present.

Amid ongoing historical revisionism hindering students from understanding its truths, historians and so many other Filipinos are making a collective effort to defend history and encourage more appreciation for it.

Part of that is making nationalist, historical films like MediaQuest (MQuest) Ventures’ and Jesuit Communications’ (JesCom) upcoming movie “GomBurZa.” It takes viewers back to the country’s colonial era, introducing the three priests whose outlooks on humanity and justice lit a fire in Filipinos’ hearts. 

The historical drama’s teaser trailer, released Oct. 12, also shows an ensemble cast mulling over religion and class disparity as well as seeking freedom under Spanish rule.

Directed by Pepe Diokno, “GomBurZa” stars Dante Rivero as Gomez, Cedrick Juan as Burgos, and Enchong Dee as Zamora. Piolo Pascual and new generation actors Elijah Canlas and Tommy Alejandrino will also participate, adding to the film’s must-watch factors. The one-minute trailer promises a fulfilling lesson on what freedom truly meant for Filipinos throughout history.

Following the trailer’s release, MQuest Ventures’ president and CEO Jane J. Basas shared that “GomBurZa” is their first partnership with JesCom Films. Their joint goal is to distribute the film to as many Filipinos as possible, even targeting a spot in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

JesCom also produced “Ignacio de Loyola,” the 2016 biographical drama on St. Ignatius of Loyola. It got nominated for Best Picture at the International Film Festival in New York and won Best Film at the Mirabile Dictu Catholic Film Festival in the Vatican. 

Will “GomBurZa” receive similar international acclaim? We’ll have to find out when it reaches theaters.