Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal to shoot "Mammoth" in Manila

Mexican star Gael Garcia Bernal is coming to the Philippines to shoot part of his upcoming film Mammoth. A source tells PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "A famous Spanish film group is presently doing pre-production for a movie starring Gael Garcia Bernal scheduled to be shot partly in Manila in December."

Gael has been chosen to topbill Mammoth, the English-language debut of Swedish director Lukas Moodysson. This movie is a domestic drama involving a young couple, their child and their Filipino nanny, played by actress Marife Necisito—who was previously cast in the indie films Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino (1994) and Pandanggo (2006).

In Mammoth, Gael plays a successful New York-based IT (Information Technology) tycoon who decides to radically change his life while on a trip to Thailand with his wife and daughter.

The Mexican actor gained international acclaim for playing the Argentine-born doctor-turned-Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in the 2004 film, The Motorcycle Diaries. Gael has also acted in the English-language films, Babel (2006) and The King (2005). Under the direction of Alfonso Cuarón for the movie Y tu mamá también (2001), he won the Marcello Mastroianni Award in the Venice International Film Festival. Gael also stars in his directorial debut Déficit, which is scheduled for release within the year.
The Swedish writer-director Lukas previously directed the teen-trafficking drama Lilya 4-ever and the lesbian film Show Me Love.

According to Variety.com, the $10 million production begins shooting in November in Thailand, New York, Sweden, and the Philippines.