NewGen multimedia star Shanaia Gomez is set to send shivers down viewers’ spines this Halloween season, facing the gripping terror behind a mysterious artifact as the lead star of the new iWantTFC Original horror film The Gatekeeper, streaming on-demand and for free beginning 19 October (Saturday).
From the creative minds behind the award-winning historical biopic Quezon’s Game, Matthew and Dean Rosen, The Gatekeeper delves deep into the demonic mysteries lurking in the real world while blending biblical elements into Filipino folklore as presented through the lens of an antiques dealer, Cita (Shanaia). She comes across of a strange cabinet that also serves as a portal to the horrific pits of the underworld — suddenly becoming the gatekeeper between two drastic worlds.
During the “Unlock the Mystery” reveal event, Shanaia candidly shared that acting in a horror genre was something she did not expect in her showbiz career. Despite it, she expressed her excitement for viewers to experience the film and expressed her willingness to explore other roles in various genres.
“I remember that if there was a genre I did not think I would be able to do, it was horror. Suddenly, this opportunity came and I told myself to do my best. I discovered so much about myself making this movie. I am excited to take on other roles and genres,” Shanaia said.
Prior to what is touted as her big break as an actress, Shanaia first competed as an aspiring singer in the debut season of Idol Philippines and became a celebrity housemate for Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10.
She has also starred in various Kapamilya series including FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, Can’t Buy Me Love and iWantTFC original He’s Into Her, a theatrical billing in The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and an appearance in the country’s all-time highest-grossing film Rewind. Meanwhile, Shanaia is also making waves in the music scene, recently releasing her new single “Cloud 9” under Star Music.
“I’ve been saying this since I started. What I’ve been doing here in the Philippines is I want to do everything: host, dance, act, sing they tell me that I must choose, I can’t because I love doing all of them and it really warms my heart when people appreciate it.” she said
The showrunners then applauded Shanaia for her must-watch performance as the lead star of The Gatekeeper.
“We are in awe of her acting ability, her acting decisions and her patience to achieve perfection. She brings something special to the character of Cita making it very believable and will resonate with audiences,” Matthew said.
With the upcoming iWantTFC original gearing towards its release this October, the show directors expressed their excitement for its premiere and what audiences should expect apart from its frightening scenes.
“I hope it takes the audience on the same journey of thought-provoking discovery and unsettling fear to search for answers to clarify what Cita uncovers. There are many things to fear in this movie. But what we should fear most is that it could all be true,” Matthew shared.
“The Gatekeeper is as much a mystery movie as a horror movie. It combines mysteries from biblical times with mysteries from Filipino history, and by the end, it offers an answer to them all,” Dean added.