History tends to be really appreciative of revolutions, not so much of silent sacrifices that spark revolutions. GomBurZa highlights one of such defining moments, when injustice, faith and courage clashed in the colonial rule. The movie is not based on epic scenes, it is an invitation to the audience to think about the truth, silence, and price of doing what is right. GomBurZa uses a human and grounded approach to reviewing a painful chapter of history that has reconfigured the consciousness of a nation and is still reverberating in its identity, freedom and justice quest even now.
This article will provide complete information about the Cast of GomBurZa Film.
GomBurZa Movie Details
GomBurZa is a 2023 Philippine historical drama movie, which is co-written and directed by Pepe Diokno. The movie is about the life and last days of Gomburza, which was a collective name of three Filipino Roman Catholic priests, namely, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora whose death during the provision of the Spanish colonial authority turned out to be another historical event in the Philippines. Dante Rivero, Cedrick Juan, and Enchong Dee play the lead roles in the movie. Jesuit Communications, MQuest Ventures, and CMB Film Services produced it and it was distributed by Solar Pictures.
The film has a runtime of 112 minutes and it is available in Tagalog and Spanish making it more of a historical recreation. Cinematography, by Carlo Mendoza, and editing, by Benjamin Tolentino, give it a reserved, documentary feel, and the music written by Teresa Barrozo is not obtrusive to the story. The film, GomBurZa was released theatrically on December 25, 2023, as an official submission to the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival, where it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year. Its subsequent appearance on Netflix broadened its scope beyond local audiences, and international audiences were able to experience a vital part of the Philippine history.
| Category | Details |
| Genre | Historical Drama |
| Director | Pepe Diokno |
| Writers | Rodolfo C. Vera, Pepe Diokno |
| Country | Philippines |
| Languages | Tagalog, Spanish |
| Runtime | 112 minutes |
| Release Date | December 25, 2023 |
| OTT Release | April 9, 2024 (Netflix) |
| Box Office | ₱53 million |
| Festival | 49th Metro Manila Film Festival |
Plot Summary
All takes place later in Spanish rule in the Philippines, GomBurZa starts with a secular priest Pedro Peláez relating the sad destiny of Apolinario de la Cruz (Hermano Pule) -a Filipino native executed following his attempt to establish a religious movement after he was refused priesthood due to his race. The story is a dark omen of what is yet to happen.
The story then focuses on Padre Mariano Gomez, Padre Jose Burgos and Padre Jacinto Zamora who are Filipino secular priests who resist the increasing influence of the Spanish friars who are trying to seize control of the traditional parishes under the leadership of local clergy. Their fight is not only religious but it is a very political one based on racial discrimination and console hierarchy.
Following the death of Peláez in a Manila earthquake in 1863, Burgos proceeds to the fight as a teacher in the University of Santo Tomas, where he mentors such students as Paciano Mercado and Felipe Buencamino. There is a momentary rise of hope when the liberal Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre arrives but it all falls apart when the dictatorial Rafael Izquierdo comes in to replace him.
The plot turning point comes with the 1872 Cavite Mutiny, an unsuccessful rebellion that was caused by unfair policies toward Filipino soldiers. The Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora are scapegoats of the colonial government whereas the mutiny was planned by radical elites. The priests are crucially miscarried of a hastily conducted and seriously distorted court-martial by being charged with falsely witnessing to a fabricated deed and being wrongly accused through the coercion of Francisco Zaldua, a victim of torture himself.
The trial leads to a mental breakdown on the part of Zamora, Gomez, and Burgos openly criticize the trial as a farce. The three priests are condemned to death on the galleys although they are pleading and it is evident that they were wrongly charged. The Bagumbayan execution is described with agonized submissiveness, where dignity is found in resistance to oppression. The film depicts in an impressive epilogue that Jose Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to the Gomburza and that there is a direct connection between martyrdom of the Gomburza and the Philippine revolution it spawned.
Full Cast of GomBurZa Film
| Actor | Role |
| Dante Rivero | Padre Mariano Gomez |
| Cedrick Juan | Padre José Burgos |
| Enchong Dee | Padre Jacinto Zamora |
| Ketchup Eusebio | Francisco Zaldúa |
| Piolo Pascual | Padre Pedro Peláez |
| Elijah Canlas | Paciano Rizal |
| Khalil Ramos | José Rizal |
| Tommy Alejandrino | Felipe Buencamino |
| Jaime Fábregas | Archbishop Gregorio Martínez |
| Ronnie Lázaro | Francisco Rizal |
| Sue Prado | Teodora Alonso |
| Leo Rialp | Padre José Mosqueda |
| Arnold Reyes | Sgt. Fernando La Madrid |
| Gary Guarino | Andrés Bonifacio |
| Floyd Tena | Executioner |
Main cast of GomBurZa
Cedric Juan plays Padre Jose Apolonio Burgos
Cedrick Juan stars as Padre Jose Apolonio Burgos, who is the most intellectual figure in the Gomburza trio. His description highlights the fact that Burgos was a reformist priest who promoted secularization and non-discrimination of Filipino priests. Juan is played by Burgoes in a way that brings out calmness in his authority, moral conviction, and conflict in his heart as he faces the colonial injustice. Juan, with his socially based roles that he does with critical acclaim, offers both restraint and emotional depth to the character.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Cedrick Juan |
| Birth Date | October 29, 1995 |
| Age (2026) | 30 |
| Role | Padre José Apolonio Burgos |
| Known For | The Achy Breaky Hearts, Kalel, 30 |
Dante Rivero as Padre Mariano Gomes
Padre Mariano Gomes is the first priest in the three, a veteran actor Dante Rivero plays the role. Rivero brings seriousness and pride to the role which is the wisdom, restraint and moral leadership of Gomes. The vast experience he had in the Philippine film industry enables him to portray the silent power of a dying priest who stands firm with his values despite persecution by the political system. Ketchup Eusebio depicts Francisco Zaldúa, a civilian who was shot together with the priests. This act of his brings complexity to the story because it shows that even the ordinary Filipinos were carried along in the aftermath of the colonial oppression.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Dante Rivero |
| Birth Date | January 31, 1939 |
| Age (2026) | 87 |
| Role | Padre Mariano Gomes |
| Known For | Bilang na ang Sandali, Mano Po |
Enchong Dee as Padre Jacinto Zamora
Enchong Dee plays Padre Jacinto Zamora, the youngest Gomburza priest. His acting displays the weakness and emotional nature of Zamora as he depicts a man between fear and faith. The human aspect of the oppression of humans in the colonies is a priority of Dee, so the tragic destiny of Zamora is particularly heart-rending.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Ernest Lorenzo Dee |
| Birth Date | May 5, 1988 |
| Age (2026) | 37 |
| Role | Padre Jacinto Zamora |
| Known For | Katorse, You’re Still the One |
Piolo Pascual as Padre Pedro Peláez
Famous actor Piolo Pascual has a major role of Padre Pedro Peláez, who is among the mentors to Burgos and who significantly advanced the secularization movement. The performance of Pascual introduces Peláez as an idealistic and conscious priest whose thoughts were very powerful in the succeeding generation of reformists.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Piolo Jose Pascual |
| Birth Date | January 12, 1977 |
| Age (2026) | 49 |
| Role | Padre Pedro Peláez |
| Known For | Dekada ’70, Lobo |
Elijah Canlas as Paciano Rizal Mercado
Elijah Canlas portrays the character of a brother, older brother of Rizal Jose, who is actually a student of Padre Burgos, and his name is Paciano Mercado. Canlas has succeeded in capturing the political realization of Paciano and his silent perseverance, the way Gomburza execution influenced his ideals to revolution.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Elijah Canlas |
| Birth Date | July 7, 2000 |
| Age (2026) | 25 |
| Role | Paciano Rizal Mercado |
| Known For | Sin Island, Maalaala Mo Kaya |
Ketchup Eusebio as Francisco Zaldúa
Ketchup Eusebio depicts Francisco Zaldúa, a civilian who was shot together with the priests. This act of his brings complexity to the story because it shows that even the ordinary Filipinos were carried along in the aftermath of the colonial oppression.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Ketchup Eusebio |
| Birth Date | November 10, 1985 |
| Age (2026) | 40 |
| Role | Francisco Zaldúa |
| Known For | Respeto, The Killer Bride |
Ronnie Lázaro as Francisco Mercado
Veteran actor Ronnie Lazaro makes his appearance as Francisco Mercado father of Paciano and Jose Rizal. His characterization introduces family and emotional context to the narrative, starting the execution of Gomburza to the personal history of Filipino revolutionaries of the future.
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Ronnie Lázaro |
| Birth Date | August 14, 1949 |
| Age (2026) | 76 |
| Role | Francisco Rizal Mercado |
| Known For | José Rizal, Heneral Luna |
GomBurZa Film Release and Budget
On December 25, 2023, GomBurZa premiered in theatres all over the country as the main feature of the Metro Manila Film Festival, which has traditionally been dominated by commercial films. It stood out with its somber tone in the course of history. The movie earned a total of about ₱53 million, making it 4th among the entries at the MMFF of 2011. Although no official production cost was announced, it has been estimated in the industry that there was a mid-range historical film budget but a substantial portion of it was allocated to period-correct costumes, settings, and production design. The film was shot in 17 days, which was not a long time compared to a historical epic so it is important to note that the production team was disciplined and well prepared.
| Item | Details |
| Theatrical Release | December 25, 2023 |
| Festival Entry | 49th MMFF |
| OTT Release | April 9, 2024 (Netflix) |
| Box Office | ₱53 million |
| Filming Duration | 17 days |
| Budget | Not officially disclosed |
GomBurZa Movie Sound and Track Details
GomBurZa, music contributes quite modestly but with strength to support the theme of grief, resistance and nationalism. Teresa Barrozo, the composer, made a score that was not melodramatic; she only chose to have the music slightly orchestrated and leave the performance and the historical significance playing the main role. Another theme song in the film is Sa Duyan ng Bayan by Noel Cabangon, Ebe Dancel and Gloc-9, see the movie, which was written and performed by the songwriter. The film also has other theme songs like Gabing Kulimlim and Iyong Hilumin which highlight the emotional and ideological echo of the story.
| Song | Artist(s) |
| Sa Duyan ng Bayan | Noel Cabangon, Ebe Dancel, Gloc-9 |
| Gabing Kulimlim | Rey Malipot, Bituin Escalante |
| Iyong Hilumin | Featured Theme |
GomBurZa Film Awards and Accolades
GomBurZa became one of the most recognized films at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, having earned a lot of recognition in the areas of direction, acting, and technical excellence. The character Padre Burgos (played by Cedrick Juan) was particularly lauded as having a refreshing intellectual and emotional understatedness.
| Award | Category | Result |
| MMFF 2023 | Best Director (Pepe Diokno) | Won |
| MMFF 2023 | Best Actor (Cedrick Juan) | Won |
| MMFF 2023 | Best Cinematography | Won |
| MMFF 2023 | Best Production Design | Won |
| MMFF 2023 | Best Picture | 2nd Place |
GomBurZa Review and Ratings
Critics mostly acclaimed GomBurZa because of its historical seriousness and not simplifying complicated events. The movie was praised as depicting the priests as not perfect saints, but as drivers of the national awareness. It has been pointed out by some critics that the historical background might prove to be unfocused to the general audience, yet overall the movie does not seem to lose track of its mission.
| Aspect | Rating / Feedback |
| Direction | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performances | 4.5 / 5 |
| Historical Accuracy | 4.5 / 5 |
| Music & Sound | 4.0 / 5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.3 / 5 |
Conclusion
GomBurZa is not just a historical movie, it is a movie of remembrance. Re-examining the case of the injustice that befell Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, the movie serves to remind the audience that freedom is usually earned at a cost. It is a must-watch movie as it is well directed, has strong performances, and honours the complexity of the historical aspect that every Filipino and the world at large needs to observe. GomBurZa is an eminent film in a world of spectacle as it is a film that is propelled by truth, conscience and national memory.
FAQs
It is a narration of three Filipino priests who were executed by the Spanish officials in 1872.
Yes, it is an adaptation of actual events, with few creative fancies.
Pepe Diokno was the director of the film.
On Netflix, it can be found following its release in theatres.
It brings out the origins of Filipino patriotism and colonial iniquity.
