On Friday, August 21, don't miss the premiere of The Last Journey of Ninoy-a new docu-drama on the slain hero's final eight days, as told through the final interview of the late Cory Aquino

What took place during the final eight days of Ninoy Aquino's life? A new film-featuring the final interview of the late President Corazon Aquino-attempts to fill in the blank pages that history forgot to write.

Produced by Unitel Productions with the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Foundation (BSAF), The Last Journey of Ninoy is full-length documentary that chronicles the final 192 hours of the slain senator's life: his fateful, six-leg journey that took him to Los Angeles, Singapore, Johor, Hong Kong and Taipei before his bloody assassination at the Gate 8 tarmac of the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983.

To be screened at Cinema 4 of Powerplant Mall, Rockwell on Friday, August 21 (the 26th anniversary of Aquino's assassination), The Last Journey of Ninoy features never-before-seen footage of lost television interviews, courtroom hearings, military tribunals, and phone conversations, as well as revealing excerpts from the exiled senator's private diaries and personal letters.

Between her last chemotherapy treatments in early 2009, Cory Aquino also faced the cameras and candidly narrated the most gut-wrenching period of her husband's life. Despite her condition, the mood of the former president was "light and jovial" on set, according to the film's co-producer, Rapa Lopa. Other revealing sound bites from Mrs. Aquino were extracted from a set of private interviews conducted by writer Rhona Lopa-Macasaet, when she was compiling raw material for a possible biography on Mrs. Aquino in the mid-'90s.

Sourcing and restoring the archival footage-hich included family visits in Fort Bonifacio, Ninoy's memorable "Face the Nation" TV interview with Ronnie Nathanielsz in 1978, home videos in Boston, and tense moments at the Taipei Grand Hotel and Taiwan immigrations-proved to be major undertakings. They were fully restored and color-graded at Unitel's post-production facilities, Engine Room and Optima. A remastered recording of Ninoy's last phone conversation with Steve Psinakis (a leading figure of the Movement for a Free Philippines), which took place during his layover at the Los Angeles International Airport, was also used.

"Here was a real opportunity to tell the story of a real Philippine hero through moving pictures-something we cannot do for Rizal or Bonifacio," says the film's director Jun Reyes. "History has a way of hiding things. But through this film, we hope the next generation will get to know the man and continue his great legacy."

The premiere of The Last Journey of Ninoy will have two screenings-the first at 7 P.M., followed by the second at 9 P.M.-on Friday, August 21, at Cinema 4 of the Powerplant Mall Cinemas, Rockwell Center, Makati City. Tickets are priced at P300. All proceeds from the premiere screening will benefit the unfinished projects of President Aquino at the BSAF.

Tickets will be sold at the ticket counters of the Powerplant Mall Cinemas starting on August 17. Seats are limited-and will go quickly-so please reserve/book your tickets early at the cinema ticket counters (tel. 898-1440, 898-1437). For further inquiries, contact BSAF's Yna Sorongon (892 5360, 0917 833 3575, ynasorongon.foci@gmail.com) or Unitel's Guia Gonzales (896 2049, guia.gonzales@unico.ph).