Screenwriter Rody Vera started as a playwright at Peta in 1979. He scripted four of this month’s releases: “The Bride and the Lover,” “Juana C., The Movie,” the Cannes-bound “Death March,” and “Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan.” Indeed, Rody’s on a roll.
Gretchen Barretto has had a pretty bad week parrying intrigues, the fallout of a very public family feud with mom Inday and sister Claudine.
Every year since the Cinemalaya auditions started in 2006, the independent film festival has attracted a steadily growing crowd of aspirants.
Richard S. Legaspi’s “Prima Bella” has pulled out of the Cinemalaya festival’s New Breed section and was replaced by “Instant Mommy,” Tess Rances, deputy festival director, told the Inquirer. Produced by Chris Martinez, Joji Alonso and Kris Aquino, “Instant” is the directorial debut of production designer Leo Abaya. Eugene Domingo will play the [...]
Richard S. Legaspi’s “Prima Bella” pulled out of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival’s New Breed section and was replaced by “Instant Mommy,” Tess Rances, deputy festival director, told the INQUIRER.
Filipino filmmaker Paul Sta. Ana’s “Oros (The Coinbearer)” wins best feature at the DC Independent Film Festival, held in Washington DC, from March 6 to 10.
Filipino filmmaker Jun Robles Lana’s “Bwakaw” will compete for the Regard d’Or, or the Grand Prize, at the Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland, to be held March 16 to 23. According to the festival site, the Cinemalaya film “rests largely on the shoulders of Eddie Garcia,” who plays a grumpy old gay man who finds a loyal companion in his pet dog.
Zeny Opena, office employee: “I look forward to watching Vilma Santos’ Cinemalaya entry, ‘Extra.’ It’s a good thing that Jeffrey Jeturian is helming it to guarantee its quality. If her archrival, Nora Aunor, also had an entry, that would generate more excitement for the indie fest.”
Actress Gretchen Barretto will finally star in a Cinemalaya film – Christopher Ad. Castillo’s “The Diplomat Hotel,” Castillo himself announced the news on his Facebook page.
“I am so scared,” actress and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos whispered to executive producer Joji Alonso and director Jeffrey Jeturian at the end of her first day of work for the Cinemalaya entry, “Extra,” on Thursday.
Finalists in this year’s Cinemalaya festival, as announced Thursday: (Directors’ Showcase) Cesar Evangelista’s “Amor y Muerte,” Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Extra,” Gil M. Portes’ “The Liars,” Jerrold Tarog’s “Sana Dati,” Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Porno”; (New Breed) Mikhail Red’s “Rekorder,” Emmanuel Palo’s “David F,” Christopher Ad. Castillo’s “Diplomat Hotel,” Eduardo Roy Jr.’s “Quick Change,” Richard S. Legaspi’s “Primera Bella,” Joseph Israel Laban’s “Siyam,” Jason Paul C. Laxamana’s “Babagwa,”; Hannah Espia’s “Transit,” Carlo Obispo’s “Purok 7,” Alvin B. Yapan’s “Debosyon.”
About 150 local movies were shown last year, but many of them were screened “only” in film festivals. Cinemalaya, still the country’s premier indie showcase, has become more accessible, because of its satellite screenings at Greenbelt and TriNoma.
