Season of love for Rachel and Joanna

Rachel Alejandro (left) and Joanna Ampil

This year’s holiday season is especially hectic for Rachel Alejandro and Joanna Ampil, whose passion project, Loy Arcenas’ “Ang Larawan,” is part of this year’s edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival.

“My husband (writer Carlos Santamaria) is spending the holidays in Spain with his relatives this year, as he sometimes does,” Rachel relates. “We don’t usually give each other gifts, but I plan to send the ladies in his family ‘21 Days to a Sexier You,’ the new cookbook that ‘The Sexy Chef’ has just released last month.”

Rachel’s fondest wish is for “Ang Larawan” to reach more people, here and abroad. “We hope to hold screenings of ‘Ang Larawan’ for Filipino communities all over the world in 2018. It would be a sure success in London, where my coactor Joanna Ampil is well-known as a West End star.”

Says Joanna: “I would give my loved ones a copy of the ‘Larawan’ book and tickets to see the movie. In return, I’d like to have a day or two with them, just relaxing and having a laugh or going on a holiday.”

Joanna got her wish—a short break from her work in Europe, to come home for a few days after Christmas.

“Because of the heavy traveling I’ve been doing lately, I’d like to incorporate more meditation into my schedule,” Joanna owns up. “It helps me become more cautious and more of an observer to what is going on around me rather than being in the midst of chaos. I wish to achieve this even if it has to take longer than a year. “

Rachel explains that the Yuletide season is always a magical time for her. “Every Christmas is different,” she asserts. “I try to make each one as special as the last. But nothing beats Christmas as a kid. In many ways, I am still that kid who loves every minute of the holiday season, despite the traffic and the mad rush to shop for presents. It never gets old.”

For her part, Joanna, this year’s MMFF best actress, thinks 2017 is her most memorable Yuletide season yet. “I’m in the middle of touring with a show (“Cats”) that is close to my heart; just finished an amazing concert (“A Night on Broadway with Andrew Lloyd-Webber”) in Barcelona, Spain, with some amazing international artists and a glorious 75-piece orchestra; opened my first movie (“Ang Larawan”); and I’m feeling very much loved. Anything more is an absolute bonus, but I’m having the time of my life.”