Ogie and Regine embark on joint project

Ogie also is not saying who are the artists the recording company will handle, but one of them is supposed to be Dennis Trillo. Of course Ogie and Regine will eventually produce their own albums under their new label. That is after their contracts with Viva Records have expired.

I wonder why the rumors persist. Ogie has just returned from Australia where he visited his family. I think Ogie's a stage father at heart. His eldest, daughter Lila, is entered in a talent quest in her school, St. Paul's Catholic School, in Australia. She's only grade 3 but she has already shown a talent for singing. Ogie cut a minus one of a Disney song, the title of which he can't recall, and brought to Australia with him. Naturally he wants to see Lila perform.

But if ever the showbiz bug bites Lila, will her father approve? "Yes but I think I prefer that she finished her schooling first," Ogie told me during the presscon for his birthday concert, "Komikonsyerto." He guaranteed that the show won't just be a concert, it's gonna be a laughing session as well.

Joining him in the concert are his friends from Bubble Gang, Michael V., Wendell Ramos, Francine Prieto and Rufa Mae Quinto. There will also be the special participation of Lovi Poe.

"Komikonsyerto" is on August 5, 8PM, at the Aliw Theater. M Lhuillier is the producer. Tickets are available at Ticketworld (8199999) and all M Lhuillier branches.

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Speaking of Lovi, she's denying that she and Cogie Domingo are on. The two have been dating but there's nothing more serious to it. "We're just hanging out," says Lovi. Cogie is a nice, decent guy but she has no immediate plans of having a boyfriend. She adds that their dates are chaperoned.

Lovi also claims that she and Fred of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition never were on, and that they've been friends since elementary.

Let's give Lovi the benefit of the doubt. After all, she's just 17 and she sounded sincere enough.

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Cinemalaya had a good run last week at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The indie film festival's opening night attracted a bigger crowd of producers, directors, writers, film critics, students and film observers than last year's.

The opening film was "Kubrador" starring Gina Pareño and produced by MLR Films, an outfit owned by Atty. Joji Antonio. The film had simultaneous showings at the Main Theater and Little Theater.

Among the celebrities spotted on opening night were Diether Ocampo and Kristine Hermosa, Sunshine Cruz and Cesar Montano.

Right after "Kubrador" was shown, Atty. Antonio received an e-mail from Maria Hatzakoud, a programmer, officially inviting him to exhibit the film in Independence Day Section in Thessaloniki, Greece, on November 7-26.

There were 18 independent digital films competing in this year's Cinemalaya, which wrapped up last July 23.

Eight films are battling for honors in the full-length category - "Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo," "Batad: Sa Paang Pilay," "Donsol," "Da Red Corner," "Mudraks," "Rotonda," "Saan Nagtatago si Happiness" and "Tulad ng Dati."

There are 10 entries in the short film category - "10:25 ng Gabi," "Gee-Gee at Waterina," "Kwarto," "Labada," "Passport Needed," "Orasyon," "Parang Pelikula," "Putot," "Puwang" and "Sa Silaw." All in all 232 films were submitted for exhibition in the full length-category. The list was cut down to 15 and finally to 8.

There were 108 movies submitted in the short-film category but only 10 were chosen for exhibition.

The finalists in the full length category will each receive a P500,000 seed money grant from Cinemalaya Foundation Inc., those in the short film catergory will each get P100,000.

Cinemalaya aims to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of a new breed of Filipino filmmakers and invigorate the Philippine film industry.

Part of film festival is the holding of a film congress over the weekend at the CCP Little Theater. The congress will explore issues and aspects of independent filmmaking in the country. The congress had for its theme, Back To the Future: The State and Prospects of the Independent Film.

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Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano has no plans of leaving "ASAP" although he intends to study in the US. Gary wants to enroll at the Music Institute of Technology and take up music production. His ultimate goal is to put up a music school in the Philippines.

Rumors are rife that Gary wants out of "ASAP" because he and the other "senior" stars were slowly being inched out by younger talents.

Gary says it's not true. And ABS-CBN's Charo Santos-Concio herself has told Gary's wife Angeli that there is an unwritten agreement that he stays in the show.

There was also the buzz that he announced in a show in Cebu that he was quitting showbiz and migrating to the US. The truth is Angeli and their children will be living in the US.