Vivian Velez strives to make villain role still endearing

Vivian Velez is doing another villain  role as Malvina del Olmo in the new ABS-CBN series “Maria Mercedes,” a remake of the Mexican telenovela which features Kapamilya actress Jessy Mendiola in the title role.

“It’s fun to do kontrabida roles because I get to experiment with my portrayal,” said the former Miss Body Beautiful of the 70s who has remained a looker despite her age.

It was her longtime friend Chito Roño who got her to play the pivotal role of Malvina del Olmo. It was even Direk Chito who thought of how she should look. She wears wide-brimmed hats and always wears a purple get-up.

“Even Malvina’s office is colored purple. It was Direk Chito who pegged my character as such. Nakakapagod kasi since I wear wide-brimmed hats, I had to tilt my chin so that my face could be seen. It’s kind of difficult but I am getting the hang of it,” she said.

What is the challenge in doing this new role in the Maria Mercedes remake? “Even if it’s a kontrabida role, I have to make it different. I have to make it endearing. Kailangan matuwa pa rin sa akin ang mga tao. When Malvina throws a tantrum, she should be child-like. That’s the kind of attack that I did for my role and I think the network bosses liked it.”

“I have to own the role, I have to make my own characterization but it’s the director who makes it more interesting by polishing it. It’s a difficult role because Malvina is not like me in real life. I have to put my own mark,” she added.

The last soap opera that Vivian did for ABS-CBN was “Imortal” that was aired two years ago. She didn’t like the offers coming her way so she decided to lie low from the scene. But when she was offered “Maria Mercedes” and learned that it will be directed by Roño, she readily said yes. But she had to finish her stint for TV5’s “Misibis Bay” before she resumed work for “Maria Mercedes.”

“I love working with Direk Chito. We work well together. Kilala na namin ang isa’t-isa so when it comes to doing scenes, tinginan lang we can understand what it is that we want to happen. Direk Chito knows my capacity as an actress and what role suits me. When I learned that he is at the helm of Maria Mercedes, I readily agreed since it will be our reunion after Imortal.”

Maria Mercedes starts airing Oct. 7 on ABS-CBN. Aside from Jessy, it also stars Jake Cuenca, Jason Abalos, Vina Morales, Nadia Montenegro and Atoy Co. Ruel Bayani co-directs.

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“QCinema: The 2013 Quezon City Film Festival” unreels on Oct. 3-5 at Trinoma, under the auspices of the Quezon City Film Development Council (QCFDC), with support from Cinemalaya and the Ayala Malls.

Q Cinema will highlight three winning entries to an open competition for all filmmakers residing in Quezon City. It was launched last year in the nation’s capital, in line with the QCFDC’s mandate of enriching and promoting the Filipino film industry.

The three entries this year are “Hello World” by John Elbert Ferrer, “Lukas Nino”  by John Torres and “Gaydar” by Alvin Yapan. Each received a subsidy of P800,000 from the QCFDC as their prize and will all have individual premiere showings during the festival. Also to be featured alongside these are films from this year’s elite Cinemalaya “new breed” roster: “Transit,” “David F,” “Nuwebe,” “Purok 7,” “Debosyon,” “Rekorder,” “Diplomat Hotel,” “Babagwa” and “Quick Change.”

QCinema has been envisioned as an annual competition, to inspire up-and-coming filmmakers to produce quality works and boost the stock of the film industry. The QCFDC is chaired by Mayor Herbert Bautista, with Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte as co-chair and Professor Ed Lejano of the UP Film Institute as Executive Director.

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They are three of this generation’s biggest stars. He is a two-time Best Actor winner and one of the top leading men in television and film. She is the undisputed box-office queen and he is one of the hottest young actor today. They have earned the respect of critics and the support of their audience. But they have never done a project together—until now.

This month, on its 20th anniversary, Star Cinema brings to the big screen Dingdong Dantes, Enrique Gil and Bea Alonzo in “She’s The One”, a story that combines the excitement of an unexpected romance with the epiphany that comes with finding the one person you can’t live without.

“She’s The One” hits theaters on Oct. 16 and is directed by Mae Cruz from a story and script by Vanessa Valdez. It also stars upcoming screen sweetheart Liza Soberano in her biggest, most important and most challenging film role to date.

After giving life to some of the screen’s most iconic female characters—Basha in “One More Chance,” Lara in “And I Love You So,” Mia in “Miss You Like Crazy” and Sari in “The Mistress”—Bea brings viewers another one in her latest film project. Cat Aguinaldo is a young woman for whom family responsibility has always come first. The cat always stands by the side of her best friend Wacky (Dingdong), a morning show host and serial dater who unwittingly pushes his best friend into a complicated romantic situation just to save his TV career. By the time he realizes what he’s done and confronts his own feelings, it may be too late.

Dingdong returns to the Star Cinema fold after successful team-ups with Kris Aquino in “Segunda Mano” and Angelica Panganiban and Angel Locsin in “One More Try.” “She’s The One” is his first time to work with Bea.

The film is woven around the idea of an “epiphany”, or that one moment in life when we finally find the answer that will change everything. But we may find ourselves asking, how far are we willing to go when we do?