Better late (marriage) than never?

Curtain-raisers:

• There’s no truth to the rumor that Kris Aquino’s new date is Paul Asi Taulava (of Talk N’ Text and the Philippine Team). At least that’s what Asi’s wife Anna Mae Corveau (former Miss UST and STAR Face of the Year second runner-up in 1999) told Funfare when contacted for comment. "I know my husband better," said Anna Mae. "The rumor is totally untrue." In this case, the wife isn’t the last to know... let’s hope.

• Did you know that Nancy Castigleone got involved in a car accident several days ago at a highway in Batangas? She and co-star Dingdong Dantes were returning to Manila after an out-of-town taping. Their car spun thrice but Nancy and Dingdong luckily escaped unhurt. But guess who Nancy first contacted for help – yes, her boyfriend Luis Manzano, never mind if they’re into a "cooling off" period. It was Luis who brought Nancy home safely. Does that mean an end to their, ehem, "cooling off"?

• This early, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos is denying rumors that she’s running for Governor in Batangas in 2004. "I haven’t even thought of that," said Vilma. "In the meantime, I want to concentrate on solving the problems of Lipa. Tama na muna ang pulitika!"

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It’s still the same old story.

The Israeli Embassy is holding its 4th Israeli Film Festival from Sept. 19 to 25 at Greenbelt 1, Makati City; Oct. 9 and 10 at Ayala Center in Cebu City; and Oct. 28 and 29 in Davao City. The event will feature eight films, namely The Policeman, directed by Ephraim Kishon, Yana’s Friends (Arik Kaplun, which won as Best Film at the 1999 Israeli Academy Awards), Clean Sweep (Davidof Oded), Don’t Give A Damn (Shmuel Imberman), Growing Pains (Zeev Revah), Kippur (also by Davidof Oded, shown at the Cannes Film Festival), Total Love (Bentovitch Gur) and Late Marriage (by Dover Kosashvili), intended to be the opener for the event.

But there’s a hitch.

The MTRCB has approved all the films except Late Marriage whose director, Dover Kosashvili, an immigrant from Georgia (former state of the Soviet Union), is a renowned celebrity in Israel. According to an Israeli Embassy spokesperson, Late Marriage has been acclaimed not only in Israel where it has been seen by more than 400,000 people (that’s a record, considering that Israel only has a population of barely seven million) but also in other parts of the world, including New York where it ran for months.

The storyline of Late Marriage: Yasha and Lili want their 32-year-old son Za Za to marry according to the Georgian way and tradition. They set out each night to check out yet another potential bride. Za Za plays along and charms them, but ruins everything at the critical moment. He falls madly in love with Judith, a single mother with a six-year-old daughter. When Za Za’s parents find out about his secret romance, all hell breaks loose.

It is a harmless love story except for a scene lasting almost 10 minutes showing Za Za and his mistress in a bedroom romp, them making love and then getting up from bed au naturel, with their private parts showing but fleetingly, and then making love again and then getting up from bed again. The scene was done in a very casual manner.

The MTRCB wants that scene shortened but the director Dover Kosashvili, like in the case of Steven Spielberg when his film Schindler’s List was nearly banned by Etta Mendez’s MTRCB, insists that his film be shown as is (that is, without cuts), or not at all. After all, Late Marriage has been reaping praises and good reviews from Cannes to Greece, Spain to London, Vancouver to Telluride, and other film capitals.

Only recently, Mexico’s Y Tu Mama Tambien, also acclaimed all over the world, was approved as is by the MTRCB but only for special showing at the CineManila 2002 where it drew capacity crowds even during the past-midnight screenings. Tambien has several nude scenes, all right, but those who saw it gave it a thumbs-up. When CineManila founder Tikoy Aguiluz, however, asked the MTRCB a permit to show Tambien in the commercial circuit (outside of the filmfest), the MTRCB said no.

The Israeli Embassy is hoping – against hope? –that the MTRCB will reconsider and also give Late Marriage a special permit just like that given to Tambien once they resubmit the film for yet another review. Otherwise, without the acclaimed movie, the 4th Israeli Film Festival will not be complete, with cineastes missing a film that deserves to be seen by as many film-lovers as possible.

Celeste airs side

Somebody speaking on behalf of Celeste Legaspi told Funfare that Celeste had a right to get hurt and feel bad when she was told that she wouldn’t be doing the opening number for the third night (Sept. 8) of the Lagi Kitang Naaalala tribute-concert to Atang dela Rama, Lucio San Pedro and Levi Celerio, opening tonight at 8 at the CCP, with another show tomorrow.

"Celeste was made to understand that she would be doing the opening number, Lagi Kitang Naaalala, for all three nights, and then she and daughter Waya Gallardo would do a duet of Ugoy ng Duyan," said the spokesperson. "Celeste got more hurt and disappointed than angry when she learned that she would be doing the opening number for the first two nights, all right, but on the third night (to be taped as live by ABS-CBN, which is co-producing the concerts with CCP, for showing as a TV special) it would be Zsa Zsa Padilla who would do the honor. Since the concerts are a tribute to three National Artists, Celeste rightly felt that, being the daughter herself of a National Artist (the late Cesar Legaspi), she should do the opening number on all three nights."

Celeste has decided to back out, replaced on the first two nights by Regine Velasquez (not included in the line-up of artists because of her concerts in Canada which were cancelled at the last minute) who will also do the Ugoy ng Duyan song, alone.

Now minus Celeste (and Lani Misalucha), the roster of performers also includes Roselle Nava, Verni Varga, Calvin Millado, Rachel Alejandro, Franco Laurel, Keempee de Leon, JM Rodriguez, Tin Arnaldo, Dianne dela Fuente, Piolo Pascual, RJ Rosales, Robert Seña, Bituin Escalante, Anna Fegi, Isay Alvarez, Jaya, Elizabeth Ramsey and Sylvia La Torre.

Proceeds from the concerts will be used to build a National Artists Gallery. (For tickets, call 551-7930, 832-3878, 832-1125 local 1801 or 1806. Tickets are also available at ticketrons at the National Book Stores and Tower Records.)

What’s up?

• Writer-Actress Bibeth Orteza and her husband, director Carlitos Siguion Reyna, will be the guest sharers in Discovery Weekend, a marriage preparation program to be held at the OMI Retreat House from today to Sunday, Sept. 8. They will be reading The Wedding at Cana from the Gospel of St. John and then share an incident where they felt closest to the Lord. Couples in charge for the weekend are Jesus and Annabelle Quiazon, Marilen and Exy Magsaysay, and Vicky and Mario Bautista.