Assunta, Alessandra: Peace, at last?

Blood, after all, is thicker than . . . Jules Ledesma?

And it came to pass that after all the exchange of hurting words on national television and in newspapers, and the washing of dirty linen in public, and tears-punctuated vows never to talk to each other again, feuding De Rossi sisters Assunta and Alessandra had an unscheduled (unscripted?) reconciliation Monday night at SM Megamall during the premiere of Alessandra’s critically-acclaimed starrer, Munting Tinig (directed by Gil Portes), which is, after getting raves at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, going to be shown at the Los Angeles Film Festival as one of the 10 Asian classics carefully chosen for the event by the American Film Institute.

"It was un-expected," said direk Gil of the reconciliation between Assunta and Alessandra, and their mom Nenita (who’s on Alessandra’s side in their fight against Assunta and boyfriend Jules Ledesma with whom Assunta has been living for months now). "We were about to enter the cinema for the screening when I noticed a commotion nearby. And then I saw this girl coming toward us (he and Alessandra), her face covered by a bunch of flowers she was carrying. Why, it was Assunta! When I called Alex’s (Alessandra) attention, all she could utter was, ‘Oh, my God!’ That was all she could say."

It happened fast. With a wide smile, Assunta gave the flowers to Alessandra and they hugged in tears. Assunta requested for two minutes of privacy and the sisters hugged some more after a heart-to-heart talk (did Assunta, uh, invite Alessandra – perhaps to be a secondary sponsor of or, why not, Maid of Honor at her and Jules’ wedding said to be scheduled anytime now?).

No, Assunta didn’t stay for the screening because, she begged off, she was on her way to the Dove Awards.

"I’m happy for my sister," she did say, "Ang hirap na niyang abutin!"

You see, Alessandra is leaving on Nov. 6 with direk Gil for the filmfest in L.A. where Munting Tinig (opening today in Metro theaters) will be screened on Nov. 8. While there, according to direk Gil, Alessandra might audition for a role in Fertig, the World War II Hollywood movie topbilling Brad Pitt which has the Philippines as setting but which will be shot instead in Hawaii because of the current critical situation in our country (well, the bombings, you know).

"Sid Ganis, a Sony executive who’s the producer of my movie Balangiga Massacre (and also of the recently-shown Mr. Deeds), saw the tape of Munting Tinig and he was impressed with Alex’s acting," added direk Gil.

Now, the intriguing questions:

1) How will Assunta and Alessandra’s reconciliation affect Jules Ledesma?

2) Will Jules be forced to also smoke the peace pipe with both Alessandra and the De Rossi mom Nenita?

3) Will Assunta and Jules finally live happily ever after with sister Alessandra and their mom?

One thing is sure: Alessandra will gain weight from all the eating that she has to do – yes, eating back the thousand and one unkind words she has been mouthing against Assunta and Jules. Burp, burp?

Paging, Bong R.!

Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB) chairman Bong Revilla should conduct posthaste a raid on video stores selling the controversial (and best-selling) Dukot Queen videotape featuring Sunshine Cruz and Jay Manalo in a very sexy scene. (Sorry, I haven’t seen the tape – not that I’m intending to –so I can’t describe how it goes.) Being an actor himself married to an actress (Lani Mercado), Bong, I’m sure, knows how Cesar Montano, Sunshine’s husband who’s still in Australia shooting the Hollywood movie The Great Raid, feels about the whole thing (raging mad, I suppose).

Dukot Queen, directed by Tikoy Aguiluz, only had two shooting days a few months before Sunshine and Cesar’s wedding in September, 2000, and decided not to go through with it. In a Funfare interview last year, Cesar said that he had talked to Viva Films boss Vic del Rosario, Jr. to hold the negatives and Boss Vic assured him that they were safe.

It so happened, however, that a technician at Roadrunner reportedly tampered with the negatives and before everybody knew it, the videotape has hit video outlets. A report said that the technician was fired (good for him, serves him right!).

Cesar’s manager, Norma Japitana, told Funfare that Viva Films might file a case against Roadrunner.

Meanwhile, Bong Revilla should crack down on video outlets selling that and other pirated tapes and, if possible, help track down the suspected technician and also file additional charges against him.

Funfare-Hallmark Guardian promo

And here’s the new set of questions for Episode 17 of The Guardian, airing on Sunday night, Oct. 27, 11 o’clock on The Hallmark Channel. This promo is a joint venture between Funfare and Hallmark (Destiny Channel 25, Home Cable Channel 49, Sky Cable Channel 38, and local PCC and Cable Boss affiliates):

1. Which family wants to adopt Matthew Damira?

2. Why is Justin Damira’s brain damaged?

The first 25 senders of the correct answers will each win a Hallmark Channel goodie bag containing one Hallmark The Guardian poster, one Hallmark prestige notebook, one Hallmark blue-light pen and one The Guardian poster.

Send your entries (with name, address and contact number) to: Watch & Win The Guardian Contest, P.O. Box 3802, MCPO Makati City. Or e-mail to: [email protected]. Winners will be notified with a letter or e-mail, and will also be announced in Funfare. They may claim their prizes from Buensalido & Associates, Suite 701, 7th Floor Greenbelt Mansion, 106 Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Bring at least one valid ID and the letter of notification.

Meanwhile, here are the answers to the questions for Episode 15 (aired on Oct. 13):

1. Who takes care of the baby while Melinda buys drugs? Answer: The baby’s older brothers.

2. What happens to the baby in the end? Answer: The baby dies.

3. The winner of the Hallmark goodie bag is Rosalinda Directo of 60 Tangerine St., SSS Village, Marikina City.