Eksena sa S.O.P.

Curtain-raisers:

• One of the 40 principal sponsors in the Ruffa-Yilmaz wedding (March 25 in Manila) is Ruffa Gutierrez’s aunt Mary Anna Opeña (not Ojeda as wrongly reported by Funfare last week). Now the question: If war broke out in Iraq, would Ruffa and Yilmaz Bektas push through with their May 11 (second) wedding in Turkey which is just across the border?

• Advance birthday greetings to the following Valentine Babies (born on Feb. 14): Kris Aquino, Donna Cruz, former Sen. Johnny Enrile, Rico J. Puno and John Pratts. At the moment, said Kris, she’s a member of LHC (Lonely Hearts Club). But for how long? Kris will be spending her birthday abroad (don’t ask me where) with son Joshua and her good friend Guia Garchitorena.

•Magnifico, the tearjerker now drawing raves from critics and movie fans alike, is (hopefully) setting a trend. Regal Films is planning to do a movie on the "pushcart girl" ("adopted" by Sen. Loren Legarda who sent her through college and took her as member of her staff), with Jolina Magdangal in the title role.

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If you watched GMA’s S.O.P. last Sunday, you too must have wondered why Janno Gibbs appeared only during the opening of the show and was "missing" after that.

What happened?

There was a minor "scandal" (eksena) behind the cameras, according to Funfare’s DPA at GMA.

"While Janno and the co-hosts (Jaya and Ogie Alcasid among them) were doing the opening production number," related the DPA, "Janno’s wife Bing (Loyzaga) showed up raging; she was mad, talagang galit na galit. She was screaming at Janno, ‘Bumaba ka diyan at mag-usap tayo!’ Bing was off-camera, of course, and it was a good thing the ‘audio’ didn’t capture what she was saying."

Questions: What had made Bing so angry that she would embarrass her husband (already teased for being "henpecked") in such a manner? Who was she – if she was – jealous of? (Why was Janno’s co-host Regine Velasquez crying in one corner?) Did Janno commit a "crime" so big that made Bing demand for a showdown? What’s happening to this couple, who used to be described as "ideal"?

It wasn’t too long ago when Janno was linked to Jackie Forster (estranged wife of Benjie Paras; why is she always linked to men who are already, uh, spoken for?), prompting a very jealous Bing to lash at Jackie as she fought for her (wifely) rights. The affair, if ever there was, was nipped in the bud.

And then recently, it was Bing’s turn to be linked to Keempee de Leon, an issue Bing hasn’t sufficiently commented on.

Tsk, tsk, tsk! What a pity! What a waste!

Before it’s too late, Janno and Bing should iron things out not in a public place like the GMA Studio but, so much better, in the privacy of their bedroom.

Tribute to Dolphy

Congratulations to the people (among them Nick Deocampo and Boots Anson-Roa) behind the week-long 10th Pelikula at Lipunan which unreels tomorrow (Feb. 12) at the SM Megamall. It will go to Iloilo (Feb. 21-23) and then Baguio (March 1). The event will pay tribute to Comedy King Dolphy (about time!) by showing some of his memorable films (Facifica Falayfay, Omeng Satanasia, Jack & Jill and Home Along Da Riber) and putting on exhibit Dolphy memorabilia (including the purontong shorts he popularized in John en Marsha and still pictures from his movies that chronicle his 59 years as the country’s ace comic artist).

In tomorrow’s opening ceremonies, friends of Dolphy (Susan Roces, etc.) will recall their fond memories of Dolphy, and, who knows, "roast" him, too.

This year’s Pelikula at Lipunan is a "must" not only for film lovers/cineastes but also for students who love films and who dream of having a career in film. It’s supported by some 20,000 Makati students (under the Makati Elementary School Principals Association or MAKAESPA). Admission price to each film is only P40.

Besides the local film classics, also to be screened are films from India, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, UK and the USA, with Mexico’s controversial El Crimen Del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro) as opening film (Feb. 12, 9:30 p.m.) That’s one film I don’t want to miss because I’ve read the rave review in several US magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.)

El Crimen is the story of a newly-ordained priest, Padre Amaro, who has been assigned by the local bishop to a small town mired in all manners of corruption, some crazy characters and situations that will test the moral fibers of lesser men. The film is relevant to what’s rocking the Catholic Church – you know, sex scandals and all.

Anyway, here’s the final schedule of Pelikula at Lipunan:

• Feb. 12 – Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? by Eddie Romero (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Facifica Falayfay by Chaning Carlos (6:30 p.m.); and El Crimen del Padre Amaro by Carlos Carrera (9:30 p.m.)

• Feb. 13 – Muro-Ami by Marilou Diaz-Abaya (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Jack & Jill by Mar Torres (4:30 p.m.); USA/India’s Bollywood Hollywood by Deepa Mehta (6:30 p.m.); and UK’s Shadow of the Vampire by Elias Merhige (9:30 p.m.)

• Feb. 14 – Anak by Rory Quintos (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Tulak ng Bibig, Kabig ng Dibdib (4:30 p.m.); Thailand’s A Transistor Love Story by Pen-ek Ratanaruang (6:30 p.m.); and USA’s People I Know by Daniel Algrant (9:30 p.m.)

• Feb. 15 – Ganito Kami Noon (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Omeng Satanasia by Frank Gray, Jr. (4:30 p.m.); Indonesia’s Whispering Sands by Nan Achnas (6:30 p.m.); and 20th Anniversary of Oliver, Ang Magpakailanman, The Great Smoke with new short films (9:30 p.m.)

• Feb. 16 – Muro-Ami (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); East Meets West: From New York to Cubao (4:30 p.m.); Philippines/Japan’s Small Home by Koji Imaizumi (6:30 p.m.); and Japan’s All About Lily Chou-Chou by Shunji Iwai (9:30 p.m.)

• Feb. 17 – Anak (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Pagdating sa Dulo by Ishmael Bernal (4:30 p.m.); UK’s Titus Andronicus by Julie Taymor (6:30 p.m.); and Japan’s Hush by Ryosuke Hashiguchi (9:30 p.m.)

•Feb. 18 – Ganito Kami Noon (three screenings, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Waywaya by Lamberto Avellana (4:30 p.m.); USA’s The Hours by Stephen Daldry (6:30 p.m.); and USA’s Punch-Drunk Love by P.T. Anderson (9:30 p.m.)

(Note: The programs for Iloilo and Baguio are different from the one in Manila.)

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E-mal reactions at: rickylo.philstar.net.ph.