Star Cinema pulls out of filmfest

Star Cinema has officially pulled out of the 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival. Director Olive Lamasan said she couldn’t possibly meet the November deadline of the filmfest, or even early December, granting that the deadline is extended.

The shoot of Milan though is going ahead as scheduled. In fact, as of this writing, direk Olive and her staff and stars (Claudine Barretto, Piolo Pascual, Ryan Eigenmann) are already in Milan for a three-week shoot which comprises 40 percent of the film. The rest will be shot in Manila.

Under filmfest rules, the 11th placer may take over the slot vacated by Milan, in this instance a Dolphy starrer. Problem is Dolphy isn’t interested. The 12th placer is a Nora Aunor starrer which may take over the vacant slot. But even if the Superstar is willing to join the filmfest, there may not be enough time to finish her movie.

Hopefully, none of the nine remaining filmfest entries will back out.

Two of the entries have completed principal photography. They are Unitel Films’ Crying Ladies (Sharon Cuneta, Hilda Koronel, Angel Aquino) and Teamwork Productions’ Homecoming (Elizabeth Oropesa and Alessandra de Rossi), directed by Mark Meily and Gil Portes, respectively.

Currently in production are Erik Matti’s Mano Po 2 (Regal Entertainment) and Gagamboy (MaQ Productions); Joey Reyes’ Malikmata (Canary Films); Jeffrey Jeturian’s Bridal Shower (Seiko Films); Tony Reyes’ Fantastikman (M-ZET-OctoArts); and Mac Alejandre’s Captain Barbell (Premiere).

Viva’s Paano Kita Mapapasalamatan will start shooting as soon as director Joel Lamangan arrives from the Toronto International Film Festival where Huling Birhen sa Lupa was shown to SRO audiences along with another Philippine entry, Erik Matti’s Prosti.

Erik has two filmfest entries this year, Mano Po 2 and Gagamboy. Which isn’t unprecedented. Last year, Chito Roño also had two entries, MaQ’s Spirit Warriors 2 and Star Cinema’s Dekada ’70.

Martin, Bublé In Surprise Duet

Last Sept. 12, during Martin Nievera’s concert at On Stage theater in Greenbelt, the audience had a surprise treat: Michael Bublé doing a couple of duets with the Concert King.

Bublé has been vocal about his admiration for Martin and has expressed this to the media. Apparently, according to the grapevine, it was Paul Anka himself who told Bublé that if ever he comes to Manila, he should look for this singer Martin Nievera. So last weekend, despite his hectic schedule, Bublé did catch Martin’s show and surprised the audience with his presence. The two sang Bublé’s version of Moondance and Sway together, leaving the audience enthralled and screaming for more.

The two "greats" hit it off so well that now the Concert King is also attending Bublé’s show at the PICC tomorrow. Will Martin perform with Bublé again? I think the audience is in for another treat and this is something we can’t afford to miss. Based on audience reaction, we can almost predict a Martin-Bublé back-to-back concert next year. Wanna bet?

Martin’s series at On Stage (The Road to Vegas) is set on Sept. 19, 20, 26 and 27. After the series, Martin leaves for the US for a seven-city tour with Pops Fernandez. They will perform in L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlantic City and Las Vegas. As of presstime, we heard that tickets for all the shows are selling like proverbial hotcakes.

Quezonians In Showbiz

Colleague Eugene Asis, People’s Journal entertainment editor, notes that the two leading ladies of Asboobs are Quezonians. Jenny Miller is from Lucena City, while the mother of Nancy Castiglione is from Atimonan, one of the biggest towns in Quezon province.

He enumerates other Quezonians from showbiz: directors Gil Portes (Pagbilao), Mel Chionglo (Lucena), Uro and Abbo de la Cruz (Lucban). Another Lucbanin is actor-lawyer Tommy Abuel. Roy Alvarez is also from Pagbilao.

The late playwright-director Dandy Nadres was from Tayabas. Ditto Romeo Vasquez and the mother of Paraluman and the father of Luis Alandy.

Gary Estrada is the "adopted son" of San Antonio.

Remember the beautiful Marilou Destreza? She’s from Unisan, a seaside town in the Bondoc Peninsula portion of Quezon.

Zeneida Amador and niece Pinky trace their roots to Quezon province, particularly Atimonan and Baler. They are related to Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon and the prominent Angaras (Sen. Ed Angara and sister Rep. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo).

Veteran actress Leila Morena was born in Guiñangan, which is near the Bicol border. The mothers of Aiza Seguerra and Alice Dixson are also from Guiñangan.

Even former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairman Manoling Morato is a Quezonian. His father, the esteemed Tomas Morato, is from Tagkawayan, representing the province in the National Assembly and later serving as the first mayor of Quezon City, appointed by President Quezon.

Art and culture patron and worker Danny Dolor (STAR columnist too, Remember When?) is a Quezonian by affinity. Although his parents are from Lipa City, Batangas, they put up several business establishments in Candelaria. The Dolor family is a benefactor of the Candelaria-based Missionary Catechists of St. Therese, founded by the late Lucena Bishop Alfredo Ma. Obviar who was born in Lipa City.

By the way, happy birthday to Danny who turns a year younger on Sept. 26. Where’s the party?

Back to Eugene who’s a proud Quezonian from Lucena where he finished high school (Quezon National) and college (Enverga University). Eugene’s also a director with a few well-received action flicks to his credit.

Asboobs Makes It

The independently produced Asboobs, which opened last week in Metro Manila and key cities in the provinces, did quite well at the box office. Except for Eddie Garcia, Asboobs had no big stars to boast of. But the ensemble acting of Eddie, the so-called princes of comedy (Jeffrey Quizon, Vhong Navarro, Paolo Contis, Bearwin Meily, Long Mejia), Nancy Castiglione, and Jenny Miller clicked with the audience.

Not to forget the three revelations in the comedy-action: Mike Nacua, Bayani Casimiro Jr., Dencio Padilla Jr. Mike is that funny guy with a strange accent in the gag shows Wow Mali and Nuts Entertainment. Dencio Jr. is Da Gay on Daboy en Da Girl – gay oncam only, he hastens to say. Bayani Jr. used to be with the sitcom Okey Ka, Fairy Ko.

Asboobs was produced and directed by Danilo P. Cabreira under the banner of NuArt Movies.