Korina goes solo in Rated K

"Did you know that I’ve been on television for more than 20 years and I’ve practically grown up in the public eye?"

Korina Sanchez didn’t have to ask that rhetorical question at yesterday’s presscon for her new show Rated K: Handa Na Ba Kayo? which premieres on Sunday, May 30, on ABS-CBN, taking the 5:30-6:30 timeslot vacated by Sharon Cuneta who has gone on maternity leave (slated to give birth to another girl first or second week of September).

That’s right. You and I have grown up and older with Ate Koring, from the time she debuted as Breaking News girl on PTV 4 to her days as a newscaster to her hosting of Hoy Gising! then Balitang K then TV Patrol then Morning Girls and now Rated K which is pitted right smack against GMA 7’s Partners: Mel & Jay.

"No," said Korina, "I’m not taking away Sharon’s timeslot; I’m just borrowing it until she comes back," adding that she was flattered when Sharon, during a surprise phone call to her and co-host Kris Aquino on Morning Girls last Tuesday, "gave me her blessing and congratulated me." She’s requesting Sharonians to stay tuned.

She could have hosted Magandang Gabi Bayan (MGB) in case Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro quit as host in favor of government work, but then Kabayan’s daughter Kat de Castro (with co-host Erwin Tulfo) seems to have inherited the show from her dad.

Rated K revolves around a weekly theme, with Korina giving her personal touch in her incisive interviews with colorful personalities. Lest she’s preempted by the competition, Korina politely refused to reveal the contents of Rated K’s premiere telecast.

Will Korina attempt to, you know, tumulay sa alambre? Will she burst onto the scene running through rings of fire? Will she tumble her way in?

"Just wait and see," said Korina who, on Monday, will say goodbye to Morning Girls (to be retitled Good Morning, Kris, with Kris Aquino going "lone ranger").

By the way, do we hear wedding bells for her and Senator-elect Mar Roxas (who got 19 million-plus votes, half of which, showbiz-watchers goodhumoredly said, should be credited to Korina)?

No comment from Korina who said she never thought she’d fall in love with a politician.

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Funfare’s L.A. correspondent Oliver Carnay reports that the documentary film Imelda by director Ramona Diaz, winner of the Best Cinematography award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, is again competing in the same category at the Los Angeles International Film Festival slated June 19 to 26. It will be screened on June 21, 6:30 p.m., and June 22, 7:15 p.m.

This piece of good news was confirmed yesterday by Tony Gloria, big boss of Unitel Pictures International which has been tapped to distribute the much-talked-about docu worldwide. Imelda will start showing in Metro Manila and the provinces on July 3 (check out the schedule in newspapers around that time).

Here’s the rest of the screening schedule:

• New York (Film Forum Theater), June 9

• San Francisco (Landmark Lumiere Theater), June 11

• Berkeley (Landmark Shattuck Cinemas), June 11

• San Diego (Landmark La Jolla Village Cinemas), June 11

• Chicago (Landmark Century Centre Cinemas), June 11

• Denver (Landmark Chez Artiste Cinema), June 11

• Honolulu/AIEA (Pacific’s Consolidated Pearl Ridge West 16 Cinemas), June 11

• Los Angeles (Landmark Westside Pavilion Theatre), June 25

• Los Angeles/Cerritos (Regal Edwards Cerritos 10), June 25

• Seattle, Atlanta, Boston and St. Louis (Landmark Theatres), Aug./Sept.

Here’s the rest of Oliver Carnay’s report:

Universally famous for fondness of beauty and her thousands of shoes, controversial widow of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda Marcos’ shared power and lavish tastes brought her more fame — perhaps more fame than her exiled husband. The film shows exceptionally rare original interviews of Imelda Marcos, perplexing her charming and expounded personal cosmology. The larger-than-life figure, Imelda is as stunning as the film’s visual candid interviews and scenes from her daily life today in the Philippines. It features archrival footage from news stories, home movies, and state-sponsored propaganda films; interviews with bitter opponents and loyalist friends; and the opulent artifacts that chronicle the years of the Marcos regime. Arguably one of the most powerful women (reviled and revered) in contemporary world history, Imelda always stands out of the rest.

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Meanwhile, here’s an update on Mario O’Hara’s Babae sa Breakwater at the Cannes Filmfest’s Directors Fortnight:

During the Directors Fortnight closing party last Friday, artistic director Olivier Pere asked me to tell direk Mario how much he loved his film. He looked forward to visiting the Philippines and would like to meet with Mario.

Babae has been invited to compete in two more festivals; the first is the Cinemaya Festival of Asian Cinema in New Delhi on July 16 to 25, and the second is the Brussels International Film Festival in Belgium also in July. This festival is different from the Brussels Independent Film Festival held every November which has given honors to Filipino films like Rizal sa Dapitan and acting awards to Vilma Santos, Albert Martinez and the Markova cast. Babae will compete for the Age D'Or Grand Prize which includes a cash award and distribution in Belgium. This film event is presented by the Cinematheque Royale.

The producers of Babae, Edgar and Arlene Aguas, and Babae stars Katherine Luna and Kristoffer King were present at Cannes.

Variety describes the film as gritty with good sets and strong performances particulary by Gardo Versoza. Le Monde, one of the most important papers in France, says Babae is an astonishing film. The review was in French so I had to ask someone to translate the review in English.

Although it was almost work in Cannes, we did have time to do some sightseeing in Nice, Monaco (they had the Grand Prix on the same week as the Festival) and in Ventimilla, Italy. I could truly say that this side of France is one of the best places I have ever seen.

Here is the translation of the review for Babae on Le Monde:

Amongst a small comunity of indigent people living on the shore of the dirty waters of Manila bay, Basilio and his young brother, who came from Leyte Island, are searching for work but find only survival expedients.

Basilio falls in love with Paquita, a prostitute who is the prey of a brutal gang lord.

Out of this very melodramatic canvas, the Filipino film maker Mario O'Hara makes an astonishing film.

The frontal, non-cautious, joyfully primitive and naïve shape of this "Tramp's Opera" is constantly challenged by a certain baroque fascination for the physical or moral monstruosity of this little world, as well as by the pathological corruption, the successive misfortunes and the prevalence of a music ironically cementing the events.

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