Real Florido, Confident sa Quality ng Nora Aunor Starrer na Kabisera

“Kung ano yung nakita ng jury, parang sa tingin ko mas malaki pa yung inimprove niya from that point to here. Ang reflection ko dun siguro destined na makapasok yung film namin this year,” pagmamalaking sabi ni Real Florido, director ng Kabisera, ang MMFF 2016 entry na pinagbibidahan ni Ate Guy. Aniya ng director kaya ito ang napili niyang plot: “Ang pamilya ang pinakaimportanteng kayamanan na mayroon ang Pilipino. Sa bagong hakbang ng MMFF ngayon na magbigay ng higit na makabuluhang pelikula sa industriya, naisip naming na bakit di tayo gumawa ng istoryang malapit talaga sa puso ng bawat Pinoy. We’re talking about value, and, what’s more valuable for us Pinoys than the family?”

Ang pelikula ay base sa mga totoong pangyayari sa buhay ng isang pamilya sa Batangas, at ang nauupo sa kabisera, na considered seat of power ng isang angkan. Karamihan sa cast members bukod kay Nora Aunor ay seasoned na sa pag-arte gaya nina Ricky Davao, Menggie Cobarrubias, Victor Neri, Ces Quesada, at Perla Bautista. Ang iba naman ay may ilan na ring nagawang projects na umani ng papuri mula sa mga kritiko tulad nina Jason Abalos, Karl Medina, Kiko Matos, at Ronwaldo Martin. Ang fresh faces ng indie na sina Coleen Perez, RJ Agustin (na producer din ng nasabing pelikula), at Alex San Agustin ay malalaki ang roles sa pelikula.

Napapanahon ang political family drama na ito dahil nga uso sa ating bansa ang extrajudicial killings. Last year ay isinali na ito noong screenplays pa lang ang ipinapasa at hindi pa finished films ang basehan. Nareject ito ng selection committee pero first choice talaga si Nora kasi siya na ang nakacast sa mga panahong ito. Malayung-malayo ang tema nito sa 1^st ko si 3^rd, ang unang feature film ni Real na naglagay sa kanya sa mapa ng film community. Ito rin ang una nilang partnership ni RJ, na siya rin niyang nakasama sa kanyang short film na Chicken (2015) bukod pa rito.

“Inaanyayahan naming ang publiko na umupo sa mga sinehan ngayong Pasko bilang simbolo ng pagtayo para sa pelikulang Pilipino,” hamon ni RJ. Makikita ang karagdagang impormasyon para sa pelikula sa www.facebook.com/kabisera at www.firestartersmanila.com/kabisera.

Sintang Dalisay, Huling Araw na Bukas

       Magsasara na ang telon sa huling palabas bukas ng Muslim adaptation ng Romeo and Juliet sa ilalim ng iskrip at direksyon ni Dr. Ricky Abad ng Tanghalang Ateneo. Ang produksyong ito ay nagsimula nung 2011 at ngayong 2016 ay may limang espesyal na pagtatanghal sa Pilipinas matapos nitong libutin ang iba’t-ibang lugar sa Asya. Sa orihinal na palabas ay 25 actors at at 12 musicians ang kasama samantalang ngayon ay 7 actors at 4 musicians, na sinusunod ang pormat ng isang international festival.

       Tampok dito sina Natasha Tañada (Jamila), Kalil Almonte (Rashiddin), Charles Yee (Imam / Datu Pian-dao), Brian Sy (Taupan), Jacinda Lopez (Gng. Kalimuddin), Joe-Nel Garcia (Badawi / Mensahero / Mambabarang), at Gel Basa (Lakambini / Rosmawatti / Dalagang Kalimuddin). Katuwang sa paggawa ng teksto sa pagtatanghal si Guelan Luarca habang katuwang naman sa direksyon si Matthew Santamaria, na siya ring gumawa ng choreography. Ang ginamit na disenyo ng entablado ay sa namayapang henyo na si Salvador F. Bernal at si Edru Abraham naman ng Kontra-gapi ang naglapat ng musika.

        Ang setting ng istorya ay sa Sampoearna, isang bayang Muslim na halaw sa kathang isip. Ang narrative ay hitik sa dance, song, drama, at live music. Ang sayaw ay base sa igal, isang tradisyonal na pormang galing sa Sama Bajau ng Tawi-Tawi. Ang iskrip ay kombinasyon ng awit ni G.D. Roke na Ang Sintang Dalisay ni Julieta at Romeo pati ang translation ni Rolando Tinio ng akda ni William Shakespeare.

Sintang Dalisay will continue to run on the following dates:

December 10 | 7:30 PM
December 11 | 11 AM and 3 PM
at the Rizal Mini-Theater, Ateneo de Manila University

Please contact Lucian Jimenez at 0917-843-1400 for ticket rescheduling.

For purchase on TicketWorld: bit.ly/SintangDalisayTicketworld

For reservations: bit.ly/SintangDalisayReservations

Cine Europa 2016 Invades FDCP Cinematheque Manila

The Cine Europa Film Festival is back with its last run of 2016 this December at the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Cinematheque Centre Manila, with the festival presented to us by the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines and its member states, in partnership with the FDCP through its Film Cultural Exchange Program, and other cultural organizations.

Boasting 19 years and being one of the longest and largest local film festivals, the Cine Europa celebrates 25 years of the EU Delegation in the Philippines with the theme of “Friendship” to highlight years of cross-continental partnership and collaboration as well as the quality filmmaking cinema from all over Europe. Also in celebration of this friendship, a by-invitation only gala for delegates of the European Union as well as special guests of the FDCP will be conducted during the festival run on December 8, 5 pm, before the private screening of Inés París’s Miguel Y William at 7:30 pm.

21 films showcase at the Cinematheque Manila this month, showing us what friendship means to all different cultures and points-of-view from 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

All screenings of the 19th Cine Europa at the Cinematheque Manila are free admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are released at the Cinematheque an hour before the screening time of each film.

The 19th Cine Europa films screening at the Cinematheque Manila are:


AUSTRIA: BROTHERS OF THE WIND

A tale of hope follows Lukas, a child burdened with his mother’s death and father’s grief, who finds love and release when he discovers a weak eagle chick.


BELGIUM: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE (Dagen Zonder Lief)

After years spent in New York, Black Kelly returns home with new hair color and a discovery that her friends have changed dramatically as well, and her homecoming disturbs their new lives.


BULGARIA: LOVE & ENGINEERING

Computer engineer Atanas believes he’s solved the formula to love, so he and his friends test out his theory on how to find the perfect wife.


CZECH REPUBLIC: NORMAL: THE DÜSSELDORF RIPPER

Young lawyer Justus Wehner is assigned to defend Peter Kuerten, a serial killer, and as Wehner struggles to prove the murderer is insane, he himself stars to lose his grip on his life.


DENMARK: A SECOND CHANCE

Drunkard Simon and responsible husband Andreas are detectives with markedly different lives, but a domestic dispute case shakes both of them to the core and tests their limits.


FINLAND: SUMMERTIME

Iiris, Karolina, and Eeva are waitresses  in their mid-twenties and determined to have a perfect summer, but they must deal with the hard facts of adulthood along the way.


FRANCE: BEING 14

Teenage friends Sarah, Jade, and Louise return together on their final year of high school, and put through the wringer of adolescence, find themselves and the meaning of their friendship. 

FRANCE: PATER

The lines of fact and fiction dissolve as filmmakers Alain Cavalier and Vincent Lindon, who play themselves as men pretending to be great contemporary political figures.


GERMANY: BELOVED SISTERS

In 18th century Germany, aristocratic sisters Charlotte and Caroline follow proper lives until they fall for the same man, beginning an entangled romance in a choice to share their love.


GERMANY: STEREO

Only a tattoo reading “scoundrel” alludes to Erik’s dark past, but the motorbike workshop owner leads a peaceful family life—until the arrival of mysterious strangers in their quiet town.


ITALY: OF SINNERS AND SAINTS

Leonardo is an Italian priest re-appointed to the poor area of Payatas, and becomes determined to help an old flame, soon risking his duty to his church and his life.


ITALY: AMICI MIEI (MY FRIENDS)

A bar owner, a journalist, an architect, and a broken nobleman spend their days playing pranks to try to prolong their childhood in their middle age.


THE NETHERLANDS: DE MARATHON

A gang of best friends run a failing garage shop and get the idea to find a sponsor to pay their run in the Rotterdam marathon, with more at stake than just their business.


NORWAY: THE LIVERPOOL GOALIE

Smart, twelve-year-old Jo, is just trying to get through the torment of childhood and find a rare football card that would solve his problems, until he is scouted to become a goalie himself.


NORWAY: KON-TIKI

In the 1940s there is much yet to be discovered, so young Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl is adamant to sail on a raft in the Pacific Ocean to prove an unconventional theory.


POLAND: CARTE BLANCHE

History teacher Kacper is determined to hold on to his job and help his students with their finals, deciding to keep the diagnosis of his eventual blindness a secret to those around him.


ROMANIA: SELFIE

Fresh high school graduates escape their responsibilities to their final exams, choosing the relief and rebellion of youth that the seaside offers them.


ROMANIA: BUCARESTI NONSTOP

A regular night brings together four ordinary people in unusual circumstances as their vastly different lives come together at Achim’s 24/7 convenience store.


SPAIN: MIGUEL Y WILLIAM

An opportunity for genius strikes when Leonor de Vibero finds in Spain the broken writer Miguel de Cervantes and her ex-lover William Shakespeare arrives to try to win her back.


SWEDEN: UNGA SOPHIE BELL

A move to Berlin spells a promising life for best friends Sophie and Alice, but when Alice mysteriously disappears, Sophie hunts her down, with the city opening her up to a new world. 


UNITED KINGDOM: THE LADY IN THE VAN

Alan Bennett, a famous writer, and Mary Shepard, a woman with a secret past who lived in a parked van in front of Bennett’s house for fifteen years, become unlikely friends in this true story.

Magic Temple Makes a Restored Comeback Via REELive

"Buto, kalansay, tabi-tabi po sa bangkay. Lulubog, lilitaw, sasarado-hukay."

Sounds familiar? These lines are from the catchy song in Magic Temple, Buto ni Jasmine. The 1996 MMFF winner is a film in the fantasy and adventure genre, which focuses on the journey of three boys, Jubal, Sambag, and Omar, as they train under Sifu and defeat Ravenal, a beautiful sorceress who threatens to bring the magical world of Samadhi to ruins.

The film is part of the exhibition REELive the Classics, a joint project of ABS-CBN and Rockwell which started last year. It will run from December 7 to 14 at the Powerplant Cinemas and will feature these other Filipino classics: Bagong Buwan, Cain at Abel, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi, Haplos, Insiang, Himala, Tanging Yaman, Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon, and Dekada '70.

Magic Temple trailer

REELive Omnibus trailer

Vilma Santos Leads the Famas Awards 2016 Winners

“Sa akin, kahit ako po ngayon ay nagsisilbi na sa ibang industriya…now that I am a public servant,  hindi ko matatanggal sa puso ko ang pagiging artista,” said Vilma Santos. The first female Batangas representative and Star for all Seasons was bestowed the FAMAS Presidential Award during the ceremony held at the Century Park Hotel Manila yesterday evening.

Here is the full list of the other winners :

ARTURO M. PADUA MEMORIAL AWARD – Danny Dolor

DR. JOSE PEREZ MEMORIAL AWARD – Jojo Gabinete

LIFETIME  ACHIEVEMENT AWARD  - Gloria Sevilla

POSTHUMOUS AWARD – German Moreno

GERMAN MORENO MEMORIAL YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – Jak Roberto, Gabbi Garcia, and Sanya Lopez

FPJ Memorial Award – Robin Padilla

BEST ACTOR - Dennis Trillo (Felix Manalo)

BEST ACTRESS - Andi Eigenmann (Angela Markado)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Gabby Concepcion (Crazy Beautiful You)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Lorna Tolentino (Crazy Beautiful You)

BEST CHILD PERFORMER - JM IBAÑEZ (Crazy Beautiful You)

BEST DIRECTOR - Joel Lamangan (Felix Manalo)

BEST Theme song - ANG SUGO NG DIYOS SA MGA HULING ARAW By: SARAH GERONIMO (Felix Manalo)

BEST STORY – Robby Tantingo (Ari, My Life with a King)

BEST SCREENPLAY - Bro. BIENVENIDO SANTIAGO (Felix Manalo)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Rain Yamson (Silong)

BEST EDITING – Carlo Francisco Manatad (Para sa Hopeless Romantic)

BEST SOUND – Addiss Tabong (You’re My Boss)

BEST MUSICAL SCORE – Cesar Francis Concio (A Love Affair)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – Shari Marie Montiague (You’re My Boss)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – Vincent Ilagan and Mike Velasquez (Angela Markado)

BEST FILM - Felix Manalo (Viva Films)

2016 ADVOCACY FILM – EDSA

FATHER OF VISUAL POETRY – Dr. Penpen B. Takipsilim

SPECIAL CITATION – Chief Public Attorney Dr. Persida V. Rueda Acosta for championing the cause of eliminating violence against women

POSTHUMOUS AWARD – German Moreno

FRONT ROW STAR OF THE NIGHT – Piolo Pascual and Lorna Tolentino

FINESSE LOOK OF THE NIGHT – Robi Domingo and Jean Garcia

BEST NEW FEMALE ARTIST – Ysabelle Peach

ACTOR PAR EXCELLENCE – Piolo Pascual

DIRECTOR PAR EXCELLENCE – Carlo J. Caparas

SCREENPLAY PAR EXCELLENCE – Carlo J. Caparas

Noli Me Tangere, The Opera Returns this 2017 with Jerry Sibal at the Helm

Manila, Philippines--The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and J&S Productions Inc. will co-present the Philippines' first full-length opera, Noli Me Tangere, The Opera. The opera, which premiered at the Far Eastern University in 1957 and made its CCP debut in 1987, will mark its 60^th anniversary with a limited six-performance run at the CCP's Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo from January 28 (gala premiere) to February 3, 2017.

Based on Dr. Jose Rizal's classic novel of the same name,  Noli Me Tangere, The Opera was written by National Artist for Music Felipe de Leon (“Payapang Daigdig,” “Sarong Banggi”) and was set to a libretto by National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino.

This production, which earlier had critically-acclaimed engagements in New York, Washington D.C., and at the Resorts World Manila, will feature a brand-new staging under the  directorial reins of debuting stage director Jerry Sibal, a sought-after event designer in New York City, who is also designing new sets and costumes. 

Sibal, who was born and raised in Binondo, Manila, revisits his hometown, albeit centuries earlier, as his inspiration for the show's overall production design.

“Imagine people from all walks of life: Spanish government officials, Chinese merchants, scholars, and the locals converging together at the Old Binondo canal, which is rather filthy, chaotic as precisely depicted in the first chapter of the novel by Rizal (written from 1884-1887).

“The show's sets, which, according to the CCP, are the largest it has ever had for an opera, and my overall directorial concept are very faithful to Rizal's book. Nature-inspired and rustic textures envelop the floor-to-ceiling, multifunctional set pieces on stage.  It's like you've found yourself  wandering inside the Metropolitan Opera House or a century-old Broadway Theatre in the middle of a busy day in Old Manila. I will also stress more on the violent class struggles of the society at that time,” said Sibal.

The show's score and orchestrations, arranged in the Western operatic tradition with overflow passages reminiscent of Mozart, Puccini, and Wagner, and sung in Tagalog, will be played by the newly formed 52-piece Noli Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera.

At a recent pocket press conference in Quezon City, lead cast members Bianca Camille Lopez (Maria Clara) and Mari Yapjoco (Basilio) performed songs from the opera, “Kay Tamis ng Buhay” and “Gising Na, O Inang Ko,” respectively. Accompanied by pianist Marvin Dizon, Nerissa de Juan (Maria Clara understudy) and Renz Nataniel Cruz (male ensemble member) also performed classic kundiman songs. (The complete cast will be presented to the Philippine media in early January 2017.)

An opera in three acts, Noli Me Tangere, The Opera follows the story of Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, who returns to the Philippines after pursuing scholarly studies in Europe. He plans to open up a school and marry Maria Clara, his betrothed. However, parish priest Padre Damaso, the archenemy of the Ibarras, is out to hinder Crisostomo’s plans, which creates a dramatic storyline of forbidden love, betrayal, and revenge.

Both the novel and the opera depict the abuses suffered by the native Indios at the hands of Spanish tyrants. Both forms also paint a clear picture of the so-called “social cancer” such as the rotten system of governance, the illicit ways of the church, and the unfavorable trade of the privileged class. 

For tickets to the 60th-anniversary production of Noli Me Tangere, The Opera, contact J&S Productions Inc. (63926) 038 0548, (63921) 890 3816, (632) 998 2356, or the CCP Box Office (632) 832 3704/06 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

For more information, visit www.NoliMeTangereTheOpera.com or www.Facebook.com/NoliOperaManila.

Date & Time: January 28 and February 1-3, 2017 at 8 p.m. | January 29 and February 3, 2017 at 2 p.m.

Venue: Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Tickets: P3,500 | P2,500 | P2,000 | P1,500 | P1,200 | P1,000

Ticket Outlets: J&S Productions Inc. (63926) 038 0548, (63921) 890 3816, (632) 998 2356, or the CCP Box Office (632) 832 3704/06 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Photography by Erickson Dela Cruz

*Text from the press release