26th Gawad Pasado Bares Nominees

Annually, the PASADO (Pampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro) recognizes exemplary works from the entertainment industry which have great educational value.

Here are the nominees for the awarding ceremony happening on October 12:

AMERICAN OPM SINGER SAHARA RELEASES LATEST SINGLE “DAHIL IKAW”

 Filipinos will again be amazed and inspired by American OPM singer Sahara through her new song, “Dahil Ikaw.” Sahara, an international recording artist based in the United States, launched her professional career as an OPM singer with her impressive version of “Dahil Ba Sa Kanya” as her debut single, which was originally recorded by “Philippine Queen of Soul” Jaya. When our kababayans hear her sing an OPM for the first time, they are amazed that Sahara is a foreigner who can croon Filipino lyrics with perfect enunciation, and they’re also inspired by the fact that she has such immense passion for Original Pilipino Music.    

In an interview, Sahara shared how she came to work with esteemed composer Freddie Saturno for her latest single. “I first met Freddie when I asked for permission to release my very first OPM, a cover of his song ‘Dahil Ba Sa Kanya’ originally sang by Jaya. We worked together again on my first original Tagalog song ‘Kabiyak.’ And then last year he said he wrote a song for me, and I thought he just meant it was good for my voice.” 

“When I first heard ‘Dahil Ikaw,’ I was touched at how sentimental it was, so loving with a hint of sadness. And then he told me, he wrote it for me and my husband, knowing that we share similar experiences with him and his wife. Being the spouse of an artist can be hard, but love conquers all,” she added.

Regarding the song’s message, Sahara explained, “Love always has its ups and downs, but even if there’s a quarrel or a disagreement, love is forever if you don’t give up. It’s important to remind ourselves of the power of forgiveness, and know that we’re not perfect. I think anyone in a close relationship, whether it’s romantic, family or friends, can relate to the lyrics of ‘Dahil Ikaw.’” 

“When I sing ‘Dahil Ikaw,’ I imagine I’m singing it to my husband, with all the trials and tribulations we experienced. I can equally imagine him saying the same words to me, and totally singing it out of tune,” she said, with a smile.

Sahara also shared the other projects she is currently doing. “I have a new Christmas rock song coming soon in time for the ‘Ber months, and several new singles for the new year, including a collab with Bassilyo. And I’ve been spending a lot of time learning about cinematography and video editing, so I directed and edited the music video for my new song ‘Dahil Ikaw.’ I hope to keep getting better and make videos for my future singles.” 

The talented singer who can also sing remarkably in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German concluded the interview with a heartfelt message to Filipinos. “Thank you for accepting my passion for OPM into your hearts and supporting my dream of being an OPM artist. I hope you enjoy listening to my new song ‘Dahil Ikaw’ as much as I enjoyed recording it for you. And as always, mahal kayo ni Sahara.”

For more information on Sahara and her new song “Dahil Ikaw” as well as her other OPM singles, follow her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/voiceofsahara), on Instagram (www.instagram.com/voiceofsahara) and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sahara-TheAmericanOPMSinger

Korina Sanchez, Pinky Webb, and other Seasoned Journalists Join Bilyonaryo News Channel

Korina Sanchez and Pinky Webb both embody in-your-face but responsible journalism. They are just some of the bug names to join Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC). True to the Bilyonaryo.com brand, they will deliver cutting-edge business reporting alongside in-depth coverage of national issues, politics, lifestyle, and sports.

The former lead news anchors of TV Patrol and CNN Philippines will be joined by former ABS-CBN News Channel personalities Marie Lozano and Maiki Oreta, bringing their extensive experience and credibility to the team.

Additionally, BNC has recruited lawyer Karen Jimeno, who served as undersecretary for disaster resilience under President Rodrigo Duterte. She will contribute her expertise to the network’s public affairs programming. Also featured in the station’s new lineup is ‘Newsfeed’ anchor Mai Rodriguez.

Adding to the channel’s diverse roster is sports commentator and anchor Paolo del Rosario, who will continue his work with One Sports/Sports5 while enhancing BNC’s sports coverage.

With this formidable team, Bilyonaryo News Channel is set to make waves in the Philippine media landscape, offering viewers a fresh and comprehensive approach to news reporting.

THE 40th LUNA AWARDS WINNERS

Photos by Pilar Mateo

 The winners of the 40^th Luna Awards have been proclaimed on August 3, 2024 at the IBG-KAL Theater, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. Organized by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) and hosted by Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry, the momentous event celebrated unification as its theme and saw a reprise of the beloved traditional FAP production number, “Handog” at the final stretch of the show. Performed by actress-singer Hazel Faith donned in a Luna statuette-inspired outfit, she sang with the winners, nominees, and guests led by Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon who joined her onstage – conveying a touching image of one family of movie workers that supported each other. Earlier in the show, actor-singer John Arcenas rendered soulful music during the In Memoriam segment that paid tribute to departed showbiz colleagues.

 

Among the highlights of the show were the keynote speech of Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairman and CEO Joey Reyes, who sounded the alarm about the state of Philippine cinema what needed to be done. FPJ Lifetime Achievement Awardee Liza Dino-Seguerra, former FDCP Chair, also emphasized the importance of movie workers that belong to the fringes of the industry. National Artist Ricky Lee, on the other hand, presented the Lamberto Avellana Memorial Award to his former workshop student, the late Armando “Bing” Lao. The Manuel de Leon Award for Exemplary Achievements and Golden Reel Award were bestowed to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Sen. Bong Revilla, respectively.

 

GomBurZa bagged the Best Picture title, while Pepe Diokno won the Best Director trophy for the same film. In His Mother’s Eyes, on the other hand, won Best Actress for Maricel Soriano, Best Actor for Roderick Paulate, and Best Supporting Actor for LA Santos. Ana Abad Santos meanwhile snatched the Best Supporting Actress for Third World Romance.

 

The following are the rest of the winners: Jun Lana, Best Screenplay for About Us But Not About Us; Carlo Mendoza, Best Cinematography for GomBurZa; Ericson Navarro, Best Production Design for GomBurZa; Marya Ignacio, Best Editing for Third World Romance; Jessie Lasaten, Best Musical Scoring for When I Met You in Tokyo; and Albert Idioma, Janina Minglanilla, and Emilio Sparks, Best Sound Design for GomBurZa.

 

The presidents of the different film guilds that comprise FAP acted as presenters of the twelve competitive categories.

 

The 40^th Luna Awards had been supported by the Office of the President, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), and Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (MOWELFUND); and produced by RR Entertainment. Sponsors include Sen. Robin Padilla, CETV Philippines, Xstatic Event System, Inc., Stage One Events and Services, Rafy Gellang Masterpiece, ELPI Veg Haus, and Mireya Blends.

AbeNida premieres at the Cinemalaya 2024 on August 10

 August 10 is the premiere date of "AbeNida," which stars Allen Dizon and Katrina Halili in the lead roles.

"AbeNida," a gripping drama, will be presented by BG Productions International with pride on August 10, Saturday, at 5:00 PM in Cinema 2 of Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The movie is available to the general public, and adult tickets cost ₱300, while student tickets cost ₱200.

The film "AbeNida," which stars Katrina Halili and the gifted Allen Dizon, is directed by the well-known Louie Ignacio. The moving tale of Abe, a woodcarver and artist, who loses everything when his wife marries someone else is told in the movie. Subsequently, Abe develops feelings for Cecile, a sex worker he confuses for his spouse and addresses as Nida.

"AbeNida" has received praise from all around the world and was most recently honored with the Best International Film Feature title at the esteemed 10th Emirates Film Festival. Two Best Actor honors, including one from the International Imago Film Festival of Civitella del Tronto in Italy, were given to Allen Dizon for his depiction of Abe. With a strong performance, Halili won her first Best Supporting Actress award, beating out competitors from Morocco, Egypt, Italy, and Syria.

Halili is the latest actress to be honored for her work in BG-produced movies, following in the footsteps of Best Actress winners Ai Ai delas Alas ("Area"), Barbie Forteza ("Laut"), and Nathalie Hart ("Siphayo").

Director Louie Ignacio has nothing but positive words for Allen Dizon's performance, stressing that he can't think of anyone else other than the indie circuit favorite to play the male lead.

In addition to Gina Pareño, Joel Lamangan, Leandro Baldemor, Ina Alegre, Vince Rillon, Kate Brios, Mimi Juareza, and Nella Marie Dizon, the ensemble cast is quite remarkable.

Along with being her 17th production, "AbeNida" is another noteworthy work by Madam Baby F. Go, who has previously worked on films including Lauriana, Homeless, Child Haus, Iadya Mo Kami, Lihis, Bigkis, Sekyu, Tupang Ligaw, Laut, Siphayo, Area, Balatkayo, Almost a Love Story, School Service, and Latay.

The producer-philanthropist is thankful to Louie Ignacio and his team, led by the capable line producer Dennis Evangelista. She is proud of the milestones the film has accomplished internationally and has a positive outlook towards its reception in the Philippine market.

Celine Dion Overcomes Stiff Person Syndrome to Sing at the Paris Olympics 2024

Standing beneath the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion gave her first public performance since being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome to cap off the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

This year at the Grammys, she made an unexpected appearance to deliver the final prize, to which she was met with a standing ovation. That was the start of a recovery that was finished tonight.

Standing beneath the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion gave her first public performance since being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome to cap off the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

This year at the Grammys, she made an unexpected appearance to deliver the final prize, to which she was met with a standing ovation. That was the start of a recovery that was finished tonight.

Dion was experiencing severe muscle spasms and rigidity from her uncommon neurological disease, which made it difficult for her to walk and perform. When the documentary "I Am: Celine Dion" debuted in June, she told The Associated Press that getting back needed therapy, “physically, mentally, emotionally, vocally.”

“So that’s why it takes a while. But absolutely why we’re doing this because I’m already a little bit back,” she shared
.

Looking back on 25 years of "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves claims the movie transformed his life

Celebrity actor Keanu Reeves recently went through a very emotional moment as he considered the 25th anniversary of his classic movie The Matrix. Keanu, who is well-known for playing tough guys, revealed a more vulnerable side when discussing the movie's lasting influence.

According to a popular media source, Keanu broke down in tears for a heartbreaking twenty seconds during his interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, clearly moved by the film's relevance. He conveyed his appreciation for the movie's life-changing impact on both his and innumerable followers' lives throughout the globe.

“The Matrix changed my life, and then over these years, it’s changed so many other people’s lives in really positive and great ways,” Keanu shared emotionally. “As an artiste, you hope for that when you get to do a film or tell a story," he added.

The actor continued, his voice filled with emotion, “So when you say these years, the amount of people that I have met who have said to me and been touched by The Matrix in such a positive way… It’s the best,” as per the source. He became an international superstar because of The Matrix, which also cemented his reputation as an action movie hero. Keanu was already a rising celebrity at the time because to roles in movies like Point Break and Speed. The Matrix, which was written and directed by Lana and Lily Wachowski, is now considered a science fiction cult classic and continues to influence upcoming filmmakers making similar movies.