'Panaghoy' takes on more Int'l Filmfest competitions

Cesar Montano, director, actor and producer of 'Panaghoy Sa Suba,' is very much pleased with the plaudits and invitations to compete in Brussels and Hawaii International film festivals received by his film after it was exhibited at the Cannes recently.

Ever since Star Records released the music video of "I Close My Eyes" sung by Aliyah Parcs, it created a ripple in the music scene. And you can't help it. With no less than Jericho Rosales as Aliyah's partner in the music video, it certainly would make people notice. Plus the fact that the song was written by Aliyah for Jericho.

Now Echo and Aliyah are rumored to be playing beautiful music together. The special friendship of the two started during the shoot of the music video and now rumors are rife that Aliyah is the newest girl in Echo's life. And what adds fire to the rumor is their passionate kissing scene in the music video.

Showbiz observers say that it is not surprising should Echo fall for Aliyah. Aside from being beautiful, the singer is also smart, decent and very talented. She not only sings well, but also composes her own songs. She seems to have this gift of knowing what kind of song would merit the attention of the public.

It's probably Aliyah's sweet voice and her melodious songs that made Echo notice her.

"I Close My Eyes" is included in the album titled "Singles" that also features Star Records artists Karel Marquez, Maoui David and Marinel Santos. It is also included in the soundtrack album of "Oh! Feel Young," the newest Koreanovela that premieres on ABS-CBN tonight.

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Also feeling very happy these days is talented actress-singer Karel Marquez who launched her latest single titled "Pangarap" yesterday at "ASAP 05." The song is also being used as the theme song of "Oh! Feel Young" (in the same tradition that the Erik Santos hit single "I'll Never Go" was also used as the theme song of another Koreanovela on ABS-CBN). "Pangarap" is getting extensive airplay and it is expected to become an even bigger hit once it is heard on TV.

"I feel so lucky that my song was accepted by the public," said Karel. "I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity to sing the song, and that the public liked it." Also included in the "Singles' album is the song "Tag-Ulan," a remake which Karel delivers with her own unique version.

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Cesar Montano has an offer to do a TV show for ABS-CBN but he hasn't said yes yet. The actor, who won three trophies at the Gawad Urian awards, is very much pleased with the plaudits received by "Panaghoy sa Suba" which was recently exhibited at the Cannes Film Festival. He said he would be very busy attending various film festivals abroad where "Panaghoy sa Suba" has been invited for competition.

"When our film was exhibited at the Cannes Film Festival, hindi talaga tumitigil ang palakpakan ng mga tao at the film's ending and it was at that instance when Robert Melengrue, the festival director of Brussels Film Festival told me that our film is being invited to compete at the Brussels Film Festival in November," said the award-winning actor in a recent interview after he came back from France.

"The Hawaii International Film Festival also invited us as competition entry in October so I'd be very busy attending film festivals abroad that I fear I won't have time to do a new TV show although ABS-CBN has an offer but they want us to start taping right away since they plan to launch the show in August," said Cesar.

Also in the planning stage for Cesar are two new scripts that his CM Films is planning to produce very, very soon. But he has accepted the offer of Gil Portes to play the lead role in "Bells of Balangiga" which Portes hopes to enter in the Metro Manila Film Festival in December.

"We will be shooting in Palawan by August. Direk Gil has scouted for a location and I believe we are going to start as soon as the budget is finalized," said Cesar who won the Best Actor award from the Golden Screen Awards and the Gawad Urian for "Panaghoy sa Suba," easily the most awarded-film in the current awards season.

"I was so happy and overwhelmed over the success of 'Panaghoy' and the good reception we received abroad that I am setting my eyes on producing a film with the intent of releasing it to the international market. I am already thinking big and I hope I can do it," said the actor.

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