Bigfoot offers week-long free lectures on filmmaking

The International Academy of Film and Television will conduct a series of free lectures on key areas of filmmaking such as Cinematography, Screenwriting, Directing, Producing, Editing, and Film History beginning today, November 14 to Saturday, November 19. This will be held at the IAFT campus at Saac II Road, Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, and at Bigbuck's Coffee, Bigfoot Center along F. Ramos St., Cebu City.

This series of lectures is designed to give a compelling overview of what goes on behind the camera, providing the building blocks necessary to make a movie. The lectures will be conducted by some of Hollywood's most experienced professionals. It's open to the public and anyone who holds an interest in the basics of filmmaking or Hollywood. Visit www.study-film.com for lecture schedule and details.

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Last Thursday, November 10, the premier Filipino movie cable channel Cinema One in cooperation with LVN Pictures, Inc. and through the special assistance of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) spearheaded the special screening of the classic movie "Biyaya ng Lupa" held at the Studio 1 of ABS-CBN.

Topbilled by Rosa Rosal and the late Tony Santos Sr., this immortal movie of director Manuel Silos has been regarded one of the real landmarks of Filipino moviemaking and considered by many as the best Filipino film. Story and screenplay writer Celso Al Carunungan has also produced an award-winning script entirely and timelessly substantial that make the movie's characters and story very realistic.

"Biyaya ng Lupa (Blessings of the Land)," begins with young married couple Maria (Rosa Rosal) and Jose (Tony Santos Sr.) overseeing a lanzones orchard with their children Miguel (Leroy Salvador), Arturo (Carlos Padilla Jr), Angelita (Marita Zobel), and Lito (Danilo Jurado). The eldest, Miguel, is a deaf-mute. Just about everything is running smooth in their lives and joy is never absent in their household. But when feared and tough widower Bruno (Joseph de Cordova) slowly slithers into their lives, their once peaceful life turns upside down. Little did the family of Maria and Jose know, such tribulation will pave a new energy for their family to move on with life.

Produced and released theatrically by LVN in 1959, "Biyaya ng Lupa" became the well-deserved winner of FAMAS Best Picture 1960, Best Story and screenplay, Best Supporting Actor. Decades later, it won Manuel Silos the 1979 Natatanging Gawad Urian and the 1985 FAP Lifetime Achievement. It gained international fame for its nomination for the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1960 and at the Asian Film Festival also in 1960 held in Tokyo where the late Leroy Salvador won the award for Best Supporting Actor.

We had the chance to talk with Ms. Rosa Rosal who attended the special screening together with Ms. Marita Zobel. Would you believe that Ms. Rosal had to audition for the movie because director Manuel Silos thought she's not cut out for a non-glamour role since she was then known as the original femme fatale in local cinema? She was only 27 when she did "Biyaya ng Lupa" yet she agreed to play mother to Marita who was only 10 years her junior.

The film classic has transcended the test of time, yet it remains to be an engaging viewing fare that speaks of Filipino values like respect to elders and respect to authority. As we watched the film, we were driven to tears especially by the ending when Ms. Rosal embraced the plow or araro used in tilling the field. The movie is well acted and masterfully directed, no wonder it won awards in international film festivals. "I was only 27 when I did this film and I'm turning 75 years soon," said Ms. Rosal who remains active in her public affairs show on GMA and who appears in the soap opera "Vietnam Rose." She hopes to do another film classic in the tradition of "Biyaya ng Lupa" and she voiced out her appeal to screenwriter Ricky Lee to write her a script.

Cinema One has acquired the movie library of LVN Pictures, Inc. consisting of more than 200 titles in its catalogue, which played a big part in the history of Philippine cinema with 60 years of experience in the film industry.

Aside from acquiring worldwide pay (cable) TV rights of the LVN films, Cinema One also owns the online rights of the titles for a limited number of years. Among the films included in the catalogue are "Kundiman ng Lahi" starring the late Charito Solis, "Waray-Waray" with the late Nida Blanca and Nestor de Villa, "Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising," and many more.

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For a good number of years, beauty guru Ricky Reyes has his show "Beauty School Plus" on RPN 9 but since the station is taking a new direction in becoming a sports-oriented station, it's time for him to make the move and look for a new home. Happily, the doors were opened to him by QTV Channel 11, the sister network of GMA 7, and he's back on the air every Sunday, 10 to 11AM.

For the pilot episode of "Gandang Ricky Reyes," Mother Ricky had as his guests concert queen Ms. Pops Fernandez and beauty queen Ms. Evangeline Pascual. GMA executive Ms. Wilma Galvante was the one who convinced Mother Ricky to do the show for QTV, a channel that is geared primarily for women and that's precisely what made Mother Ricky say yes to the project. As far as Ma'am Wilma is concerned and I am sure a lot of people would agree that when it comes to beauty matters, Ricky Reyes is an expert. No one comes close to his dedication to work. "Gandang Ricky Reyes" is a lifestyle program that uses beauty as a tool in promoting women empowerment, and at the same time, it's entertaining, inspirational and educational.

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Francis Magalona is very excited to be working with her daughter Maxene as they host the new show "Fam Jam." Produced by KB Entertainment Limited for QTV 11, "Fam Jam" hopes to find Philippines' answer to the Jackson Five or Osmond or The Coors.

"Magandang pagkakataon ang pagsasama namin ni Maxene sa "Fam Jam" para lalo pang tumibay ang aming bonding," expressed the Master Rapper. Since the show is reality-based, there is always an element of surprise as to who will be voted out.

What makes "Fam Jam" different from other shows of its kind is that it won't be using text votes to determine the winner. There is a regular panel of judges who will decide the fate of the families as they compete for the grand prize.