Pinoy Film Banned In Singapore: Plus: Donna Cruz all set for US marathon this April; "Betty La Fea" contrabida happy for the break

The censorship body of Singapore banned the new movie of Aureaus Solito titled “Boy.” This was the news relayed to us by the noted filmmaker himself via his Facebook account. Aureaus Solito directed the critically-acclaimed movies “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” and “Pisay (Philippine Science).”

When he received an email telling him that Singapore’s censors would not allow his new film “Boy” to be screened, Solito felt it was almost like a joke as a similar thing happened to him before.

“Boy” is Solito’s ode to a phenomenon in Filipino movies, the “macho dancer” genre. In the film, an unnamed boy is smitten by a macho dancer – or male stripper – and decides to buy him and bring him home for the New Year.

“It’s like a cross between a coming-of-age film and an erotic one, and it was supposed to have its premiere in competition at the Singapore International Film Festival, which opens on April 14. A week ago, I was so happy to see that the Festival had put the film on their website. And now suddenly it has been banned,” he added.

“According to Zhang Wenjie, festival director of the SIFF, the censors will usually issue a one-line reason for disallowing a film. (Last year, they wrote of one title: ‘the film promotes terrorism.’) I am still waiting for their statement on my film but I predict it will have something to do with its gay erotic nature. Zhang Wenjie proposed that it remain in competition just the jury watch it. I replied that I make my films for my audience, not for a jury, and withdrew it from the Festival,” he said in his Facebook account entry.

Three years ago, something similar happened to him in the Philippines. His second feature film, “Tuli” (Circumcision, which was in competition at the CineManila Film Festival, got an X-rating from the MTRCB, banning its exhibition. Without Solito’s permission, his producers cut the film to allow it to be shown.

Solito told a broadsheet writer then, “It was the worst thing that can happen to a filmmaker. It’s like your baby being disemboweled. I insisted the jury watch Tuli uncut (no pun intended) and, after a long fight, I got my way. The film won the awards for Best Film and Best Director. I felt so vindicated after that.”

“Back then, being censored really hurt. But now, the second time around and in another country, I feel more angry than hurt. I was looking forward to seeing my film with an audience. I guess it won’t happen,” said the award-winning filmmaker.

Because of the Singapore incident, Solito decided not to submit “Boy” for review by the MTRCB, at least, not for the time being. But he plans to have it screened at the UP Film Institute and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, both censorship-free venues.

“I’ve had enough of being censored,” he ended. Solito is now in Amsterdam having a long needed break and meeting with possible producers. “Boy” will premiere in Manila by June.

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Former singer-actress and Viva Contract star Donna Cruz, who is now based in Cebu, is hooked into running. In an email that we received from her last Monday, we learned that the singer-actress topped the 5k division of the marathon that she joined in Cebu last Sunday, March 29.

She didn’t get an award or trophy though because there were only few runners (about a hundred) that joined in the said race. Besides, only those who joined the 10k run and who finished in the Top 10 were the only ones entitled to medal prizes.

She had joined a 10k run at UP Diliman last March 1 where she clocked a decent 57 minutes for the distance. But she decided instead to join the 5k run last Sunday because of an aching tummy brought about by her monthly period. She, however, said that she’s joining another 10k run on Sunday, also here in Cebu.

Donna finished with a time of 23:44 minutes. “The time I registered was kind of personal best for me for the 5k distance. The last time I ran the 5k, I registered a time of more than 25 minutes. In my first race for the same distance, I clocked 30 minutes. At least, I am improving my time on each run,” said the singer-actress who gave us the hits like “Only Me and You” and “Habang May Buhay.”

The singer is thankful to her husband, Dr. Yong Larrazabal (who was responsible why she took on running as a sport) and to their trainer because her time really improved. Her next goal when she joins the 10k run this Sunday is to break the 57-minute barrier, the time she registered the first time she joined the 10k run in UP Diliman last March 1.

Donna and her husband Yong are joining the Big Sur Marathon in San Francisco, USA, on April 26. That’s why she’s deep in training. She and her husband are leaving on April 24 for the US for the competition and the former singer is very excited.

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One of the top-rating shows of ABS-CBN is the comedy “I Love Betty La Fea” which is ending this April. One of those who rejoiced in being a part of the series headlined by Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz is Thou Reyes, a Star Magic talent who plays a gay kontrabida in the show.

Even if he’s playing a kontrabida role, Thou is flattered and happy because of the break given to him by ABS-CBN.

“All of the stars in the series are kind of sad because the show is folding up soon but we are happy with the friendship and the bonding that we were able to develop through it,” he said at the presscon given by Star Magic for their March-born talents.

“Everyone in the cast is happy because of the friendships that were made. We are one big happy family on the set, from Ruffa (Gutierrez) to Bea to Lloydie, we really became close friends. Reporting for the taping was not like work for all of us but a chance to bond and grow close with each other,” added Thou who is also a mainstay of ASAP 09.

Since the show is ending soon, each cast member is making the most of their last days on the set. “We should work with the same energy like the way we started. The audience should not see and feel that we are sad because we will soon be off the air. We haven’t been told when the show is really going to end but it might be this April,” he added.

Even if he’s playing a gay character, and a kontrabida at that, Thou enjoyed fleshing out the character of Hugo as this is not your usual “bading” in a drama series. “I added my own mannerisms to give my role as Hugo a different flavor and to enhance my portrayal further. Playing a bad gay character is really something else,” said Thou who is a nurse by profession.

“I even did a research on how I could best portray my role as Hugo. I Love Betty La Fea had been on the air for several months now and so far, I have yet to hear a bad comment when it comes to my performance. Most the comments I received were favorable,” he ended.