Geneva, KC split up!

As you must have noticed, there’s an exclamation point in today’s headline.

Yes, the Funfare DPA is 100 percent sure about his flash report: Geneva Cruz and KC Montero have split up! Why, the DPA didn’t say. "Suffice it to say that they have called it quits," he added. "Period!"

Of course, Geneva and/or KC will – as usual and as is their bad habit – deny this piece of sad news with conviction because, after all, they haven’t categorically admitted that they have ever been "on," have they? That is, never mind if their actions spoke much louder than their ("denying") words.

In the two (or was it three?) years that they were suspected to have gone steady, Geneva and KC went through headline-making episodes that could have filled up several seasons of a telenovela, to wit: Geneva and KC fighting during a party when Geneva got jealous after another girl flirted with KC; Geneva and KC reuniting in the US last December while Geneva was vacationing with relatives in San Francisco and KC (with brother Troy) spending the holidays with their folk in Seattle; Geneva rumored to have suffered a "miscarriage" (vehemently denied), with KC pointed to as the would-have-been father; Geneva and KC pretending – unsuccessfully – in public that there was nothing more than, ehem, "special friendship" between them.

Well, the masquerade is over and we can only speculate what could have led to the big split-up…

• Did Geneva and KC "got tired" of each other (and of putting up a front)?

• Did they, sob and sigh, fall out of love?

• Was KC perhaps "pressured" (by whom?) into cutting ties with Geneva (whose marriage to Paco Arespacochaga was annulled last year, with Paco now settled in California with his new wife)?

Or, knock on wood, was there any "third party" on either Geneva’s part or KC’s part?

Until Geneva and/or KC become true to themselves and to the public, we may never know the answers to those questions.

Meanwhile, now that they have broken up, will the uncouple finally admit that they had been "on"?

What do you think?

Glydel, Tonton going strong

Showbiz sweethearts can learn a lesson or two in harmonious relationships from Tonton Gutierrez and Glydel Mercado who have been silently but happily going steady for more than two years now. No nasty rumor has cropped up about the two, ’no? The only "hot" issue that surfaces about them every now and then is their "impending" marriage. For the nth time, Glydel said that they’re not announcing anything yet because, so far, they don’t have any wedding plans.

"Tonton and I decided not to make any comment," smiled Glydel. "Last year, we thought aloud about marriage and now everybody thinks we were just pulling everybody’s leg. As soon as there are plans, we will announce them."

Despite the rumors, Glydel insisted that she and Tonton are not living-in ("May bahay siya, may bahay din naman ako") and that – this will make eyebrows soar – they’re not doing what sweethearts or married couples are presumed to be "doing." It will happen after marriage, they said. (Okay, down with those eyebrows now!)

But a "wedding" will be held in Glydel and Tonton’s forthcoming movie, World Arts Cinema’s Sana Totoo Na, directed by Arman Reyes, which starts showing on May 15. In the story, Tonton plays the mayor of a Bulacan town and Glydel a restaurant owner married to a bold starlet (John Arcilla). Also starring are Pyar Mirasol as Tonton’s adopted sister who lusts for Tonton and Rita Magdalena as Tonton’s dim-witted scholar.

Tonton and Pyar did a bathroom scene (with Pyar seducing Tonton) and, according to the movie’s drumbeater, Ogie Diaz, Glydel dropped by the set (even if she wasn’t scheduled to shoot) when that love scene was shot.

"Mahirap na...," said Ogie.

RP films doing well in int’l filmfests

Here’s Funfare’s international correspondent, Toronto-based Ferdinand Lapuz, on how some Filipino films are faring in international festivals:

At the Singapore Filmfest, Lav Diaz’s Batang West Side is in competition while director Jeffrey Jeturian’s Tuhog (Larger Than Life) is also screening (exhibition). Direk Jeffrey is also sitting as a jury for the Silver Screen Awards. Tuhog (Urian Best Picture for 2000 and Star Awards Best Picture for 2001) was awarded a Gold Medal award (Mature Film Category) in last week’s Houston International Film Festival. Two years ago, Pila Balde (also by Jeturian) was awarded the same honor.

What’s exciting in Singapore is the inclusion of Mike de Leon’s Bayaning Third World (1999 Urian Best Picture and 2000 Best Picture for Star and FAP, yata?). I think this is Bayani’s first festival outing. But what is more intriguing is the presence of the very reclusive acclaimed director. Singapore gave the three Filipino films the best slots. West Side was screened last April 19, Bayaning Third World on April 20 and Tuhog on Sunday, on April 21.

In one Singaporean magazine, Philip Cheah, festival director, was asked which 10 films are not to be missed in this festival and from among the 300 in the selection, he cited Bayaning Third World and Tuhog among the 10.

(Note: The other good news is that Gil Portes’ Gatas: Sa Dibdib ng Kaaway won the Special Jury Award at the just-concluded Newport International Film Festival, USA. Gatas was the country’s entry to the Best Foreign-Language Film category of the recent Oscar Awards.)