Cesar to play Chavit Singson?

As I was saying in last Monday’s (March 31) column, Golden Lions couple Donna Villa and Carlo J. Caparas were seen in a huddle with former President Fidel V. Ramos during the recent Ruffa-Yilmaz wedding and those who saw them were guessing that they might be discussing a project on FVR that Donna and Carlo were preparing as a follow-up to NBI Files: The Cory Quirino Kidnap (still showing in Metro theaters).

Funfare mentioned that besides the FVR story, Donna and Carlo were also interested in doing a film about former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada whose story is as colorful and as dramatic as that of his father, former President Joseph Estrada.

And then last Wednesday night, Funfare joined the birthday dinner given by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson for Daisy Romualdez and Manny Paner’s daughter Danita’s 14th birthday at the Chinese Restaurant of the Heritage Hotel. There, I saw Donna and Carlo again in a huddle with Chavit, making the guests and well-wishers of Danita (Chavit’s inaanak) conclude that they were finalizing the Chavit bioflick which Donna and Carlo might do before those of FVR and Jinggoy.

Asked about it, Donna only gave an enigmatic smile for an answer. Carlo gave the same answer, too.

Already there are speculations that being eyed to play Chavit is Cesar Montano, fresh from his first Hollywood film, Miramax’s The Great Raid, which opens all over the US sometime in September. If and when, the Chavit bioflick won’t be Cesar’s first true-life starrer. He once starred in the film about former Labor Sec. (and then senatorial candidate) Ruben Torres, entitled Kadre, remember?

I know for a fact that Carlo is Chavit’s choice (as writer and director) for his bioflick and Carlo is flattered no end.

"If ever," Carlo made a slip of the tongue, "the Chavit movie will focus on the man and what makes him such a controversial figure." That was all Carlo would say.

This coming Tuesday, Donna and Carlo will make an "important announcement" at a presscon. Until then, all we can do is speculate more. As Funfare’s headline last Monday put it: Will the Golden Couple have as subject for their next project FVR, Jinggoy or Chavit?

Stand by.

Incidentally, Danita Paner is growing up to be a lovely lady gifted with a good singing voice and a beautiful face highlighted by soulful eyes. Her well-wishers (including Barbara Perez, Liberty Ilagan, Amalia Fuentes and husband Joey Stevens, Helen Cruz, Bulletin’s Cris Belen and husband Nards, and movie writer/director Anthony Taylor) observed that Danita looked like a young Criselda Lontok (good friend of Daisy Romualdez). She’s enrolled at O.B. Montessori (Greenhills).

Who’ll be Judy Ann’s next leading man?

The new movie outfit JMCN is all set to launch its second project after Batang West Side which garnered acclaim in international film festivals.

For its second venture, JMCN will do a Judy Ann Santos starrer, a feel-good movie. But like its first venture, JMCN will partly shoot the movie abroad, particularly in Europe. The movie starts in Venice and ends in Paris with the Philippines as setting of the story’s middle portion.

The Judy Ann movie will be directed by Joey Gosiengfiao who is now taking a break from packaging movies for Regal. "I believe people will go this time for happy romantic movies," says Joey.

That’s why he particularly chose Judy Ann as lead star, the same reason he had when he chose Vilma Santos to lead the trend in the early ’70s with Lipad, Darna, Lipad.

JMCN has decided to have a new leading man for the yet untitled Judy Ann movie, instead of getting an old familiar face. In connection with this, the company is launching a nationwide search for Judy Ann’s new male lead.

Already, a talent scout team headed by Joey himself has been created to search in various parts of the country, particularly in provincial campuses.

Interested parties may call JMCN office at tel. no. 8127978 or send close-up photos and bio-data to Unit A-11 Mirasol Townhomes, Mirasol st. near 15th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City.

The chosen male lead will sign a three-year contract with JMCN.

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