Mighty proud of papa

Quiet for several months after his controversial recognition as a National Artist, Komiks King Carlo J. Caparas is ending the Year of the Tiger (and saying hello to the Year of the Rabbit) with a mild bang.

Carlo has added two more to his numerous awards (in and out of showbiz) by winning Best Story and Best Screenplay (with RJ Nuevas) both for Ang Panday in the yearender 58th FAMAS Awards (for 2009) held at the GSIS Theater last week. Well, better very late than never. (“It’s hard kasi to attract sponsors these days,” said a FAMAS officer, “that’s why there was no TV coverage unlike in previous years. Hard times!”)

Besides Carlo’s fans and true friends, those very proud of his latest achievement (especially in times like this) is his family. Here are their tributes to Carlo:

• Wife Donna Villa: As always, we’re all proud of his achievement. He deserves it not only for his talent but for unwavering dedication to his work. Bihira din na ang isang talent ay successful in the transition from komiks to movies to TV. He topped it all. It’s rare for a talent to be able to cross the millennium na up to now ay tinatangkilik pa ng taong-bayan ang trabaho, lalo na ng masa.

• Daughter Peach: For us, he’s a saint. Since I was small, I’ve always seen him working. When I go to sleep, I see him writing; when I wake up, I see him directing. What a workaholic!

• Son CJ (Carlo’s heir in more ways than one): My dad is a one-of-a-kind person. He’s not only talented, he’s also a man with a heart of gold. Kahit huling perang pang-gasolina ibinibigay pa n’ya sa mga nangangailangan. I should know because I grew up witnessing his kind acts. I hope I could emulate even just half of his qualities.

Carlo has won the FAMAS Best Story Award four times: for Totoy Bato in 1979, Somewhere in 1983, Sandakot na Bala in 1989 and Panday in 2000. One more and he’ll be elevated to the Best Story Hall of Fame. Before anybody else did, Carlo already bagged a Best Strory trophy for Angela Markado (directed by Lino Brocka) at the Nantes Grand Prix Festival in France in the ‘70s.

Incidentally, Carlo is one of the very few artists with a street named after them. There’s a Carlo J. Caparas St. in Pasig City. He has also been honored on five stamps issued as a nod to his works as a Komiks King and Box-Office King.

Next award, please?

Take a bow, Carlo J!

Maro Panganiban, Best Child Actress (for Last Viewing)

Happy for Maro, Best Child Actress awardee

I’m happy for seven-year-old Maro Panganiban who was named Best Child Actress also by the 58th FAMAS. Maro won for her performance as a special child in the indie film Last Viewing which was directed by Roni Bertubin with Janice de Belen (who was nominated for Best Actress) as Maro’s mother rendered stoic by.

Last Viewing moved me to tears. It has several poignant scenes such as when Janice pays her province-based family a long-delayed visit to bury her father. One heart-rending scene is toward the end when Janice, a funeral parlor attendant, takes a tentative peep into a coffin during a “last viewing” and finds her missing child (Maro) inside it. If only for that scene, I thought Janice was a shoo-in for Best Actress in any awards.

Maro has already appeared in several commercials and Last Viewing is her first and only movie to date. In a field with so many talented child performers, it’s a feat for Maro to have beaten them — and in her debut movie at that! I wonder why the networks (paging GMA, ABS-CBN and TV5!) are not using Maro for their teledramas. Maro is an asset; she could be another Vilma Santos, Lorna Tolentino, Gina Alajar or Snooky Serna who have won a FAMAS as child actresses.

I’m sure that the happiest about Maro’s FAMAS victory is Tempo’s Ronald Constantino who is Maro’s grandfather. Maro’s mom Rosary is Ronald’s niece.

Direk Joel is a big winner, too!

Direk Joel Lamangan (center) with his Best Actor Award, with Lovi Poe, Best Actress (for Sagrada Familia), and Allen Dizon, Best Actor (for Dukot)

Another big winner in the FAMAS was Joel Lamangan whose two films, Dukot (produced by CDP Events and Entertainment Productions) and Sagrada Familia (by Legalas Entertainment), brought home major awards.

A film about human rights violations and extra-judicial killings, Dukot won Best Picture, Best Director (for Joel), Best Actor (for Allen Dizon, his fifth acting trophy so far), Best Editing (Bebs Gohetia), Best Cinematography (Monino Duque) and Best Production Design (Egay Littaua and Jens Peter Gaw).

Sagrada Familia, which tackles the subject of incest, won Best Actress for Lovi Poe and Best Supporting Actor for Emilio Garcia and Best Supporting Actress for Gloria Diaz. Lovi dedicated her award to her dad, FPJ, whose sixth death anniversary falls on Dec. 14 (the night of the FAMAS).

What’s up?

• Ellen Lising (shown with Melanie Marquez) is offering 50 percent discount on all major services in her clinics until Wednesday, Dec. 22, including Oxipeel, RIF Treatment, Meso Lift, Acne with Laser Treatment, SPR (Skin Photo Rejuvenation), Diamond Peel, Warts Removal, Body Micro Peel, Laser Hair Removal, etc. For inquiries, call any of these landlines: 374-6665, 413-3375, 413-6357, 438-8072, 740-3242 or 805-5626.

•The Mass Therapeutic Optimum (MTO) Research and Training Center has just finished another study on Filipino Body Massage (FBM). MTO Spa is offering 40 percent discount to those who avail of this service. Offer is good until the Chinese New Year second week of February 2011. It’s 20 percent off on the other services. 

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