8 Pinoy indies at New York filmfest

Curtain-raisers:

• BEWARE! BEWARE!! BEWARE!!! For the nth time, your columnist is reminding — nay, warning! — showbiz guys not to believe anything they read in a Twitter account called ricky_xclusve (with my picture in it) which is authored by an evil mind who writes negative items about the stars. Ronald Constantino, Cristy Fermin, Jobert Sucaldito and even Phillip Salvador are also victims of the same “identity theft.” The official website of The Philippine STAR is philstar.com.

• From a reader (name withheld upon request, referring to a report that Bianca Manalo is the “third party” in the break-up of Rachelle Ann Go and John Prats): The long and short of the non-issue is this: John should find somebody his size. (My comment: Oo nga naman! Can you imagine a guy slightly over five feet standing beside a beauty queen towering over him at around 5’11”! In fairness to Bianca, on The Buzz last Sunday, she already denied being involved in that “mess,” saying, “I don’t want to be the third party; I was to be the first party.” Words to that effect. “Intriga lang ‘yon,” Bianca texted Funfare).

• Hahaha text of the day, from Dr. Welson Yap: A man was throwing darts at his wife’s picture and all were missing the target. Suddenly, he received a call from his wife who asked what she was doing. With a straight face, he told her, “Missing you!”

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Showing since last June 17 (until June 23) are eight Filipino indies included in the first annual Sineng Pambansa New York Film Festival which is part of the 113th-anniversary celebration of the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain.

“The films got lukewarm reception from audiences back home but got rave reviews and honors in various international film festivals,” noted Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre who filed this report. “Filipino film buffs in New York, me included, are eager to watch the entries.”

Presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the week-long screening is held at Producers’ Club Theaters at 358 West 44 Street, between 8th and 9th avenues, in midtown Manhattan.

Dr. Yong Larrazabal and wife Donna Cruz (bottom, at the recent Los Angeles Marathon) at lunch hosted by the Rebueno family (from left): Yong, son Cian, wife Donna, daughter Belle, Camille, their Tita Baby, their TIto Medy, Nino, Ronald and Donna’s brother Jomar…

New York-based film producer and writer Vincent Nebrida said the filmfest will “survey the current Filipino movie landscape, and include a wide spectrum of acclaimed films from new indie filmmakers in the last two years.”  

The festival included a special screening of Mike De Leon’s classic on Dr. Jose Rizal, Bayaning Third World last Sunday, June 19, to commemorate Dr. Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary, according to Nebrida.

The eight indies are:

• Halaw by Sheron Dayoc

• Baseco Bakal Boys by Ralston Javier

• Happyland by Jim Libiran

• Two Funerals by Gil Portes

• Emir by Chito Roño

• Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio by Mario O’Hara

… at dinner at the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant hosted by the Lee family (from left) Donna’s dad Renato, Jomar, Minnette Lee, John Lee, Jacqui Lee, Yong, Donna, Cian and Belle.

• Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe by Alvin Yapan

• Ang Damgo Ni Eleuteria by Remton Siega Zuasola

Nebrida said a last-minute bonus addition for the much younger crowd is RPG Metanoia, the first Filipino animated feature in 3D, that was part of the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Some of the participating indie films — all with English subtitles — star some of the biggest actors in Philippine Cinema including Gina Pareño, Cherrie Pie Picache, Robert Arevalo, Ricky Davao, Joel Torre, Eugene Domingo, Sid Lucero, Tessie Tomas, Irma Adlawan, Vhong Navarro, TJ Trinidad, Alfred Vargas, Maria Isabel Lopez, Jhong Hilario, Frencheska Farr, Zaijian Jaranilla and Aga Muhlach.

New York Fil-Am lawyer J.T. Mallonga said Sineng Pambansa will give film aficionados like him a rare chance to see some of the best Filipino indies that are hard to find in mainstream market.

“I’ve been hearing a lot about Filipino indies making waves overseas and this is my first time to catch them again,” Edmund quoted Mallonga as saying. “Before, I’ve seen some of the indies like Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros and Kubrador, and they are quite impressive. I hope to see more of these masterpieces by Filipino filmmakers.”

Briefly noted

•  Former Manila model Mary Ann Thiam Mendoza-Herrera will represent the Philippines at the 2011 Mrs. International Pageant on July 22 and 23 at the Northshore Center for the Performing Arts in Chicago, Illinois. The Baltimore-based businesswoman and chairman of the Mutya Ng Amerika Pageant is in the thick of preparations for the upcoming competition and will be wearing creations of Gino Fernando in the pageant.

     The International Pageant system has been developed to promote today’s married women, their accomplishments, and commitment to family and marriage. With this system, women around the world find an opportunity to work with their husbands and family to become positive role models. The exciting events and activities leading up to the coronation night will begin on July 19. The two-week pre-pageant activities will give the contestants the opportunity to learn about customs and family life in other countries, and share their beliefs and make new friends.

     The contest is open to women 21 to 56 years old, married at least six months and a resident of the state or a citizen of the country she represents. — Reported by FELIX MANUEL, one of Funfare’s ‘beauty experts’

Mary Ann Thiam Mendoza-Herrera, Philippine bet in the 2011 Mrs. International Pageant.

•  Here’s a report on the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon held last March, from Dr. Yong Larrazabal who was among the runners with his wife Donna Cruz: No doubt it was one of the most difficult marathons I have ever joined. Barely 20 days from my Tokyo Marathon (where I missed the EQ by a week), this my 19th marathon was a stormy one (literally), the only marathon I joined where it rained from start to finish. More than 23,000 registered but only 19,730 finished. I finished in three hours and 57 minutes. Donna registered a personal best of four hours and 36 minutes. It was her third marathon after Macau and Cebu. I was first among Filipinos registered while Donna was the third.  Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes while running when encountering strong winds with rain. Some roads were flooded with icy water, making it even more difficult to run on filthy cold-soaked shoes, minimizing its cushioning effect. Unlike the Tokyo Marathon where we were all runners were led into a heated gymnasium after the run, runners in L.A. were made to walk two more kilometers from the finish line to an open field amidst the storm after the finish line to an open field. Some runners where brought to hospitals after suffering hypothermia.

(E-mail reactions at mailto:[email protected]or at mailto:[email protected]. You may also send your questions to mailto:[email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit http://www.philstar.com/funfare.)