Wanggo Gallaga living with HIV

How long has the country waited for its growing population of HIV cases to gain a face and supporter? Finally, on Boy Abunda’s The Bottomline two Saturdays ago, Wanggo Gallaga, self-confessed individual living with HIV, became that face to deliver the message on the alarming rise in HIV and AIDS cases, with 274 for the month of February alone.

Although we had glimpsed at a few episodes on The Bottomline and sat through some (a nun from EDSA 1, defense lawyer from CJ Renato Corona’s camp), there is nothing quite like that of Wanggo’s revelations during the recent airing. Wanggo shared of having been aware of the importance of protection during sex, but gave in to his partners’ requests. He had lived a promiscuous sex life, searching for love and realizing now that he had to love himself first. Unlike others who underwent a trauma of discrimination, he was lucky to have understanding parents (multi-awarded film director Peque Gallaga and wife Madie). His experience taught him of so many misconceptions about HIV that have to be corrected and various medicines available to contain it. In the end, Wanggo said he would make it his advocacy to help in the propagation of information as long as he can.

We recall that Wanggo had once written in a blog about discovering that Anthony Burgess of A Clockwork Orange started writing only after 60, yet managed to do over 33 books before he died. “It’s never too late — that’s what I got from that story. It’s never too late to make your mark in this world.”

Bloodtraffick tells of sexy Asian female vigilante at the crux of a holy war between angels and vampires

Our eyes were glued on the screen to the very end. It was two in the morning and Walang Tulugan with Master Showman had long signed off. We felt that ABS-CBN which had supported the talk show and its losses from 2009 should go a mile longer and support Wanggo through this show. Perhaps, a new Bottomline, a 30-minute edition with Boy Abunda in the afternoon, would help reach the target audience. We would like to hear what an HIV girl victim has to say. We would like to know what the alternatives to condoms are. So many questions and so little time.

SoHo battles Tribeca, NYU festivals

On Friday, April 13, the neophyte SoHo International Film Festival flexes its muscles for the third year as it battles major players in Lower Manhattan, running at practically the same time. SoHo, which runs from April 13 to 20, faces Robert de Niro’s prestigious Tribeca Film Festival (April 18 to 29) and the NYU@SFF (April 13 to 22), the collaboration between the Sarasota Film Festival and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Even Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyone’s Journey documentary, which is directed by Filipino-American Ramona Diaz, on Arnel Pineda’s rise from the slums of Manila to frontman for Journey, is being shown at Tribeca. It, however, helps solidify the area’s reputation as an enclave of artists, with Filipinos being recognized. Last month we featured two Filipino entries at SoHo. This time around, we share a random check at international entries mounting yearly:

Maud Mary & The Titanic is the story of how Maud Mary of Liverpool missed the ill-fated boat and lived to tell the tale

I Love You (USA). Short, five minutes. Director: John Gallagher. It’s a short film about the expression of three little words: I love you. Gallagher is a New York-based director, writer, producer, author, historian and educator, with a record of discovering and mentoring new talent.

Bloodtraffick, Feature. Writer-director: Jennifer Thym. It tells of sexy Asian female vigilante and a has-been American cop at the crux of a holy war between angels and vampires. Starring:  Grace Huang (The Man with the Iron Fists, Overheard).

Maud Mary & The Titanic (USA), Animation short, six minutes; Director: Geraldine Carr. This is the story of how Maud Mary of Liverpool missed the boat and lived to tell the tale. It’s not just any old boat — the Titanic! All thanks to a broken wheel on a horse-drawn carriage. Her tale of survival is now a charming short film by Maud’s great-granddaughter.

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