Gamboa-Cuneta kin grateful for ‘outpouring of sympathy’

We would like to extend our deep condolences to Ms. Sharon Cuneta, her daughter KC and Ms. Helen Gamboa for the passing of Mommy Elaine Cuneta last Wednesday, November 5. It is not easy to lose a loved one and we join everyone in praying for the eternal repose of Mommy Elaine’s soul.

The Cuneta family’s statement released on Wednesday reads: “The family of Mrs. Elaine Gamboa Cuneta wishes to confirm the news that at 2:05 p.m. today, November 5, 2014, she passed away due to internal bleeding and complications arising from abdominal surgery. Mrs. Cuneta was first confined for abdominal pains on September 2 and was in intensive care for over seven weeks.

She was the wife of the late Mayor Pablo Cuneta.Her children, Chet and Michelle, Sharon and Kiko, her grandchildren—KC, Paul, Chuck, CP, Christopher, Daniel, Czarina, Lucas, Frankie, Miel, and Miguel, her siblings—Paz, Betchie and Johnny, Gilbert, Vernon and Esther, Carmela and Paquito, Helen and Tito, Edna and Jing, and Evelyn and Bong, and all their children are profoundly saddened by her passing. Mrs. Cuneta was 79 years old and the daughter of the late Domingo Gamboa and Eusebia Albent.

The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of sympathy, love, and prayer support during their time of grief. They thank all the doctors and nurses who did the best they could to care for Mrs. Cuneta these past few months.

They are comforted by their faith and the certainty that she is in a good place, in the hands of her Creator— no pain, no sickness or weakness, and seeing Jesus face to face. It has been a very difficult time for the family, especially for Sharon, Chet, KC, and Mrs. Cuneta’s brothers and sisters, and it is their hope that they may be allowed some privacy as they mourn the loss of the beloved Mrs. Cuneta.

The wake will be held at the Capilla Del Señor and Capilla Dela Virgen of Santuario de San Antonio Parish, McKinley Road, Makati City from November 6 to 11.  Details of the interment will follow.”

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Award-winning actor JM De Guzman is back and his fans are rejoicing. As the saying goes, you can’t keep a good man down. A lot of people are happy (us included) that JM is on the road to rebuilding his career after a sorry episode that landed him in a drug rehabilitation facility. We are likewise glad that ABS-CBN and Cinema One Originals gave the actor acting assignments to jumpstart his comeback.

JM is in the Cinema One Originals entry titled “That Thing Called Tadhana” where she co-stars for the first time with Angelica Panganiban. “This project has many firsts for me. This is my first time to do a movie for Cinema One, my first movie with director Antoinette Jadaone and it’s my first movie after two years,” said JM at the press launch of Cinema One Originals festival held November 4 at the 9501 Restaurant at the ABS-CBN complex.

In the movie, he plays the role of Anthony, an artist. “He has a different view about life, about love and about moving on. But this is not just a love story but a story about life as well. How do you move on with life when you have a broken heart?” says JM.

“That Thing Called Tadhana” tells the story of a heartbroken woman (Angelica) who invites a man (JM) she just met to travel up north. It is a road movie shot in breathtaking Baguio and Sagada.

How did he get the role? “When I went to the set of ‘She’s Dating A Gangster’ where I did a cameo role, Dan Villegas (the director of photography) said he is going to give me a script. After reading the script, I told him that sana akin na ito, huwag mo sana ibigay ito sa iba. Then I met with direk Tonette over dinner and told her that I liked the script that they gave me. I still have no idea who will play the female lead. When I learned that Angelica will play the female lead, I got nervous. It crossed my mind that I might not get the role because the ABS-CBN bosses might think that I am not fit to be paired with Angelica but I was so happy when I got the role,” he related.

When asked if he is wishing to win an award for “That Thing Called Tadhana,” JM said he’d rather not think about it. “If I would expect and not get it, all the more that I will be disappointed. I am already happy that I am part of this movie. It feels good that I was able to do a movie again.”

How was it working with Angelica? “She’s disciplined. I like her work ethic. Off camera, we talk. She’s kalog and really fun to be with. I like to work with actors who have been in the business for a long time like Angelica since I know I will learn from them,” said JM.

The actor said he has moved on from his life’s sad episode. “I am more cautious now. I am very happy that I was already able to move on and I am more focused now on my career. I want to maintain my focus and not commit the same mistakes that caused me to neglect my career kaya nawala ako,” added JM.

To get himself in shape, he is in the gym to do boxing, wrestling, or muay thai. Or he goes to UP to run. JM said he became more sports-minded. “I get my high from working out, doing sports and running. Mas okay na po iyon.”

The Cinema One Originals: InTense is happening from November 9-18 at Trinoma, Glorietta, Fairview Terraces and Greenhills Dolby Atmos Theater.

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Cinema One Originals channel head Ronald Arguelles takes pride in saying that this year’s Cinema One Originals Festival is the biggest in its ten-year history. The entries accepted were pet projects of the directors who joined the festival.

“We got more than 130 plus scripts which were trimmed down by the selection committee to 40. We wan-ted entries na buo na ang concept ng scripts. After the selection committee submitted a shortlist, we discussed with the filmmakers which of the said scripts we deemed credible,” said Ronald at the press conference of the Cinema One Originals festival.

He added that this year’s festival, which has the theme “InTense,” is the biggest in terms of programming line-up since they are not only showcasing 10 new films, but short films as well plus big Asian films which won awards in prestigious festivals abroad.

He was kind of worried that showing the award-winning Asian films would eclipse the local movie entries but Ronald said that he feels that these movies will also attract a different type of audience.

To be screened on opening night at Trinoma Cinema is the campy film by Elwood Perez titled “Esoterica: Manila” and the Asian film “The Lunchbox.”