Jowee Morel

Joy Virata

MAY bagong estilo ang mandudula sa tanghalan na si Peter Quilter, isang British.
At ito ay ang kanyang pamamaraan ng pagbibihis sa mga artista.
Aba, hindi sa backstage mismo o sa dressing room tumatakbo ang mga aktor at aktres ng dulang “Duets” ng Repertory Philippines kundi sa may gilid lang ng entablado.
Ang stage design ng Rep para sa “Duets” na nagsimulang itanghal sa maraming bansa buong mundo noong 2009 ay plastic imbes na salamin sa bubong at kisame na may bahaging nagsisilbi ring bintana samantalang ang dingding ay manipis na tela na ini-spray-an ng de kolor na abo at may maliliit na patseng matingkad na itim.
May ilaw ito na malamlam sa loob habang may patlang ang pagtatanghal at kitang-kita ang artista na nagbibihis ng kasunod niyang costume.

***

Lantad na lantad sa amin ang pagpapalit ng respetadong aktres sa tanghalan na si Joy Virata.
Bold si Joy, ang asawa ng dating Secretary of Finance na si Cesar Virata.
Nandoon din at nanonood si Mang Cesar sa audience.
May tungkod na ang dating kalihim ng diktador na si Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Nasaksihan din ni Mang Cesar ang pagbibihis ng kanyang asawang aktres sa harap ng madlang pipol.
Minsan ay naka-bra lang si Ms. Virata pero may palda naman at pagkatapos ay magsusuot siya ng kanyang blusa.
Bahagi ito ang estilo ng manunulat sa kanyang orihinal na iskrip na bagamat ginagawa na sa ibang dula ay may bagong dagdag na dimensyon sa pisikal na kaayusan.

***

Kahit ang katambal ni Joy na si Miguel Faustmann ay sa inilawan ding parte ng entablado nagbibihis habang madilim sa sentro ng entablado.
Makikita kung paano magkabit ng peluka si Miguel pag ang papel niyang gagampanan ay bakla o kaya ay matandang kapatid ng babaing ikakasal.
Walang pakialam si Faustmann kung siya ay man ay nakahubad at makita ang kapirot na bahagi ng kanyang briefs.
Katatawan ang pelikula at apat na bahagi ito ng iba’t ibang kuwento ng dalawang tao sa kanilang relasyon.
Dalawa lang ang artista, sina Virata at Faustmann.
Ang unang istorya ay tungkol sa blind date nina Jonathan at Wendy. Ang ikalawa ay ang pagsasama sa bahay ng isang bading, Barrie Medina at Janet, ang babaing gusting magpakalalaki ang bakla. Ang ikatlo ay tungkol sa pagdi-divorce nina Shelley t Bobby samantalang ang ikaapat ay ang pagpapakasal ni Angela samantalang tinutulungan siyang makalutas ng problema ng kanyang kapatid na panganay na lalaki.

***

Sa Onstage ginaganap ang pagtatanghal ng dulang komedi at mamamatay kayo sa katatawa.
No, hindi naman literal na mamamatay kundi gugulong kayo sa katatawa.
Nang mainterbyu namin si Miguel, sinabi niyang natutuwa siya at nakabalik na sa Pilipinas ang kontrobersyal na direktor na si Jowee Morel na kanyang direktor sa “Mona, Singapore Escort” ni Iza Calzado.
“It was just a minor but I enjoyed so much,” pahayag ni Faustmann sa ipinagawa sa kanya ni Jowee.
Samantala, minamani-mani lang ni Joy ang pagganap sa stage.
“Baryo” ang kasunod na pelikula ni Miguel sa direksyon ng premyadong American independent o indie filmmaker na si John Sayles kasama sina Joel Torre at Ronnie Lazaro.
Papel ng isang Spanish soldier ang gagampanan ni Faustmann sa obra.

Jowee Morel

Iza Calzado

Miguel Faustmann

MAY bagong stage play ang mahusay na aktor na si Miguel Faustmann at ito ay “Duets” na sinulat ng British playwright na si Peter Quilter.
Nagkaroon ng world premiere ang dula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng daigdig noong 2009 at ngayon ay nasa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng Repertory Philippines.
Nagka-press preview ang dramang komedya kamakailan sa Onstage Theater sa Greenbelt kung saan din ito kasalukuyang itinatanghal.
Bida sa obra sina Joy Virata at Miguel Faustmann.

***

Alam naming kilala na ninyo si Joy Virata dahil apat na dekada na siya sa pag-arte lalo na sa entablado.
Si Joy ay asawa ni Cesar Virata, ang dating Secretary of Finance ng adinistrasyon ng diktador na si Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Nanood nga si Cesar sa press preview at nag-enjoy siyang maige sa pagganap ng kanyang artistang misis.
Nakatungkod na si Mang Cesar pero ang kanyang kasigasigan sa pagtataguyod sa sining ng dulaan ay hanggang doon na lamang.
Masigabo rin ang palakpak ni Mang Cesar kina Joy at Miguel na dalawa lang artista ng “Duets.”

***

Ang “Duets” ay may apat na bahagi.
Unang bahagi ang kuwento ng blind date na sina Jonathan at Wendy na walang pakialam sa kabaduyan ng kanilang bagkos ay nakatuon ang kanilang atensyon sa pangako ng pag-iibigan.
Ikalawang bahagi ang istorya nina Barrie Medina, isang bading at Janet, isang babae na magkasama sa bahay.
Gusto ni Janet na magpakalalaki na si Barrie pero ayaw ng baklang ito.
Ikatlong parte ang salaysay nina Bobby at Shelley na maghihiwalay na ang pag-asawahan sa isang isla.
Samantala, ikaapat na yugto naman ang maproblemang pagpapakasal ni Angela sa ikatlong pagkakataon samantalang nasa kanyang tabi ang kaisa-isang kapatid na lalaki.

***

May bagong instrumentong ginamit si Quilter sa kanyang dula at ito ay ang paggamit ng ilaw na malamlam sa tigkabilang gilid ng tanghalan kung saan nagbibihis tig-isa sina Joy at Miguel.
Maganda ang interprestasyon ng aktres na direktorang si Ana Abad Santos sa kanyang piyesa dahil nagamit niya nang maluwalhati ang disenyo ng produksyon.
Walang pakialam si Joy kung siya man ay mag-bold sa likod (simboliko lang ito pero sa totoo ay sa tabi) ng tanghalan. Kahit naka-bra lang siya at nagsusuot ng kasunod na costume para sa kasunod na eksena, walang kiyeme ang aktres gayundin si Miguel na kahit masilayan nang kapiraso ang kanyang briefs ay wala siyang pakundangan dahil siya ay isang alagad ng sining.

***

Sa panayam sa mga artista pagkatapos ng palabas, sinabi ni Faustmann na nahirapan siya sa pagbibihis sa loob ng malamlam na inilawang espasyo ng tanghalan.
“It should take us three minutes to do our costume change,” pahayag ni Miguel, ang isa sa mga naging artista ng kontrobersyal na direktor na si Jowee Morel sa pelikulang “Mona, Singapore Escort” ni Iza Calzado.
Pinuri ni Miguel si Jowee kahit na maiksi lang ang kanyang papel sa pelikula bilang parukyano ng Pinay Singapore escort na nagbebenta ng laman sa ibang bansa.
Nais muling kunin ni Morel si Faustmann sa kanyang mga susunod na obra.
Gagawin din ni Miguel ang pandaigdig na pelikulang “Baryo” na ididirek ni John Sayles, ang premyadong American independent o indie filmmaker.
Makakasama ni Faustmann sa pelikula sina Ronnie Lazaro at Joel Torre.

Isa si Mario O’Hara sa masinop sa pag-aaral ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas kaya naman kumpleto siya ng mga babasahin, mga orihinal na dokumento ang karamiha, kaugnay sa mga kontrobersyal na tauhan ng ating buhay at pakikipagsapalaran.
Kaya nga nabuo niya ang konsepto ng pelikulang “Ang Paglilitis” na hango sa buhay ni Andres Bonifacio at ang koneksyon ni Emilio Aguinaldo sa kamatayan nito.
May mga tala si O’Hara ng pagdinig sa kaso ng pagpapatay ni Aguinaldo kay Bonifacio at ginawa niya itong dramang dokyumentaryo at isinumite sa kabubukas lang na Open Category ng mga establisadong direktor.
Walang katanung-tanong na napili ang materyal ni Mario at siya ang nangunguna sa limang filmmaker na nakasapa sa kategoryang ito.

***

Sinisimulan na ni O’Hara ang pre-production ng pelikula bagamat wala pa siyang mga pinal na artista na gaganap bilang Andres at Emilio.
Pati ang papel ni Gregoria de Jesus ay wala pang napipili bagamat marami ang humihiling na si Angel Locsin ang magbigay-buhay sa makulay na persona ni Ka Oryang.
Si Angel rin ang gusto ni Mario na gumanap sa kontrobersyal na katauhan bagamat ang desisyon ay nakasalalay rin sa kamay ng direktor at ng Cinemalaya.
Bagay na bagay kung gayon si Locsin sa karakter ni de Jesus dahil Filipinang-Filipina ang kagandahan at kakanyahan ng aktres at ng pigura ng kasaysayan.

***

Ang sumulat ng dulang pampelikula ay walang iba kundi ang pamangking-buo ni Mario na si Janice O’Hara na isang manunulat sa ABS-CBN.
Kasama ni Direk sa bahay si Janice kaya naman panay rin ang basa nito ng mga manuskrito ng hearing sa korte kaya marami na siyang napulot na mga impormasyon na mailalahok sa produksyon.
Matindi ang magiging epekto ng pelikula sa lahat ng Filipino dahil ito ay nagpapakita ng mga katotohanan ng buhay sa Pilipinas lalo na sa pulitika noong panahon ng mga Kastila at Amerikano.
Nagsimula ang madugo at marahas na pulitika sa panahon nina Andres at Emilio kaya naman mahalaga itong pag-aralan ng sambayanan kundi rin lang mga kabataan at katandaan dahil ang panahon nila ang ugat ng masamang pulitika na bumabalot sa Pilipinas.
Hindi ba’t napapanahon ang obrang ito sa panahon ng eleksyon bagamat sa Hulyo pa sa Cinemalaya mapapanood ang kabuuan nito pero ngayon pa lang ay mainit na usapin na naman ito sa lahat ng sulok ng lipunan dahil tungkol ito sa mga lider at may sinasabi sa ating lipunan?

***

Kinukuha nga ni Mario ang batambatang kapwa direktor na si Jowee Morel para maging kanyang cinematographer kahit nasa London si Jowee at nag-aaral ng advance filmmaking sa Goldsmith College ng University of London sa UK.
Bilib si O’Hara kay Morel mula nang mapanood ng beteranong filmmaker ang trabaho ng baguhang direktor sa pelikulang “Latak” ng Outline Films.
Pag-uusapan nina O’Hara at Morel kung puwede silang makapagtrabaho sa mga petsang nakatakdang simulan ang paggiling ng mga kamera ng obra.
Excited nga si Jowee na maging photographer sa pelikula ng isang premyado at iconic nang filmmaker.

Kc Concepcion and Jericho Rosales

According to reports, KC Concepcion is being paired with Jericho Rosales in an upcoming Star Cinema movie. The still untitled project will begin shooting in January 2010 after casting is completed.
KC Concepcion’s last leading man was the ultimate heartthrob Piolo Pascual in the tv remake of the koreanovela “Lovers in Paris.” The said tv series aired its last episode last December 11.
KC’s first leading man was kapuso hot property Richard Gutierrez. Her first movie “For the First Time” with Richard and under Star Cinema was a box-office hit. It was followed “When I Met U”, her second film and with Richard Gutierrez again but this time it was produced by GMA Films.
Come 2010, KC will film her third movie with her third leading man Jericho Rosales. Do you think they have the chemistry on screen? Or do you prefer another actor to be KC’s leading man?

Dubbed as Inday Kengkay of General Santos City is 21 years old, Melisa Cantiveros. She is the funny girl to enter the Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up. Melisa looks at the positive side of things despite people teasing her about her looks. The aspiring teacher taking up Secondary Education at Mindanao State University hopes she can impart happiness to other people wherever she goes. Acting in theater is one of her interests.

There are wannabes who aren’t products of reality shows but they seem tailormade to stay longer in this dog-eat-dog business called showbiz.

One of them I dare forecast fearlessly is newcomer Pia Millado.

Millado, a mass communication graduate from the Ramon Magsaysay College in General Santos City, has proven a lot in the advertising world, being a ramp and commercial model for a couple of years now.

She’s low profile but she’s got a high command of audience impact especially when she did the MTV of Cueshe’s “There was you” as an ill-fated lover of a bohemian guy.

“She was amazing. She just needed to be reminded of her spiels and she delivered them with flare and precision,” controversial filmmaker Jowee Morel recalled when they did the Music for Television months ago.

Morel was also responsible for paving the way for Pia’s entry to the world of movies.

At first, Millado came in to an audition for minor roles in “Mona, Singapore Escort,” a foray on the intriguing ways of escort service in Singapore clandestinely engaged in by Filipinas.

According to Jowee, who also directed the film, Pia passed the test with flying colors.

“Ang galing niya. So we gave her the best support role. But suddenly, she backed out because of some schedule problems. We lost her but I gained her when I did ‘Latak’,” said Morel.

Millado was finally cast in “Latak,” an Outline Films’ offering on anti-drug menace, as a devoted and trustworthy friend of the main protagonist, Andrew Locsin, played by another newbie Marc Jacob.

“She was also wonderful in her character. I hope many producers will take notice of her,” said Jowee.

Isn’t Pia lovely?

Just take a look at her.

She’s refreshing and acts well.

If you have time, please watch her in “Latak” which opens on November 18 at the Indiesine of Robinsons Galleria.

Controversial film “Latak” by equally controversial director Jowee Morel recently got an R-18 rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board despite the many sex scenes depicted in the movie.

“I did all the steamy scenes of Marc Jacob and Jill Urdaneta in a very artistic angle and I didn’t quantify in the gay attention-getting manner,” said Morel in a hastily conducted interview hours before he boarded a plane for London where he is based as a filmmaking student of Goldsmith College at the University of London.

When Independent Filmmakers Cooperative agreed on the showing of the film at the Indiesine of the Robinsons Galleria, director Paolo Villaluna applied for an R-13 rating.

“Mas mabuti na rin kahit R-18 dahil mas maganda sa commercial appeal,” commented Jackie Aquino, one of the Board’s members who sat in the panel.

The other two reviewers were Fr. Nick Cruz, S.J. and Atty. del Prado.

During the preview, I met Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino member Mario A. Hernando at the MRTCB’s entrance and he was wondering why I was around.

I told him I was representing Outline Films for “Latak” and he asked who were sitting in the review.

“Oh, that’s a perfect combination,” I answered.

According to Jackie, she would want to watch “Latak” in big screen to be able to see the whole picture of the character undergoing inner fears and anxieties.

On the other hand, Fr. Cruz, intimated that the film is quite complicated in its structure while Atty. del Prado commented that it’s better off with an R-18 rating.

The three reviewers showed me the clear and underscored guidelines for the film, which has sex scenes in it, and we were enlightened more about its implementation although there are still gray areas to be talked about in terms of its application.

“Latak” has been shown in two censorship-free government agencies, namely the University of the Philippines Film Institute Cine Adarna and the Cultural Center of the Philippines during its 2009 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival’s Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema competition.

“UP and CCP have no requirements of a censor’s permit, so I showed ‘Latak,’ but now, it will be commercially shown at the Indiesine of Robinsons Galleria on November 18 to 24. I should really follow the MTRCB process,” said Morel.

It’s just the second quarter of the year and only 10 Filipino films, in 35 mm, have been screened in commercial  movie houses. In the sixties and seventies, hundreds would already have been exhibited at about this time. Meanwhile, 87 foreign films have been released so far.

Many digital films, 32 as of this writing, have been produced and shown regularly in a handful of traditional movie houses and non-traditional outlets like schools, museums, art galleries etc.

However, industry analysts warned, these are not bloodlines of the local film industry.

Jose N. Carreon, director and producer, said no digital film has ever made money, so far, compared to the conventional box-office returns in  millions of pesos.

Philippine Motion Picture Producers Association Chairman Manny Nuqui said only about 10 percent of the members of the organization have been producing films. Films meant for the movie houses are still the moneymaking enterprises and not the digital films, Nuqui added.

Some entertainment analysts already say the local film industry is dead. But analyst Pol del Mundo believes otherwise. “The local movie industry isn’t dead. We have lots of indie productions.”

Employment

Many movie extras, directors, stuntmen, artisans, big support and lead stars, are jobless, according to Pablo Vergara, vice-President of the United Musical
Directors Association of the Philippines.

Corix Mercado, 47, a veteran stuntman and a part-time driver of TV and film services, said that there are more than a thousand old hands, lowly movie workers, who are without jobs.

“Ako, nakikitira lang sa nanay ko sa squatters area, wala akong regular na trabaho (I stay with my mother in a squatters area, I don’t have a regular job),” he said wearily after realizing he didn’t have the jeep fare  to bring him home. He was going to sleep away the night in some stalls around  Tropical Hut in Scout Borromeo and Panay Avenue in Quezon City where showbiz extras mill around.

“Wala akong maiuuwi sa nanay ko na pambili man lang kahit isang kilong bigas (I don’t have anything to bring home to my mother, not even a kilo of rice),” added Mercado.

In TV, he  said, many extras are given roles but he argued that these small actors are new in the field.

There is still some good news, however. Lawyer Esperidion Laxa, director-general of the Film Academy of the Philippines, stated that a bill has been passed by both chambers reducing entertainment tax to 10 percent from 40 percent. This has yet to be signed by President Arroyo.

Censorship

In her last year’s SONA, President Arroyo exalted her administration’s educational reforms implemented by the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education. These agencies work on the development of arts and culture, among others.

Film appreciation is one course being introduced in the curriculum; it discusses the fundamental right to freedom of expression. But how many art films were censored due to the arbitrariness of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board?

“Under the present dispensation, there are many violations of civil rights such as free expression which is preserved in our Constitution. Last year alone, I was a victim of the state arbitrary regulation on my film ‘Serbis,” said director Brillante Mendoza.

Mendoza is this year’s winner of the prestigious Palm d’Or at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival for his “Kinatay (The Execution of P),” a gloomy look at corruption in Philippine politics and the military.

Controversial filmmaker Jowee Morel laments government regulation of the film industry..

“Our government agencies in the film business are very oppressive and elitist. They don’t really serve small-time film producers because of heavy levies imposed on us. Instead of encouraging the independent filmmakers, they kill their spirit by imposing soaring fees on registration for classification, for instance,” Morel explained.

Favoritism in terms of access to government funds to encourage independent filmmaking is also a sorry tale, according to Morel. “There is still red tape in the bureaucracy.”

Actress Maria Isabel Lopez is also critical of the power set up: “Pag hindi ka mag-lick ng ass of the powers-that-be, wala ka (If you don’t lick the asses of the powers that be, you’re out).”

This year’s SONA, according to Julie L. Po, chairman of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), will once again challenge  the rights and responsibilities of artists by the administration allies  who are invoking House Bill 1109.

The bill, according to Po, can further undermine our national identity and culture as it will also allow foreign ownership of mass media, schools and advertising firms.

“It is a sell out of our national patrimony and economy. If we have too much poverty, our culture, the entertainment industry is affected,” said Po.

The provision which restricts the ownership of the mass media and advertising industries to Filipinos, as invoked in the 1987 Constitution, was removed from the bill.

“Ang mangyayari n’yan, mas maraming escapist na entertainment like Cinderella ang mapapanood sa TV. Ngayon ngang hindi pa approved ‘yong bill, escapist na ang napapanood natin sa TV, what more kung foreign controlled na ito? (We will have more escapist entertainment. As it is, that’s what we see on TV, what more if mass media are controlled by foreigners?)” explained Maria Victoria Deocampo of CAP.

MANILA – What did the winners of the 5th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival do after the awarding ceremony at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Sunday night?

Comedian Lou Veloso Jr., who won the most coveted best actor prize, attended a victory party thrown by his two sons.

During the awards night, Veloso thanked filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes for giving him a character he would portray the longest time in his acting career on film and television—that of the high-pitched colonial henpeck Truman.

“Sa stage lang ako nakakapag-drama,” said Veloso.

He also did some minor roles in independent films but they were all forgettable until new director, Jon Steffan Ballesteros, offered him a meaty role in “Colorum.”

Initially, Veloso was worried he couldn’t comply with the film requirements because he had to regularly attend to his council tasks.

“May trabaho ako sa munisipyo,” the Manila councilor quipped.

So he advised Ballesteros he couldn’t do an out-of-town shoot. The role seemed tailor-made for him, though, and the proponent wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Adjustments were made, nonetheless.

The role was meant for him because the calendar shoot was scheduled during the entire Holy Week, an opportune time for Veloso.

The result—a poignant portrayal of an ex-con in the road film “Colorum.”

“I had fun also traveling from Manila to Ormoc City in Leyte,” Veloso chuckled.

Ina Feleo, daughter of seasoned actors Laurice Guillen and Johnny Delgado, won the best actress award for her role in Milo Sogueco’s “Sanglaan.” Ina, a ballet and an outstanding ice skater, wasn’t around to receive her Balanghai trophy because of previous commitment.

Her sister, Ana Feleo, went up the stage and accepted the plum instead.

She got hold of her second Balanghai trophy just today, Monday.

During the awards night, movie writer Dennis Adobas was sharp enough to notice reactions from celebrities, however emphatic, some of them even too dramatic.

One of them was director Mike Sandejas of the “Dinig Sana Kita” fame.

“Alam mo, mula nang manalo si GB (Giuseppe Bede)Sampedro ng best director, hindi na ngumiti si Mike,” observed Adobas.

Sampedro won for his grim city tale, “Astig.” His film clinched 4 out of 14 artistic awards.

Sandejas’ entry just won one artistic and technical award for best musical score apart from two independent non-artistic awards. These non-artistic awards were National Council for Children’s Television and Audience Choice, which is a recognition given to the most viewed digital indie.

Sunday’s awarding ceremony was also a romantic rendezvous for lovers Sampedro and Candy Pangilinan, who left the venue after the director’s triumph in his movie directorial debut.

Sampedro admitted Pangilinan, apart from his three kids, was his inspiration.

Short filmmaker Rommel Tolentino, also known as Milo Tolentino, bagged the special jury award  for his “Blogog” in Cinemalaya’s short film division. He wasn’t around to accept his trophy and his lady assistant received his plum instead.

Tolentino is in Lobo, Batangas since last week to shoot a Rio Locsin film with reliable actress Geraldine Tan.

Tan was part of Jowee Morel’s “Latak,” one of Cinemalaya’s NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) entries.

Television and film writer Ralston Jover didn’t make it to the awards night when his creation, a documentary-type feature film “Baseco Bakal Boys,” won the NETPAC Award, a prestigious citation in support of young filmmakers in Asia.

He had to attend a very important meeting for a television soap opera Monday.

Best supporting actress Tessie Tomas, for her moving portrayal of a businesswoman in “Sanglaan,” went home immediately with mom Laura Hermosa.

Best supporting actor Arnold Reyes of “Astig,” meantime, readily reported to his manager Boy Abunda and celebrated the night with friends and colleagues.

All in all, the prevailing atmosphere after the awarding ceremony was free spirit of artists.