REGINE Velasquez has a new movie and it excites us as we’ve always told her she has the potential to be an award-winning drama actress like other singers before her who went into acting, such as Nora Aunor, Sharon Cuneta, Zsa Zsa Padilla.
“Hindi naman kasi talaga ako artista, singer naman talaga ako,” she says. “Pero nung i-offer nila sa’kin itong ‘Yours Truly, Shirley’, nabudol ako, I accepted it. Niligawan kasi nila ako. Maganda ang role ko as a widow na ang akala, ‘yung husband niya is reincarnated in a young man played by Rayt Carreon. Comedy naman ang approach at hindi drama kaya hindi masyadong nakaka-stress sa emotions.”
We heard she has now intimidated all the other actresses that have an entry in the coming Cinema One Originals since she is the biggest star in it. They now concede she would win as best actress in the festival. “Hindi naman totoo ‘yan,” she says. “May entry rin si Cherie Gil. Ano naman ang panama ko roon? Saka hindi ko alam na may competition. Hindi po ako na-inform.”
Regine’s movie is directed by Nigel Santos and will premiere at Trinoma on November 10, 9:45 p.m.
The other entries are: “Metamorphosis” – A coming of age story starring teen actor Gold Azeron as Adan, a 14-year old born with both the male and female genitals, directed by J.E. Tiglao.
“O” – A horror-black comedy with Jasmine Curtis Smith, Lauren Young and Anna Luna, directed by Kevin Dayrit, about a morgue intern who meets a vampire, Matilda.
“Sila-Sila” – A drama with Gio Gahol and Topher Fabregas, this is directed by Gian Abrahan who won Cinema One best picture in 2017 for “Paki.” He describes it as an LGBT ghost story about a man who attends their high school reunion.
“Tayo Muna Habang Hindi Pa Tayo” – Denise O’Hara makes her Cinema One Originals debut with this romantic comedy starring Jane Oineza and JC Santos. The film is about love and the fear of commitment and how it can be traumatic for some people.
“Tia Madre” – A horror drama-thriller told through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl, Camille, played by Janna Agoncillo, with a mysterious mother, Emilia (Cherie Gil). It is written and directed by Eve Baswel.
“Utopia” – The stories of a freelance videographer, a rookie police officer and an undercover agent intertwine after a comet flies over Manila, with Enzo Pineda, Joem Bascon and Aaron Villaflor, directed by Dustin Celestino and Dustin Uy.
“Lucid” – A movie about dreams starring Alessandra de Rossi and JM de Guzman, directed by Victor Villanueva. Alex plays a lucid dreamer whose waking life and dream life get very complicated.
Cinema One Originals, now on its 15th year, will run from November 7- 17 at Trinoma, Glorietta, Ayala Manila Bay, Gateway and Powerplant Makati.
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Rocco Nacino is so happy to be tapped by the GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) as their youth advocate for health and nutrition projects. He has a master’s degree in nursing and he feels this will surely be a big help in the performance of his duties as a Kapuso Foundation volunteer. “I’m used to helping out our needy brothers because my mom is a cancer survivor and we give gifts on Christmas Day to patients afflicted with the big C,” he says when he was presented to the press by GMAKF founder and ambassador Mel Tiangco in a special presscon, along with other new advocates: Bea Binene for disaster relief and Patricia Tumulak for Kapuso School Development.
Mel Tiangco welcomed them all warmly and thanked them sincerely for their commitment to GMAKF’s mission to help uplift the lives of our underprivileged fellowmen all over the country. “I look forward to being with them in accomplishing together our various projects for the needy in the near future,” she adds.
Rocco says it’s actually them who are honored to be part of GMAKF. “I just really feel so excited to help spread joy and offer assistance to our people,” he says. “I will also be active in the blood donation program, especially now that a lot of people need blood since there is a dengue epidemic.”
Rocco looks forward to going out of town to push Kapuso Foundation projects even if he is so busy taping for his new action-drama, “Descendants of the Sun,” with Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado and Jasmine Curtis Smith that’s slated for a February airing. Rocco also feels blessed that his romantic-comedy, “Write About Love” for TBA Studios opposite Miles Ocampo, has been accepted as an official entry in the coming Metro Manila Film Festival this December. With regard to his lovelife, it’s going strong with athlete Melissa Gohing and they just celebrated her birthday together in a cozy place in Antipolo a few days ago.
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Rita Daniela is seen Monday to Friday in the GMA romcom, “One of the Baes,” which is rating very well, and on Saturday and Sunday, she’s seen as a host who chronicles the journeys of the contestants in the singing contest, “The Clash.”
“I never thought ‘yung ‘Special Tatay’ will make the big difference in my career,” she says.
“To think dalawang beses ko ‘yung tinanggihan kasi ayoko magkontrabida at pokpok pa ang role na magiging unwed mother pa. But eventually, I was convinced to accept it. Sabi ko anyway, hindi naman magtatagal ang show. But who would have thought na magugustuhan ng tao ang role ko as Aubrey at magki-click ang tandem namin ni Ken Chan kaya ayan ngayon, nabigyan kami ng lead roles on primetime sa ‘One of the Baes’ at tapos, hosts pa kami ng ‘The Clash’ season 2. Grabeng blessings talaga ang dumating!”
Hosting “The Clash” makes her feel nostalgic. “Kasi sa singing contest din ako galing. I was 10 years old when I joined ‘Popstar Kids’ and when I see the clashers now, I remember the time when I was a contestant na naghihintay na tawagin sa dressing room.”
How does she find the current crop of contestants in “The Clash”? “Maraming magaling. Lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila, just believe in yourself and what you’re capable of doing. Yung mga natatanggal, siempre nakakalungkot, but I tell them not to lose hope. Laban lang nang laban!”
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Viva Films had successive hits with “Just a Stranger” and “Jowable.” It now announces its exciting lineup of new releases for the last quarter of 2019.
Currently showing is the inspiring story starring Sarah Geronimo and her pet dog, Happy, in “Unforgettable”, directed by Jun Robles Lana and Perci Intalan. It’s getting very positive reviews and everyone who has seen it agrees Sarah is very touching and does justice to her very challenging role as a young woman afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome.
After “Unforgettable” is the intriguing mystery-drama, “Nuuk, A Sub-Zero Love Affair”, filmed on location in Nuuk, the frozen capital city of Greenland. It stars Aga Muhlach as Mark, a businessman working in Greenland who meets the widow Elaiza Svendsen, played by Alice Dixson, who’s feeling low after the death of her husband. They make a romantic connection but Aga suddenly goes missing. It is directed by Veronica Velasco.
Coming on November 13 is “Cinta Itu Buta,” Bahasa words for “Love is Blind.” This is the Indonesian remake of the Philippine blockbuster, “Kita Kita”, which starred Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez and directed by Sarah Ingrid Bernardo. The remake is now shot on location in the beautiful seaside city of Busan in Korea. It stars Jakarta’s popular superstars, the ravishing Shandy Aulia and talented comedian Dodit Mulyanto who will make you fall in love all over again, as directed by Rachmania Arunita.
On November 20, get ready to be shocked with the erotic sapphic romance between two beautiful women in “Adan” starring the adventurous duo of Rhen Escano and former beauty queen Cindy Miranda doing sizzling bedscenes in the lesbian-themed movie.
Bela Padilla stars in “Mananita”, produced by TEN17P Films for Viva, written by the internationally acclaimed Lav Diaz and directed by Paul Soriano. In this searing character study that shows what happens when your life’s purpose is stripped away, Bela plays the challenging role of a former military sniper who takes the law into her own hands to avenge the death of her parents. It is the lone Philippine entry in the competition section of the Tokyo International Film Festival set to premiere on October 29.Viva ends the year with a big bang with their MMFF entry, “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” a remake of a tearjerking Korean megahit topbilled by Aga Muhlach. He is supported by child star Xia Vigor and Bela Padilla playing his young and grown up daughter, plus Joel Torre, JC Santos, Mon Confiado, Jojit Lorenzo and Rico Soliman. It is directed by Nuel Naval. The rest of the year will surely offer great entertainment with all these movies from Viva.
