Fil-Am Actor Ernie Reyes Jr Faces Serious Kidney Condition

Filipino-American action superstar Ernie reyes Jr. has entered the hospital for treatment due to a kidney failure, and his family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to get the help that he needs. [hit the jump to continue]

Eugene Domingo wins Best Actress in Tokyo Film Festival

Filipino comedienne Eugene Domingo won best actress for Jun Robles Lana’s “Barber’s Tales” at the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF)—the first acting prize for the country in the Japanese fest that closed on Friday.

“It is always an honor and a pleasure to represent our country anywhere in the world,” Domingo, known as “Uge” in show business, told the Inquirer via e-mail. “My heartfelt gratitude to Direk Jun for this once-in-a-lifetime role.”

Prior to the awards ceremony on Friday night, Domingo and Lana, who both attended the fest, were just praying to bring home any award. “We knew an award would help in marketing the film … it would help spark interest in it when we have our local screenings next year,” she said.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the full article at INQUIRER.NET
CLICK HERE to read our previous article about BARBER'S TALES

Universal Plans to Remake ON THE JOB

As many of us already know, the Filipino film "On The Job" made such an impact internationally that it attracted US and French distributors. Now, Variety reports that Universal Pictures has optioned the rights to the movie with Scott Stuber on board to produce, and Baltasar Kormakur, director of Contraband and 2 Guns, on board to write and direct the remake. Local media has been speculating the possibility of Mark Wahlberg and Tom Cruise playing the roles in the remake, as based on an interview of Gerald Anderson with ABS CBN News. Canadian critic Chris Bumbray also made news early this month when he nominated Bryan Cranston (star of the hit TV series Breaking Bad) to star as the remake's lead. All these are mere casting buzz for now, since no actors have been officially cast as of yet. [hit the jump to continue]

Filipino Documentaries in Japanese Festival

Three Filipino documentaries will compete in the New Asian Currents section of the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, set on Oct. 10-17 in Japan: Jet Leyco’s “Ex Press,” Jewel Maranan’s “Tondo, Beloved: To What are the Poor Born?” and Adjani Arumpac’s “War is a Tender Thing.” The section “introduces emerging filmmakers” from the region, and serves “as a meeting place [for] raw, youthful, energetic” artists, says the fest website.
[source: Philippine Daily Inquirer]

Farewell, Behn Cervantes

Legendary Artist Behn Cervantes dies at 74
Stage actor and director Behn Cervantes has passed away on Thursday, August 15, 2013. He was 74. Cervantes died at 10:15 a.m. due to pneumonia with diabetes complications, his eldest sister, Lengleng, told ABS-CBN News. Relatives, friends and supporters may not be able to pay their last respects to Cervantes as the stage actor-director does not want any wake to be held. "Behn wanted no wake," Cervantes' brother, Tony, said in a text message to ABS-CBNnews.com. Cervantes would have been 75 years old this August 26.
[hit the jump to continue]

JM De Guzman backs out of San Pedro Calungsod movie

JM De Guzman as
Pedro Calungsod in an
early publicity photo

One of the entries for this December's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the highly anticipated movie based on the life of the young Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod, entitled "San Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir" But that film is currently facing a setback because its leading man JM De Guzman, who will be playing the titular character, is backing out from the project.

Ronnie De Guzman, JM's father confirmed that the actor will be withdrawing from his role citing health reasons, revealing that his son is "going through something" and he does not want him to suffer tedious production and hours required to film the movie. [full article after the jump]

Ping Lacson receives 7 Million Peso Royalty for a Movie about his time as a fugitive

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson was paid 7 Million Pesos as royalty and rights to a movie about his life as a fugitive three years ago. It would be remembered that in 2010, a warrant of arrest was issued against him  for the double murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. He disappeared and became a fugitive that time, and only resurfaced 2011 after the Court of Appeals voided the warrant. Lacson is mum about who, or what production company paid for the royalty. [hit the jump for the full article]

ABS-CBN Acquires the Rights to Darna

DARNA is now a Kapamilya, as ABS-CBN has acquired the rights to the iconic, classic comicbook character; Mars Ravelo’s DARNA. ABS-CBN signed a deal with the late Mars Ravelo’s daughter Rita Ravelo-de la Cruz and son Rex Ravelo, for exclusive rights to the komiks creation. According to ABS-CBN News, aside from “Darna,” the deal with the Ravelos granted the network exclusive rights to their father’s other well-loved works, like “Dyesebel,” “Captain Barbell” and 10 other titles that are yet to be specified.

The report further notes that while the network had the liberty to choose who would play Darna, the family would be consulted when it came to “creative decisions.” That, he said, would have to be a collaboration. [read the entire article after the jump]

Legendary Pinoy Midget Actor Weng Weng, the subject of a documentary by an Australian Fan

Remember the Pinoy actor/comedian midget known as WENG-WENG? He became popular during the 70's and 80's for comedy films, specifically his midget-themed comedies. On movies like "For Y’ur Height Only" and "The Impossible Kid" he played the role of Agent 00, a midget-version of James Bond (You'd be surprised to know that DVDs of these movies are available overseas), and also starred in the western "D’Wild Wild Weng"

The legacy of Weng Weng lives on, as he is the subject of Australian film buff and filmmaker Andrew Leavold's documentary about the Filipino midget actor. “The Search for Weng Weng” contains interviews with film legends Dolphy, Eddie Romero, Cirio Santiago and Bobby A. Suarez, and footages about his quest to unearth the story of the giant little actor.

“Weng Weng is a personal avatar,” Leavold said. “Most of the time, it feels like he is sitting on my shoulder, directing my film from behind a curtain—so many strange coincidences have occurred along the way.” It is most heartwarming delightful that Leavold is somebody who recognizes what Weng Weng represents in relation to the Philippine entertainment industry, as well as one who understands it as well. He quotes:

“His story is sad and remarkable, Weng Weng is a metaphor for many people in the Philippine movie industry, and in post-colonial Philippines in general-— used, abused, then cast aside once they had outlived their usefulness.”

He continues, talking about Weng Weng's resurgence on internet fame.  “Like Weng Weng, this story refuses to be beaten down as witnessed by its present resurrection.”

READ THE FULL STORY, CLICK HERE

Farewell Mario O'Hara

Sad news for the Filipino Film Community. Mario O'Hara, one of the country's most respected award-winning Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter passed away at the age of 68, yesterday June 26, 2012.

O'Hara who had been receiving chemotherapy due to cancer, was rushed to the hospital on June 20. On Tuesday, his sister-in-law, Peewee O'Hara, said Mario died at San Juan de Dios hospital due to complications from acute leukemia.O'Hara is known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages. A native of Zamboanga, he collaborated frequently with Lino Brocka during the 1970s.