John Lloyd, Direk Lav get Swiss critics nod
JOHN Lloyd Cruz is still on cloud nine after winning the best actor award from Swiss critics at the 76th Locarno festival in Switzerland recently.
John Lloyd bagged the Bocalino de Oro or Golden Jug award for his performance in Lav Diaz’s ” Essential Truth on the Lake.” It is the country’s representation in the main competition of the LFF in Switzerland.
Diaz said, “This is a special and an interesting award given by critics, scholar, and experts in Cinema here in Europe.” Diaz is a familiar face in different international festivals. We congratulate John Lloyd and Direk Lav for the honor they are bringing to the country. As Diaz puts it, “Para sa bayan.”
Goodbye, Robert, nice man with a good sense of humor
THE death of actor Robert Arevalo shocked everyone around him especially people from the movie industry. We knew him and his wife Barbara Perrez way back then. He was one of the nicest persons who is friendly and with a good sense of humor. According to his family, Robert died peacefully.
Our deepest condolences and may he rest in peace.
JC: My wife is the one
THE tested loveteam of Bella Padilla and JC Santos are united once more in the romantic drama, “Wish You Were The One.”
Siguradong iiyak na naman ako at handa na ang tissue just in case, says a fan.
In the movie, Bela plays Astrud. She works as a senior advisor at a curtain store, and comes from a poor family, so she learned to be resourceful, practical, and goal-oriented. And now, her goal is to get her ex-boyfriend Jordan back, played by Kean Cipriano.
JC is Ellis, a beta male landscaper. He’s reserved and quiet, and despite being a bit uncool, he’s got himself a beautiful, popular, classy, and extroverted girlfriend, named Zoe, played by Franki Russel.
Astrud and Ellis’ paths meet just when they needed someone to act as their date to a wedding.
A common friend of Ellis and Zoe’s is getting married, and naturally, they are invited. But, by this time, they are already separated because Zoe rejected Ellis’ marriage proposal. Their friends still want them to be together, and they’re hoping that the wedding will pave the way for a reconciliation. But Ellis tells them that he is already engaged. This is where Astrud comes in as his fake fiancée.
Astrud is delighted to take part in this charade just to be able to get near Jordan who is the chef at the wedding. As she and Ellis pretend to be engaged, they really are destined to meet. They can’t deny their chemistry, and they are able to see clearly the reasons why their relationships failed.
Playing with the title role JC Santos was asked: “To whom did you ever said Wish You Were The One?” JC who is a married man quickly quipped, “None, because my wife is the one.”
“Wish You Were The One” opens in cinemas nationwide on August 23, 2023. From Viva Films, Manila Envelope, Studio Viva, in cooperation with Clever Minds Inc.
All about surrogacy with mystery
KAHALILI is all about a surrogate mother.
The Vivamax offering tells of a young woman in her twenties who makes a big decision to be a surrogate mother. But can she really trust the couple to take care of her and the baby she’s going to bring to this world?
Stephanie Raz (Tayuan, Hugas, Boso Dos) stars as Martha in “Kahalili”, a psychological thriller/sexy drama streaming exclusively on Vivamax this August.
Martha is employed as a helper in the farm house of a rich couple, Rod (Sid Lucero) and Isabel (Millen Gal). Not long after, she is asked to play an even more important role in the couple’s married life – to be their surrogate. And this surrogacy job will be more ritualistic and organic than scientific and technological.
Rod is attracted to Martha, so getting into her bed is not just a task, but a pleasure. He is in his 30s, and despite his mysterious aura, Rod seems to be compliant when it comes to his wife’s wishes.
Meanwhile, Isabel, who is also about the same age as Martha, looks meek and fragile. She is a religious fanatic who believes that a wife must be submissive to her husband.
As expected, Martha gets pregnant, but what they didn’t expect is for her to develop an attachment to the baby in her womb. Martha then starts to have this feeling that Rod and Isabel have a sinister plot against her. As she fears for her life, Martha recalls her dark past which she intends to keep from Rod and Isabel, no matter what.
Directed by Bobby Bonifacio, Jr. “Kahalili” available for streaming on August 18, 2023. By REMY UMEREZ
