KAPAMILYA actress Jodi Sta. Maria turned 40 last June 16 and she spent her special day with her only child and travel buddy now in his teens, Thirdy Lacson (Panfilo S. Lacson III) by ex-husband na si Pampi Lacson.

Early June ay umalis ang mag-ina for a European sojourn at doon na rin sila nag-celebrate ng kaarawan ng actress. They visited Budapest, Prague, Amsterdam at iba pang bahagi ng Europe at pagkatapos nito ay tumuloy sila ng Dubai.

Ang European trip nina Jodi at anak na si Thirdy ay nagsilbi ring treat ni Jodi sa sarili to relax dahil sa mahihirap na emosyon na kanyang pinakawalan sa kanyang nagtapos na serye, ang “The Broken Marriage Vow,” adaptation ng British hit TV series na “Doctor Foster” na binago lamang ang titulo ng ABS-CBN at pinagtambalan nila ni Zanjoe Marudo.

Jodi honors her mom, Mercedita, who singlehandedly raised her and her older brother. Nakaka-relate ang actress sa kanyang ina dahil isa rin siyang single mother to her son matapos silang magkahiwalay ng ex-husband na si Pampi after five years of marriage.

The actress is now in a relationship with actor Raymart Santiago, who, like her ay hiwalay din sa kanyang dating partner, ang ex-wife na si Claudine Barretto with whom he has a biological son na si Santino (14) and an adopted daughter na si Sabina (18).

Jodi was only 15 years old nang siya’y mag-audition sa Star Magic ng ABS-CBN, her home studio up to the present time.

Film company nina Dondon at Erik nag-sign up ng award-winning filmmakers

MATAGAL-TAGAL rin ang business partnership ng magkaibigang Dondon Monteverde at Direk Erik Matti whose friendship dates back in 2001.

Ayon sa mahusay na writer-director-producer na si Direk Erik, naging magkaibigan umano sila ni Dondon dahil ito umano ang dating manager ng actor na si Mark Anthony Fernandez na siyang bida ng pelikulang kanyang dinirek in 2001, ang crime-drama movie na “Dos Ekis” na pinagtambalan nila ni Rica Peralejo.

Ayon sa kuwento ni Direk Erik, hindi umano sinipot ni Mark Anthony ang last shooting day ng movie kaya napilitan umano siyang gumamit ng double sa pelikula.

Since si Dondon ang manager ni Mark Anthony noon, kinausap umano niya ito tungkol sa actor. Ito ay nauwi sa muli nilang pag-uusap ng business partnership at dito nabuo ang Reality Entertainment na silang dalawa ang may-ari. Recently, they changed their company’s name toReality MM Studios and signed up five new directors na mapabilang sa kanilang roster dahil sa growing demand na mag-create ng content for international release.

Sa limang bagong directors, medyo familiar na sa amin si Kip Oebanda na siyang nag-direk ng award winning Cinemalaya movie na “Liway”. Ang apat pang mga batang director ay sina Dean Marcial, Kerwin Go, Joey de Guzman at ang mag-isang babae na si Siege Ledesma.

Ang Reality MM Studios ay kilala sa mga internationally-acclaimed movies tulad ng “Honor Thy Father,” “Buy Bust” at “On the Job” habang ang mga recent projects ng kumpany include “A Girl and a Guy” at ang “Rabid” na naka-stream ngayon sa Netflix. Ang six-part crime-thriller na “On The Job” ay napapanood na sa HBO Go. Ito ang kauna-unahang Philippine original production na ni-launch on HBO Max sa Amerika at sa Europe.

Ang “On the Job: The Missing 8” na isang sequel sa 2013 “On the Job” ay siyang nagpanalo sa lead actor na si John Arcilla ng Volpi cup at 78th Venice Film Festival at kaisa-isang Asian film out of 21 international films sa kumpetisyon.

Dahil sa tagumpay ng “On the Job: The Missing 8” at iba pang internationally-acclaimed movies ng Reality MM Studios, ito’y nagbukas ng maraming magagandang opportunities sa kumpanya including collaboration with various international companies at pagpu-provide ng content sa HBO and Netflix.

Ang limang bagong directors na kinontata ng Reality MM Studios arecurrently preparing for various projects na nakatakda nilang simulant before the year is over habang ang ibang proyekto sa unang quarter ng 2023.

Ang ikinatutuwa nina Dondon at Direk Erik ay showcase na rin ito ng mga Filipino films and local actors abroad bukod pa sa collab projects between their company and foreign producers.

Dean Colin Marcial is a 33-year-old writer-director who studied Film and TV at the New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. He was about 7 or 8 years old when his family moved to Long Island. He used to own his own production house but decided to close it down and try his luck in the Philippines.

Joey de Guzman is Joseph Martin Agbayani De Guzman, isang young filmmaker na ipinanganak sa Pilipinas but was raised in New Zealand. After he finished his Master’s Degree in Design sa Auckland University of Technology, nag-desisyon siyang bumalik ng Pilipinas nung 2016 hindi lamang para ma-rediscover ang kanyang cultural roots kundi para harapin ang pangarap niyang maging isang director. At isang malaking blessing para sa kanya ang siya’y kontratahin ng Reality MM Studios kung saan unti-unting natutupad ang kanyang vision bilang isang filmmaker.

Si Kervin Go ay isang cinematographer-director. He attended Los Angeles Film School. Siya ang nagsulat at nagdirek ng “Eskrimadors: A Filipino Martial Arts Documentary” na nominado for Best Documentary sa Gawad Urian nung 2010.

Naging writer, cameraman at director din siya ng Asian Air Safari, isangaviation and travel show on Asian News Channel. Naging cinemagrapher din siya ng Melodrama Negra na nakakua ng Audience Choice Award ng Cinema One Originals Film Festival nung 2012, “Tuhog” nung 2013 at “Dear Other Self” nung 2017.

Isa rin siyang kilalang freelance director ng mga TV commercials at branded content ng mga kilala at malalaking kumpanya tulad ng Honda, Nestle, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Nissan, Isuzu, Chevy, Disney Channel at iba pang multi-national brands.

Ang kanyang debut film bilang director ay ang “Mina-anud,” na tumanggap ng Singapore Film Financing Forum nugn 2017 Basecamp Colour Prize. Kasalukuyan niyang dini-develop ang “Maniatica,” isang Filipino Gothic Horror film.

Si Siege Ledesma is the only lady director na kinontrata ng Reality MM

Studios. She’s 39 years old at dating nagta-trabaho sa isang call center. Nagtapos ng Psychology in St. Scholastica’s College pero ang passion ay maging isang magaling na film director. Dahil dito, nag-desisyon siyang mag-enrol ng Motion Picture Production course at the Asia Pacific Film Institute. Ang kanyang thesis at unang directorial feature ay ang “Shift” nung 2013. Ito’y nagpanalo sa kanya ng Best Picture sa 2014 Osaka Asian Film Festival at napiling closing film sa 2014 Udine Far East Film Festival and was also shown in other international film festivals. The movie was also acquired and distributed in Japan by Pictures Department. Ang kanyang pangalawang feature film na dini-develop ay ang “Cat Island” na nakatanggp ng 2016 Next Masters Project Development Grant of Talents in Tokyo.

Tumanggap din siya ng Inter-Asia Project Award (Best Project) at the 2019 Neo Cinemap Fukuoka Project Market at siya’y nagparticipate sa 2020 Jeonju IFF Project Market.

Ang kanyang unang directorial animated film ay ang “Out of Eden” na na-grant recipient ng unang GIFF Festival of New Cinema.

Si Siege ay Ani ng Dangal awardee.

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