Kampanerang Kuba (1974) (lit. Hunchbacked Lady Bellringer) was a fantasy soap opera television series broadcast by ABS-CBN in the Philippines. It was inspired by 1973 film with same title, which was starred by Vilma Santos and Bobot Mortiz. It was tagged as Pinoy Disney. It was originally based from a comic book series written by Pablo Gomez. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
"...Kampanerang Kuba’s convoluted long story maybe attributed to the original comics material written by Pablo Gomez. A good director should iron out all the unbelievable plots specially all the one-dimensional characters. For example, Celia Rodriguez character, Tateng. She is so masochistic that viewer might wonder why she is so mean. Also, with her tower-nesque beauty, why she decided to remained in a town where everything seems to be so trivial and everyone seems loves to gossip, even the men. Nilo Saez (with Jose Flores Sibal wrote the script) failed miserably in this regard. Shot in Nagcarlan Laguna, Kampanerang Kuba showcased the old Filipino beliefs in patron saints, religious rituals and miracles. It also demonstrates that people can be so cruel, can passed judgement, and can asked for forgiveness that quick when confronted with truth. All will be forgiving without taking into account all the harm that they have done. In the real world, these people will be punished. Celia Rodriguez seems to be wooden in so many scenes but equally infuriating when she started to do her verbal and physical abuse of Andang. With limited dialogue, a young Dindo Fernando portrayed Tateng’s lover convincingly. All the other supporting roles including Perla Bautista, Ernie Garcia and others gave forgettable performances. About the two main lead, Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos, both did what they can to portrayed their respective roles. Edgar Mortiz seems to be trying very hard to be effective as the priest but acting is clearly not his forte. Would this be different if Jay Ilagan did this role? Vilma Santos succeed more with her solo scenes, talking to the patron saints and the bell tower, eating with her bare hands and trying to beautify her ugly face. She appeared to be gearing up for more versatile roles that requires her not to sing but to act..." - RV (READ MORE)
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Nang bata pa ako natatandaan ko na madalas kong tuksuhin ang mga kalaro ko ng “negro!” Wala sumasaway sa akin at madalas ko pa ngang naririnig sa mga matatanda na naguusap tungkol sa kapangitan kapag ang isang bata o tao’y maitim. Hindi ko naisip ang mga ganitong bagay ay babalik sa aking kaisipan ngayong ako’y matanda na. Sa mga Filipino ang pagkakaroon mo nang maputing kulay ng balat ay isang magandang bentahe. Marahil ito ay nakuha natin ito sa panahong nasa ilalim ang ating bansa ng pamahalaang amerikano. Na-colonized tayo nang husto pati ang ating pangkaisipan ay nahaluan ng banyagang konsepto na ang pagkakaroon ng kulay putting balat ay maganda sa paningin. Kung sasaliksikin mong mabuti maging ang panahon ng kastila ang pagkakaroon ng maputing balat ay isang magandang bentahe. Kapag ang isang Filipino’y may maputing balat senyales ito nang may dugong banyaga at ang tingin ng karamihan ay mas mataas kaysa sa mga Filipinong may kayumangi o may kaitiman ng
balat. Sa mga manunulat naging isang isyu sa ating pagiging isang tunay na Filipino ang ating mentalidad na ito. Bakit raw nating dino-diyos ang mga taong may mestisong kulay ng balat? Bakit raw hindi natin mahalin ang sarili nating pisikal na karaterisasyon? Kayumanging balat. Pandak. Pango. Ito raw ang tunay na imahen ng isang Pilipino. Nakita ko ang mga puntong ito nang magkaisip na ako. Pero tulad ng mga ibang nasyon. Ang pilipino’y may mahabang kasaysayan. Sa kasaysayang ito nating makikita na maraming dugong nanalantay sa ating balat. Merong tayong dugong indyo, malayan, hapon, tsina, kastila at amerikano. Kung kaya naman paano mo masasabing ano ang tunay na kahulugan ng pagiging isang tunay na Pilipino?
Pagbabasihan mo lang ba ang kulay ng balat? Sa kulay ba ng balat makikita ang iyong katapatan sa ating bansa? Kung maputi ba ako ay kulang ang pagiging isang Pilipino ko? Kung tsinita ba ang mata ko’y hindi ako isang tunay na Pilipino? Naguguluhan ako minsan ngunit nang mangibang bansa ako ay naliwanagan ang aking kaisipan. Hindi nakikita sa pagiging isang kayumangi ang pagiging isang tunay na Pilipino. Nasa gawi ito, nasa kilos. Sa showbiz, nang bata pa ako’y makikita ang mangilan-ngilan na may kaitiman o kayumanging balat tulad ni Diomedes Maturan na sinasabi nilang Perry Como of the Philippines. Sa mga manunulat, binunyi nila ang pagiging isang tunay na Pilipino ni Diomedes. Tunay ngang mukhang Pilipino si Diomedes dahil sa kayumanging kulay nito kahit na itoy hindi pandak. Ngunit madalas ang mga inaawit nito’y mga kantang ingles tulad ng Rose tattoo habang suot ang isang plantsadong suit o ang tawag rito nuo’y amerikano! Sa mga komedyante, dalawang tao ang may kayumanging balat na sumikat nuon. Sa babae nangunguna si Elizabeth Ramsey. Tulad ni Diomedes Maturan na produkto ng Tawag ng Tanghalan si Elizabeth ay produkto naman ng pakontes ng kantahan ng programang pangtelebisyon na Student Canteen. At kung si Diomedes ang Perry Como ng Pilipinas si Elizabeth naman ang Eartha Kitt ng Pilipinas. Kayumangi man ang balat ni Elizabeth Ramsey at maging ang ilong niya ay may pagka-pango, ang pagsasalita naman niya at lalo na ang pagkanta ay pawang sa salitang ingles.
Sa mga lalaki naman ng mga komedyante, si Chiquito ang may kayumanging balat. Tulad ni Elizabeth Ramsey may pagkapango at pandak ito tunay na opposite ni Dolphy na mestiso, matangos ang ilong at may kataasan sa kanya. Ang itsura ni Chiquito na sinasabi nilang pilipinong-pilipino ay duon na lang natatapos dahil sa pananamit naman ay makikitang laging naka-suit ito na tawag nuo’y amerikano. Makikita ring laging nakapomada ito na parang si doble-o-seven. Kasabay nito ang putol putol nitong pag-i-ingles sa maraming pelikula nito. Sa mga aktres natin, hindi ko malilimutan ang tahasang pagbibigay ng kahalagan sa kagandahan ng mestisa o maputing balat sa pelikula ni Gloria Romero nuong 1953, ang Cofradia. Maliit na bata pa lamang ako at ito marahil ang isa sa mga naglagay sa isip ko na kapag maitim ang balat mo’y pangit ka. Ilang beses ko itong napanood sa tanghaling tapat sa telebisyon. Ang pelikula’y tungkol sa maitim na babae. May nagbigay sa kanya ng isang kandila. Kapag sinindihan niya ang kandila ay nagiging maputi siya. Sa isang munting bata ang matanim ang ganitong kaisipan ay tahasang mali at hindi magandang makagawian. Kung nanatili man sa kaisipan ko ang konseptong ito’y tahasan kong natutunan na wala sa kulay ng balat ang tunay na kulay na pagiging isang tao. Kung kaya naman nang lumaki ako’y alam ko na ang mestisang si Gloria Romero sa mga luma niyang pelikula larawan ng isang Filipina kahit na hindi kayumangi ang kanyang balat. Hindi ko nakitang kumanta si Gloria sa salitang ingles at kadalasan ang mga pelikula niya ang salita niya’y purong tagalog.
Sa mga manunulat, madalas nilang sinasabi na ang malaki raw ang naiambag ng mga nakalaban ni Vilma Santos na ang ilan ay may kayumang balat sa lokal na sining. Ang kanilang argumento ay mahirap sa isang Pilipino na may kayumaging balat na pasukin ang larangang ito na hitik sa mga mistiso at mistisang artista, mula pa nuong panahon ng mga kastila, hapon at amerikano. May punto ang mga manunulat na ito. Tutoong nakatulong nga ang ilan sa kanila na buwagin ang pinto upang mabigyan daan ang lahat na gustong pumasok sa pag-aartista lalo ang mga taong may kayumanging balat. Ngunit tulad ng mga Kayumaging kaligatan ng ilang sumikat, ito raw ay ang imahen ng isang tunay na Pilipino. Kung susuriin, hindi ito ang dapat na basihan, kundi ang iyong kilos at gawa. Ang ilan sa mga ito'y madalas kumanta at gumawa ng mga plaka sa wikang banyaga kaysa sa ibang mga manganganta na may maputing balat. Maputi man o kayumangi ang mga awiting banyaga ang kanilang mga kinakanta na taliwas sa imaheng kanilang sinisigaw. Sa dinami dami ng mga naisa-plaka ng kanilang mga binabandilang kalaban ni Vilma, karamihan rito'y mga ingles ng kanta, iilan lamang ang plakang tagalog.
Para sa akin, ang imahen ng isang tunay na Pilipino ay hindi nakikita sa kulay ng kanyang balat. Nakikita ito sa kilos at gawa. Tunay ka, ang mentalidad na pumasok sa aking isip ng ako’y bata pa, na kapag maitim ang balat mo’y pangit ka’y mali at hindi dapat panatilihin sa kaisipan ng lahat. Kahit ano pa ang kulay ng iyong balat hindi ito dapat maging basihan kung anong klaseng tao ka. Sa mga Pilipino, kayumangi man ang balat mo kung ang kilos mo’t gawa naman ay hango sa mga dayuhan hindi ito ang tunay na imahen ng isang tunay na Pilipino. Kayumangi man o maputi ang balat mo. Matangos man o pango ang ilong mo. Singkit man ang mata mo. Ang kilos mo at gawi ang pagbabasihan ng pagiging isang tunay mong Pilipino. At dito ko sasabihin sayo na ang isang Vilma Santos lamang ang mayroong mas malalim na naiambag sa pelikulang tagalog. Sa kanyang maraming pelikulang naglalarawan ng mga kinasusuungan ng buhay ng maraming Pilipina. Mga peministang karakter at kasaysayan. Mga imahen ng isang tunay na Pilipina, mga lumalaban na karakter at hindi nagpapa-martir lamang. Ito ang mas mahalagang na-iambag niya kahit na ang kulay ng balat niya’y mistisa at mukha siyang may dugong tsina. Si Vilma Santos na sa loob ng siyam na taon at patuloy na nagbibilang ng panahon na naninilbihan sa bayan. Ito ang kilos at gawi ng isang tunay na imahen ng Pilipino.
Ispesyal na mensahe: Sa mga taong nagbabasa nito, matutunghayan natin ang mga inpormasyon tungkol sa isyu ng “racism” at diskriminasyon, ilan sa mga web-site na may mga inpormasyon ay: UN Anti-Racism/Discrimination Day; at International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, muli, wala sa kulay ng balat ang tunay mong pagkatao…Kung maitim man ang iyong balat hindi nangangahulugan na pangit ka o pangit ang ugali mo, o kung ika'y mistisa o mukhang tsina ay hindi ka na larawan ng isang Pilipino, ito ay nababase sa kilos at gawa, na dapat nating ipaliwanag sa mga kabataan. - RV
Trouble in the Stars - "Former Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) President Ernie Pecho is convinced that the media group's incumbent head, Joe Barameda, was "not aware" of the alleged vote-buying during the recent 21st Star Awards ceremony. The very first Star Awards for movies were given out during Pecho's term. "I know Joebar (Barrameda's nickname). He's a good person," Pecho told Inquirer Entertainment in a phone interview on Wednesday. "Had he known, I'm sure he would have done something about it. He's not like some of our colleagues na matindi ang pangangailangan (who are desperate). He would never accept money and ruin his image." Quoting reports in the tabloids Pecho said 13 PMPC members, all part of the 24-man voting committee, received P5,000 each from "a woman from ABS-CBN." This waa to ensure that the Best Actor award would go to Piolo Pascual (for "Milan") and the Best Actress award to Kris Aquino (for "Feng Shui"). "They claimed Joebar was behind the "switching" of the awards,"said Pecho. The payoff might have happened, in fact, he said, but he reiterated his comfidence in Barrameda. Star Cinema, movie arm of ABS-CBN, produced both "Milan" and "Feng Shui." "One story even said writer Allan Diones has admitted receiving money from the woman," Pecho noted. Rumors that Kris and Piolo would win the top acting awards has started circulating days before the awards rites last Saturday.
Several people who turned up for the program at the Cinema 5 of the Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City and sported the two nominees commented: "They probably know that they would win. Why else would they be here?" But it was, Vilma Santos who took the Best Actres trophy for "Mano Po 3: My Love," and Dennis Trillo was named Best Actor and Best New Movie Actor for "Aishite Imasu 1941." Inquirer Entertainement called Barrameda also on Wednesday, but he would not pick up. Instead, he sent this text message: "The PMPC will issue an official statement hopefully tomorrow." Several write-ups identified the "woman" as Star Magic PR head Rikka Dylim, who denied the accusation. In a statement sent to Inquirer, Dylim said she had "nothing to do with the alleged vote-buying for (ABS-CBN Star Magic) contract artist Mr. Piolo Pascual." Dylim added: "The network accepts the fact that another actor won the Best Actor award. We never question or protest the decision of the club." Pecho said there could be several reasons that Kris and Piolo did not win, "despite all the efforts experted by ABS-CBN." "Some members could have taken the money but felt guilty and voted for other nominees," Pecho said. "Or maybe these members got somethng bigger from someone else." Of the controversy, he could only say: "This is really humiliating. The PMPC used to pride itself in its integrity and unquestioned choices. It used to be the most credible awards-giving body.
Now, can we say the same?" In October 2003, Pecho and two other former PMPC presidents questioned the process of selecting the winners for the 17th Star Awards for Television, citing "glaring disparities." Pecho said some artists who won could "hardly carry a tune," and shows that bagged the trophies in spite of "consistently poor production quality." Billy Balbastro, 1984 PMPC president, complained about the alleged of winners during that awards show. He said he received text messages the day before, saying ABS-CBN would win by a lanslide. Of the same ceremony, Veronica Samio, PMPC president from 1991 to 1993, said she heard talk that certain individuals had paid several club offiicials to win certain awards. Pecho, PMPC president from 1985 to 1987, saidl all past PMPC presidents should meet to discuss the situation. "I think there should be a "general cleaning" within the PMPC." Saturday's ceremony was well attended by both celebrities and fans. This could explain why the 700 seater venue looked so chaotic. Before entering the theater, Inquirer Entertainement encountered a throng of fans screamign to catch their idols attntion. A group of ushers refused to let in guests - not even those with invitations - who were not in formal attire. Inside, people kept walking around even as the cameras rolled. These people included cameramen and guests in blue jeans and casual shirts.
In one corner, performers Sandara Park, Hero Angeles and the Speed Dancers rehearsed their dance steps while the program was ongoing and presenters like Ciara Sotto, Anna Larucea and Baron Geisler took last-minute instructions from the stage manager. Vilmanians and Noranians, as well as fans of young stars Sandara, Hero, Jennylyn Mercado and Mark Herras, screamed at every mention of their idols' name and movies. What supposed to be a "formal" ceremony instead looked and sounded like any noontime program, with spectator's hollering, "Laban!" or "Bawi!" at the top of their lungs. Kris arrived at about the same time as Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award for his father, former president Joseph Estrada. A swarm of photographers jostled for the best shots. Kris is the daughter of another former president, Corazon Aquino. Only SVP for Drama Production and Star Cinema Malou Santos was around to accept the Best Picture award for "Milan." One member of the audience noted that Charo Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN's EVP for Entertainment, was conspicuosly absent, fuelling rumors that she had quit working for the network on account of differences with its chair, Gabby Lopez. Pops Fernandez shared hosting chores with Vilma, and Martin Nievera was anchor man. The Golden Screen Awards show on March 5 had only two production numbers; Star Awards had four. Pops and The CompanY did the opening number. Star Circle questors Sandara and Hero performed in a "dance showdowns" with Starstruck ultimate survivors Jennylyn and Mark Young performers Mark Bautista, Erik Santos and Rachelle Ann Go did a medley of Filipino songs hafway into the program. Karylle, Keempe de Leon, Jamie Rivera and Franco Laurel sang Broadway tunes in the latter part. The Speed Dancers worked the hardest, performing in all the production numbers." - Marinel R. Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mar 18, 2005 (READ MORE)
Star Awards to be probed - "Officers of the Philippine Movie Press Club will form a committee to investigate the alleged vote-buying during the recent 21st Star Awards, according to Veronica Samio, head of the club's grievance committee. "A deceitful act like this should not go unpunished," said Samio, who was president of the PMPC from 1991 to 1993. "Its not right to cheat. We will see to it that PMPC members involved in this will be expelled. Post-show reports alleged that 13 PMPC members, all part of the 24-man voting committee, received money from ABS-CBN Star Magic PR head Rikka Dylim several days before the ceremony. This was to ensure that Piolo Pascual would be named Best Actor for "Milan" and the Best Actress award would go to Kris Aquino for "Feng Shui." The accused members included writer Allan Diones, who admitted to received P5,000 from Dyllim, Samio also identified former PMPC president Julie Bonifacio-Gaspar, incumbent vice president Jimi Escala and member Ador Saluta as among thosed involved. Star Cinema, movie arm of ABS-CBN, produced both "Milan" and "Feng Shui." But Vilma Santos ("Mano Po 3: My Love") took home the Best Actress trophy and Dennis Trillo ("Aishite Imasu 1941") was named Best Actress and Best New Movie Actor. Samio said Diones confessed to the vote-buying on the day the committee members were to cast their vote. "The first reaction of our president (Joe Barrameda) was to strike Piolo's name from the list of nominees.
But we dissuaded him because it would not be fair to Piolo, who actually did well in "Milan," Samio told Inquirer Entertainment last Friday. "Piolo probably didn't even know what these people did for him." According to Samio, writer-TV host Cristy Fermin was also seen reportedly handing out P3,000 to 12 PMPC members a few days before the PMPC was to announce the winners at the Cinema 5 of the Gateway Mall in Quezon City last March 12. Fermin had been campaigning for Piolo and Kris - praising them in her columns in the tabloids Bandera, Pilipino Star Ngayon and Bulgar, and on her radio program on dzMM. But Samio said only eight members actually voted for Piolo. "I know, because I've seen the summary of votes that the PMPC submitted to the show's producer, Airtime Marketing," she pointed out. "This means some of the members who accepted the bribe did not vote for Piolo." PMPC chair Fernand de Guzman, Barrameda and two accountants signed the summary of votes handed to Airtime Marketing, said Samio. "You see, walang dayaaan sa PMPC," she declared. "People tried to cheat but they did not succeed." Asked for her reaction, Fermin said: "I do not wish to comment to anyone about the issue because what I think and feel about it are all written in my colums."
In her "Most Wanted" column in Bulgar last Friday, Fermin referred to the controversy as "Isang bangungot para sa ilan at masamang panaginip para sa iba, hindi naman lahat ng panaginip ay maganda (a nightmare to some and a bad dream to others - not all dreams are good)." ABS-CBN's Dylim also denied having anything to do with the alleged vote-buying. In a statement sent to Inquirer Entertainment Wednesday Dylim said: "The network accepts the fact that another actor won the Best Actor Award. We never question or protest the decision of the club." In anotehr statement, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation said it was "saddened" by the alleged "vote-buying scam" and annouced that it "has not tolerated and will not tolerate such practice." The statement added: "The network has always espoused the principles of professinalism and integrity and this extends to playing fair in any industry-related activity, including the PMPC's Star Awards. "It is unfortunate that such allegation routinely surfaces after every awards ceremony regardless of parties, to the detriment of the industry." PMPC officials and some members met last Thursday to discuss the controversy, said Samio. "It was during the meeting that we decided to expel members who would be proven guilty of accepting bribes," added the former PMPC president. "How can the PMPC cleanse itself if it does not get rid of these people?" Incumbent president Barrameda said the PMPC "stands by the veracity of all of its winners" and "fins no errors in its tabulations." - Marinel R. Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mar 20, 2005 (READ MORE)
Vilma, Nida Share top acting honors - "...Vilma Santos shared the coveted Movie Actress of the Year award with Nida Blanca in last Saturday's Star Awards, the local counterpart of Hollywood's Golden Globe, at a jampacked UP Theater in Diliman, Quezon City. Santos was honored for her role in Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?, a movie written for the screen by Lualhati Bautista based on her own novel and directed by Chito Roño for Star Cinema. Blanca, meanwhile, won her acting trophy for her role in the obscure Sana Pag-ibig Na by first-time director Jeffrey Jeturian for Golden Harvest. The two bested three other nominees: Elizabeth Oropeza (Tasulok), Rosanna Roces (Ang Lalake sa Buhay ni Selya), and Sharmaine Arnais (Sagad sa Init). In the male actor category, the members of the Philippine Movie Press Club gave Cesar Montano his second acting trophy for playing Dr. Jose Rizal in the multi-million peso production Jose Rizal that Marilou Diaz-Abaya made for GMA Films. It was an expected win that no one, even the other nominees in the Movie Actor of the Year: Raymond Bagatsing (Kriminal ng Baryo Concepcion), Ricky Davao (Ang Lalake sa Buhay ni Selya), Richard Gomez (Babae sa Bintana), and Eric Quizon (Pusong Mamon). Montano won the same honors in the Metro Manila Film Festival. Apart from the Actor of the Year, Jose Rizal bagged eight other trophies including Movie of the Year.
Star also honored the film in directing (Diaz-Abaya), acting (Jaime Fabregas, in supporting role), screenplay adapted from another material (Ricky Lee, Jun Lana, and Peter Ong Lim), production design (Leo Abaya), film editing (Jess Navarro and Manet Dayrit), music scoring (Nonong Buencamino). Jose Rizal is only the second movie produced by the fledgling GMA Films and cost the new movie outfit some P80 million, making it the most expensive film made in this part of the globe. It already grossed to date, according to reports, close to a hundred million. Sa Pusod ng Dagat, its first venture into serious film making, didn't have much luck in the box office, but won Star honors in the original screenplay category for writier Jun Lana and cinematography Romy Vitug. Star Cinema's bet for major awards, Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?, seemed to have failed to impress the movie press. It only collected three trophies, for Santos' performance and the two child actors Serena Darlymple, proclaimed New Movie Actress of the Year, and Carlo Aquino cited as Child Performer of the Year...The Star Awards for Movies is handed out annually by the Philippine Movie Press Club, It kind...Starting as an alternative to the macho-dominated Famas 15-years ago, it eventually became the event to watch. During its early years, its choices caused a lot of raised eyebrows, especially among the more academically equipped group of movie writers and critics.
Fractured by a split in membership when a faction opted to take a leave and eventually resign amid a feud between the writers' group and ABS-CBN last year, the remaining members of the PMPC remained undaunted. These days, there seem to be peaceful co-existence between the group and the network that questioned publicly its credibility in handing out awards of excellence. Last Saturday marked the return of Star Cinema;s acknowledgement of PMPC and Star Awards as something the industry can do without. Representatives from the film company accepted the trophies for winners who failed to make it to the show, like Carlo Aquino. In contrast to the conciliatory moves of Star Cinema;s management, actors, and technicians whose chances of victory are uncertaine chose not to make an appearance. Movie Actress of the Year nominee Rosanna Roces was nowhere in sight. So was Richard Gomez. Even Movie Supporting Actress winner Anita Linda didn't bother to come and accept her trophy. Yet, others showed their support to the PMPC by their sheer presence, making the Star Awards still the most star-studded annual awards show were Christopher de Leon, Pops Fernandez, Regine Velasquez, Daisy Ryes, Keempee de Leon, Geneva Cruz, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Troy Montero, Ralion Alonzo, Vina Morales, Carol Banawa, Jolina Magdangal, and Antoinette Taus who performed in the usual musical numbers and broke the monotony of the awards.
Other probably came for the P10,000 cash prize for the Male and Female Star of the Night Award given to those the PMPC members decided looked best during the show. And the award went to Albert Martinez and Glydel Mercado. Some members of the audience though thought Sunshine Cruz in a see-through gown looked more fabulous. Starlet Bernadette Allyson also attracted attention and won Fairest Skin of the Night. And Eric Quizon was voted Darling of the Press. Quizon was also one of the hosts of the show. Joining him were Ronnie Ricketts and Vilma Santos whose fans punctuated the show with screams, cheers and applause. A female fan was reportedly escorted out of the theater by security guards aftersome members fo the audience complained that she has making too much noise. If the Vilmanians were rowdy, the Noranians was the opposite side of the theater were ferocious. They trooped to the theater when they learned Nora Aunor would make an appearance to present the Ulirang Artista Award to her friend Caridad Sanchez. They broke in wild cheers when their idol chilled out of the stage wing and stood on the right end of the stage. Vilma was on the opposite side waiting for her cue to introduce Nora. It was all right until the Mayor of Lipa announced Nida Blanca instead. The Noranians were irked and incensed and objected with catcalls. Vilma was compelled to make a public apology, saying she was merely reading a cue card given to her by the show's writer.
Nora was also the recipient of a special award, cited by the PMPC for bringing the local movie industry honors in international film festivals. She won Best Actress at Penang, Malaysia for her role in 1997's Bakit May Kahapon Pa? The superstar's acceptance speech was short, saying only, "Maraming salamat!" Many speculated that she must have been incensed by the earlier faux pas committed by her perennial rival. In justifying the mistake, the PMPC said that Nora was not really expected to arrive. But they were glad she made it. In case she didn't, Nida Blanca had agreed to make the presentation of the Ulirang Artista Award which was already written on the cue card. The question though remained, "Didn't Vilma notice Nora coming in?" If she didn't she should have taken the cue from the screams of the Noranians. The incident reignited the heated rivalry of these two stars and made the Star Awards a peewee exciting..." - Isah V. Red, Photographs by Mike de Juan, Manila Standard, Mar 14, 1999 (READ MORE)
Urian's Choices"...Another major upset was Nida Blanca's failure to clinch top acting honors. Her perfromance in Sana Pag-ibig Na by another first-time director Jeffrey Jeturian was considered by many worthy of an Urian trophy and could give popular choice Vilma Santos a tough time in all of the awards this year. Blanca shared the same honors with the Mayor of Lipa City earlier in Star Awards. Seventy-six-year-old-actress Mona Lisa was this year's recipient of Natatanging Gawad Urian presented to her by Insiang co-star Ruel Vernal and Manunuri's Grace Javier Alfonso. The actress recent work is a role in Nick DeOcampo's Mother Ignacia. This is the 22nd year the Manunuri group have been handing out trophies to honor outstanding work of actors, directors, writers, film editors, sound engineers and music scorers in Filipino movies...The show looked like most local awards shows with musical numbers that has no relevance to the film medium punctuating the monotony of introducing the nominees and annoucing the winners. Rosanna Roces' licentious humor somehow livened up the perfunctory intros of presentors and performers. Osang was resplendent in an off-shoulder tangerine ballroom gown at the beginning and changed into a heavily beaded and sequined pience with partly see-through skirt. Many in the audience wondered if she was wearing a wig. With Osang as co-hosts were a slimmer Rustom Padilla and Albert Martinez who was struggling with an astma attack and had to leave even before the show was over.
The stage was dressed up like a courtyard with facade of turn of the century houses as background. Rep. Imee Marcos presented the five nominated pictures wearing initally an outfit made from indigenous fibers and then later a Filipiniana-inspired two-piece number...As usual in local award shows, the bigger stars come in very late, just in time for the annoucement of the nominations in their respective category. Vilma Santos came in at 10:30 p.m. escorted by husband and Batangas congressman Ralph Recto and followed by an entourage of bodyguards and her personal assistants. In her acceptance speech, she apologized for her tardiness saying she had to attend the graduation from high school of Luis Philip Manzano, aka Lucky, her son by former husband Edu Manzano. She also announced that the follwing day, her son by Ralph, Ryan Christian Recto, would be celebrating his birthday. Vilma's fans once more showed their undying support for their idol, screaming at every instance the actress' name is mentioned and holding up paper placards, on which they screamed their affection for her. When her name was announce winner of the most coveted award, they went gaga jumping out of their seats to cheer her as if they were watching a basketball game. This is the kind of awards show that somehow masks the sad realities in an industry struggling to survive the worst economic crisis ever and the continued and growing alienations of the middle class now more inclined to watch English-language movies from Hollywood on either the VHS and DVD formats in the comfort of their airconditioned bedrooms...." - Manila Standard, Mar 31, 1999 (READ MORE)
Leading Roles - The year was 1972, FAMAS was still considered the only credible award giving body in the Philippines. The musical still rampant but slowly but surely the young rivalry of Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos is forming another path. The race for who is the better actress started with both teen stars venturing to dramatic film roles. With Nora’s And God Smiled At Me and Vilma’s Dama De Noche, the fight went from box office queens, miss Philippines movies into a more serious title of best actress. The hype started with both entering their films to 1972 Quezon City Film Festival. Nora won the best actress despite a heated protest from Vilma’s camp. Indeed, Nora’s machine of supporters were on top of things. She will venture into several film projects under her own film outfit NV productions and she is well positioned to emerge on top come the yearly acting race. Come, 1973, the 21st FAMAS was indeed a fight between the young stars. Nora wasn’t nominated for And God Smile At Me, instead she was nominated for A Gift of Love, the best actress went into a tie. Considered a veteran, Boots Anson Roa, winner for her comedic performance opposite the very young and still leading actor of this time, Joseph Estrada in Tatay Na Si Erap. Roa shared the honor with Vilma Santos for her portrayal of opposite character twin sister in Dama De Noche. The very first best actress award for Vilma, it was a sweet revenge from the very first battle at the QFF and there will be more to come, not only from FAMAS but the other award giving bodies that will follow. A small note, Nick Romano won best supporting actor for another Vilma Santos film, Tatlong Mukha ni Rosa Vilma (READ MORE).
This is it folks! Nora Aunor vs. Vilma Santos, And God Smiled at Me vs. Dama de Noche. Which one will the FAMAS bless? The awards of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences are still far away though. But not the Quezon City filmfest awards which will be known tonight at the Nation Cinerama theater. One persistent prediction in showbiz is that Vilma will make it, hands down. However, Nora watchers are just as insistent that her ‘inspired’ performance in And God Smiled at Me is simply ‘super’ and worth no less than a best actress award. Dama de Noche is showing in three theaters– Remar, Delta and Sampaguita. It is, Vilma was quoted as saying, her dream role fulfilled. The very professional Vilma has come out with the resolution than henceforth she will demand to see the script and also see that the script is demanding— or she’ll say nix. Well, Dama de Noche is exactly just that: demanding. In it she delineates the twin-sister roles of sweet Armida and deranged Rosanna. Vilma sobs and screams, giggles, and crazy-dances, claws and clowns, sobs again and screams some more. But she does more than all these things. She acts. In the Filipino movieworld where crying is synonymous with acting, that certainly is being ahead of one’s kind. Vilma as Armida is drab and dry, almost a movie prop. It is in the portrayal of Rosanna that Vilma would tear one’s heart away. The many close-ups so effectively used throughout the movie show the unglamorous Vilma: her frowns, her lip-twitching, her uninhibited and stifled sobs.
But Vilma is less successful with the shifty look that is the distinctive trait of the deranged. She compensates for this in the ‘betrayal’ scene when Rosanna suspects that Leo, Armida and the psychiatrist (Fred Montilla) all conspired to imprison her in the hospital. Another outstanding feat is the subdued scene where Rosanna learns that Leo has gone to the Lerma villa to meet Armida. The vivacious Rosanna is just as winsomely pathetic. Watching her is just like seeing a bosom friend trying to pretend she’s happy when both of you know she’s not only in this case, Rosanna is truly happy. Her non-knowledge of her plight is what is particularly heart-curling. Dama de Noche is Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Production’s entry in the QC filmfest which started on Oct.15. It is a very simple story, almost run-of-the-mill, but Nestor Torre, Jr. who wrote the screenplay saved it with his meaningful and amusing lines. However, the movie is occasionally dragging with the Filipino moviemania for spoonfed sequences. Will the memorable Rosanna win for Vilma the most coveted award tonight? Or will Nora the Superstar make it? The die is cast and tonight is the NIGHT. New Frontier Cinema in Cubao was never before so loaded that the fire exits had to be opened to let in air. It was so badly jampacked, one swore it couldn’t be worse. But it was, a ‘stand-mate’ (there were no seats) quipped, ‘Noong first day, mas grabe.’ And so through a snail-pacing 20-yard pila and after exactly one hour, one got inside the theater, at last!
On the screen: La Aunor doing her thing– praying. A few steps away from the chapel, in their home in Davao, her mother (Naty Santiago) lies dying. Damian (Luis Gonzales) sits by the sickbed, comforting his wife, assuring her she is the only woman he has ever truly loved. The good woman dies and Celina (Nora) is bitter. She had prayed so hard, had run so fast from the chapel home, only to find the elder women reciting the litany of the dead. Here, the first sobs from a woman stand-mate as Celina pounds clenched fists on the door. After the burial, father tells daughter the well-kept secret of her being illegitimate. Celina shows bitterness again, but the good daughter that she is, she soon gets over from the shock and decides to live with it. Damian brings Celina to Manila as his ‘inaanak.’ They’ll wait for the perfect timing, he says and then he’ll tell his wife Olga (Lucita Soriano) everything. The perfect timing never comes. One morning, Celina just can’t help calling him ‘Itay,’ telling him she loves him very much and that he must come home at once, please. The tender moments take too long, and everybody in the theater knows Damian is ‘tsk, tsk, tsk, mamamatay.’ Everybody is right. At the hospital, the secret lets loose as Celina jerks in agony. ‘Itay, Itay,’ she sobs, in the presence of Damian’s wife and two adopted daughters. Here, Nora’s bid for a best actress award really begins.
The three witches (oh, how the fans hated them) now maltreat Celina all the more, slapping her, pulling her hair, kicking her right in the tummy. All through these, Celina’s only consolation is her love for Carding (Tirso Cruz III), the laundry-woman’s (Nenita Jana) son. He is blind. He is desperate. He loves Celina very much but ‘wala akong karapatang umibig.’ And so he contemplates suicide, sneaking out one night, begging between yells of ‘Gusto ko nang mamamatay,’ for a vehicle to run over him. An irked driver shouts at him: ‘Ano ka ba, bulag?’ A woman fan shouted too: ‘wag kayong tumawa, serious yan.’ And then, what do you know, another death: not the blind leading man (that would’ve been a blunder) but his mother, who had followed him. After so much unbearable beating and tearful moments between the lovers, Celina delivers her ultimate prayer — she can’t take it anymore. AND GOD SMILES AT HER. God grants her a golden voice (for a while one thought that was only the beginning of the movie, after no less than two-and-a-half hours) and she sings all her heart at the foot of the altar. And this is not the end of it. Nora Aunor won the Quezon City Film Festival Best Actress award and her movie, “And God Smiled at Me” also took home seven more including the Best Picture and Best Actor awards. In reaction to the article above and the filmfest award results, a reader sent an open letter to the QC Filmfest Judges. Read the text in full and be the judge yourself. However, in 1973, Vilma Santos received the FAMAS Best Actress award (in a tie with Boots Anson-Roa in “Tatay na si Erap”) in the movie “Dama de Noche,” thus avenging her loss to perennial rival, Nora Aunor in the Quezon City Film Festival. READ MORE
"...I didn’t expect to win, although marami ang nagsasabi sa akin na malaki ang pag-asa ko. Ako naman, I don’t believe anything unless talagang nangyayari. Kasi noon, I expected to win, sa film festival din sa Quezon City, but somebody else did. I was very disappointed. Noong awards night nga, I wasn’t convinced I would win hanggang hindi ko pa hawak ‘yong trophy..." - Ricardo F. Lo, Expressweek Magazine January 19, 1978 (READ MORE)
