Basic Information: Directed, story, screenplay: Carlo J. Caparas; Cast: Vilma Santos, Joel Torre, John Regala, Charina Scott, Angelica Panganiban, Robert Arevalo, Perla Bautista, Phillip Gamboa, Liezel Martinez, Ronnie Lazaro, Mia Gutierrez, Tony Mabesa; Executive producer: Carlo J. Caparas, Vic del Rosario Jr., Donna Villa; Cinematography: Boy Dominguez; Film Editing: Abelardo Hulleza
Plot Description: A family of an overseas Filipino worker is murdered in their own home in Lipa City. While boarding a plane bound for the Philippines, Mr. Arandia is shocked to see his family in the front page of a newspaper. - Pelikula.net
Film Achievement: FAMAS: Best Picture, Best Director - Carlo J. Caparas, Best Child Actress - Angelica Panganiban. Best Actor Nomination – Joel Torre, Best Child Actress Nomination – Charina Scott (READ MORE)
Film Reviews: Vilma Santos portrayed the role of Mrs. Helen Arandia, wife of an Overseas Filipino Worker in Saudi Arabia. The Star for All Seasons starred with John Regala, Joel Torre, and then-child actors Charina Scott and Angelica Panganiban in this 1994 movie. While boarding a plane back to the Philippines, Mr. Ronald Arandia (played by Joel Torre) was shocked when he saw his murdered family on a newspaper’s front page. The killer (John Regala) visited Mrs. Arandia at their home in Lipa City, Batangas, and brutally murdered her and her two daughters, aged 8 and 6. The film directed by Carlo Caparas won Best Picture and Best Director at the 43rd Famas Awards (1994). - Jagger Keith (READ MORE)
"...Mula 1994 hanggang 2003 ay hindi na nagkatunggali sa Best Actress award sina Nora at Vilma. Early 1994 nang huling magkasabay as contenders for the acting plum sina Nora (Inay) at Vilma (Dahil Mahal Kita). For the whole year, Nora didn’t topbill any movie. She hosted Modern Romance sa Telebisyon on GMA 7 and the monthly special Superstar Beyond Time on RPN 9, and appeared on several telesines and a successful two-night concert at the Mandarin Hotel Ballroom. Naulit ang pangyayari noong 1992 na walang pelikula si Nora (she only appeared in her second stage play, DH, na nag-world-tour in 1993) and this will be repeated 10 years later, when she did the ABS-CBN 2 drama series Bituin that aired from September 2002 to May 2003 and several concerts. Vilma notched two films: Regal’s Nag-iisang Bituin (by Joey Reyes) and Golden Lions’ Lipa Massacre (by Carlo J. Caparas), which won as Best Picture sa FAMAS..." - William Reyes (READ MORE)
"Vilma Santos finally gets her wish to star in a massacre movie under director Carlo Caparas with her role as Helen Arandia in the Lipa Massacre. The film is about the Arandia family tragedy (a mother and her two daughters were killed by a neighbor while Mr. Arandia was abroad). Congressman Ralph Recto plays himself in the movie. Vilma had to forego a trip abroad to shoot another film just to help promote this massacre movie. Producer Donna Villa is all praises for Vi's professionalism and her concern for this movie. Playing Mr Arandia is Joel Torre, who has become a favorite of the Golden Lions couple after he worked with them in the Antipolo Massacre. The Lipa Massacre movie will have a playdate on November 9. Donna and Carlo are now ready with their new movie..." - Norma Japitana, Manila Standard, Nov 2 1994 (READ MORE)
Honorarium - "...Torre relates that the “Bourne” team decided to shoot in the country after a Hollywood casting agent came across “Amigo” in the United States. Torre earlier auditioned for the “Bourne” role that went to “Amigo” costar John Arcilla. Concepcion didn’t clinch the role she tried out for, either. Still, the production found roles that suited Torre and Concepcion who were only too happy to take part in the international project. “I did it for the experience,” Torre admits. “It’s just a bit role, but it was worth it.” There was talk that bit players received a princely sum in dollars. “I didn’t do it for the money,” Torre exclaims. “We got an honorarium, in pesos, but we didn’t mind,” Concepcion says. More than anything, it was, for them, a rare opportunity to watch the making of a mainstream Hollywood movie up close. “It was a learning experience,” Torre points out. “They’re so organized.” It’s a process that local productions can emulate, he adds. “We didn’t wait long for setups. Since a lot of time is spent on preproduction, actual shoot goes smoothly.” “They’re perfectionists,” says Concepcion. “We kept repeating our brief sequence (a complicated chase scene on a foot bridge during rush hour). We spent two entire days shooting that scene.” “I think they wanted to cover all the angles so that when it’s time to edit, they have all the needed footage,” Torre notes..." - Bayani San Diego Jr. (READ MORE)
Filipino Filmmaker - "...Joel is not that comfortable. He appeals to the audience to please tell friends to watch the movie as it is running against the gigantic Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2. A DepEd endorsement, nevertheless could help placate his fears. In August, Joel takes leave from his 100 Days to Heaven to promote Amigo targeting the Fil-Ams in New York, the East and West coasts and Honolulu. “I might be away for three weeks, but I think this is also very important. It’s for our history,” Joel states. “There are four million Filipinos out there, so if we can get only 20 percent of that population, that’s a big number to help the producers get their money back and be able to do another film...It is significant that John wrote Joel’s part with him in mind which he says he doesn’t get to do very often. Amigo is written in English (the military), Tagalog (Luzon natives), Spanish and Latin (Spaniard Yul Vasquez as Padre Hidalgo), and an entire scene with imported Chinese to speak Cantonese, with a predominance of Tagalog. As we watch we are taken in by the Tagalog dialogue as natives would deliver them, unsullied and trusting. Any Pinoy viewer here or in the Americas would be touched to the core. Small wonder, we find later in the website poet-writer Pete Lacaba credited for Tagalog translation. Bravo Pete! And likewise Bravo John Sayles who auditioned the Filipino cast in Tagalog admitting to us he did this on the basis of emotion. Truly, as film critic Joel David has written, “John Sayles transcends the boundaries of race and nationality so utterly and triumphantly that he can justifiably be called a major Filipino filmmaker..." - Bibsy M. Carballo (READ MORE)
Amigo - "...The actor is talking about starring in foreign indie films, the latest oif which is Deep Gold directed by Michael Gleissner. "Especially when you're out of the country performing or working like when I did theater in New York…"There's a certain...not really pressure, pero you wanna excel. You don't wanna fool around, you just wanna do it right! "Parang dala-dala mo 'yong, you know, raised pride na Pinoy ka, na especially sometimes you got to na, may pagka-racist din 'yong iba, 'A, you're an actor of color.' "You know there's nothing to prove but you do it 110 percent. Sometimes I get too hard on myself, as experience has told me, 'Don't pressure yourself.' "I just put...you know, you just put the pressure on yourself, na you've been too hard na. "Basta at the end of the day, just relax, take it easy, enjoy it, have fun. "Do your best and stop acting...'yong natural lang, which I really did try in Amigo." Amigo is the indie film directed by John Sayles..." - Elli Alipio (READ MORE)
Joel TorreJoel Rizalino Torre was born in June 19, 1961 and raised Bacolod City, Philippines.He studied at the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City, Philippines and married to Christy Azcona. He owned JT Manukan Grille located at Quezon City.He was for best actor in the Cinemanila International Film Festival 2001 in the movie Batang West Side.In 1997 FAMAS Awards he was awarded for best supporting actor in the movie Mumbaki and in Gawad Urian Awards in year 2000 and 2002, he was for best actor and best supporting in the movie Batang West Sdie and Bayaning Third World. - Wikipilipinas (READ MORE)
Joel Torre and Vilma Santos
"...Ang mentor ni Vi sa pagiging direktor ay si Joel Torre. Nakapagdirek si Vi ng isang telemovie na may pamagat na Lazarito kung saan tampok dito sina Dawn Zulueta, Ariel Rivera at Tom Taus, Jr…Kabilang naman sa ginawang telemovie ni Vi ay ang Lamat Sa Kristal, Katuparan, Once There Was A Love, Correctional, Bugso at Maalaala Mo Kaya: Regalo episode..." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)
The Healing (2012) - "...Stories about the Filipino tradition of going to faith healers for guidance and treatment of ailments have not yet been tackled in-depth in movies. And in our film, the viewers will not just be horrified, they'll somehow be challenged to think as to how faith healing has already been part of our culture..." - ABS-CBN News (READ MORE)
Anak (2000) - "...Other important movies of the year 2000:…”Anak” (Star Cinema). The year’s most successful move sometimes leans toward the mawkish, the result perhaps of its director’s protracted work on TV where the success of productions is determined by how well they can populate an episode with bathos and melodrama the better to maintain the ratings and keep the advertisers coming. But in honest look at the domestic wages of migrant labor and the utterly moving performances of Vilma Santos and Baron Geisler, it is a signigicant movie..." - Lito Zulueta (READ MORE)
Lipa Massacre (1994) - "...Vilma Santos finally gets her wish to star in a massacre movie under director Carlo Caparas with her role as Helen Arandia in the Lipa Massacre. The film is about the Arandia family tragedy (a mother and her two daughters were killed by a neighbor while Mr. Arandia was abroad). Congressman Ralph Recto plays himself in the movie. Vilma had to forego a trip abroad to shoot another film just to help promote this massacre movie. Producer Donna Villa is all praises for Vi’s professionalism and her concern for this movie. Playing Mr Arandia is Joel Torre, who has become a favorite of the Golden Lions couple after he worked with them in the Antipolo Massacre. The Lipa Massacre movie will have a playdate on November 9. Donna and Carlo are now ready with their new movie..." - Norma Japitana, Manila Standard, Nov 2 1994 (READ MORE)
