YELLOW ROSE Philippine Premiere on January 29

I've heard of a Hollywood film about a year ago which had 2 Miss Saigons on its cast. It was like a theatre lovers dream to see our very own Kims Ms. Lea Salonga and Eva Noblezada be a part of it, let alone the stellar cast which also includes Princess Punzalan and a throng of other stars from the US. People behind the camera are of Filipino American lineage too, and the proud race doesn't stop there. Well for those who wanted a piece of it are in a bit of a treat especially if you are in the Philippines because it will finally be shown on KTX.PH this coming January 29th.

Director Diane Paragas says "This is like coming home. I've been waiting for this day for a long time and I've been excited for Filipinos to see it there, this is a great moment, it feels like coming home. It's loosely based on my time growing up in Texas, I played music too but not as close as Eva, it was my outlet, I felt like a square peg in a round hole. This is a fable, in a form of a documentary so I did research a lot about families. Yellow Rose is a Texan Rose, an old song that people know. They use that term as a derogatory one, Yellow as in Asian. The original song was about a mulatto girl, it was about her being mixed race. It means a lot of things and you find that out in the film. Lea sings Dahil Sayo, also Princess, a way to pass the culture down. It was something that was sung to me by my Mom and Dad, it was passed on to me and now I sing it for my daughter. I was referred to her (Princess), her acting style was so natural. I have auditioned a lot of girls, I've heard about Eva as she was cast in Miss Saigon, when we got financing to shoot the film, I saw her on Broadway to see the script. She blew me away, she had a magnetic presence, she had sincerity especially about the seriousness in music. She was Rose, on the spot. Eva was selected by Backstage, as among the best of the best. It's what actors read, for a Filipino to be in stellar Holllywood names, that's unbelievable. Joe Biden vowed sweeping immigration reforms on Day 1, we've had 4 years of disdain and we have been abused a lot. It's also a story of an artist, like a star is born, about her resilience and how music saves her."

 

Filam Director Diane Paragas

Ms. Princess Punzalan on the other hand has been sorely missed in the Philippines, but she's currently in the US and waiting out the pandemic although she's keen on doing more projects in the country soon. She says "There are a lot of people in the US and the international ones that have been able to see this. I see the struggles of Filipinos, who are undocumented, like sardines in one room. It's not an easy life. Here, I really feel the concern, the anxiety of what will happen to my daughter when I'm gone."

 

Lead star Eva Noblezada

We also got to talk to Eva Noblezada and she shares "The role is like your identity as Filipinos suddenly being invisible, it's nice to make the rounds, go through the finish line with a movie that is made for you. This is really a cool thing. I know a handful people who are undocumented but are very passionate. I watched my Mom and Dad break their backs, and go to North Carolina where people ask you "Who are you? Why are you here?" when you are trying to make a home for yourself. Miss Saigon was about a Vietnamese which I was not, I was lucky in those roles." 

 

 

 

She adds "We are chameleon in the arts, we talked about what that felt, I did that for 3 years. I was like... Seriously? you want me a young Filipina to play a young Filipina? It was about a young undocumented lass, she reached out to me, and honestly, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my entire life. She allows the actor to breathe, she had standards, she doesn't give you hurdles, you feel like you're the character. This allows the product authentic in a way. The fact that Yellow Rose highlighted an immigration story, it creates a divide that we hope as a film, would rip off that stereotypical, dangerous, anti patriotic divide in our country. These are people, these are human beings, extreme words that this past regime has used. Country music is like poetry, it's beautiful, to tell a story that is very young and have so much to do. That's what it is to me as a millenial. Getting to do this, it was all she had, hanging by a thread, to know that you are not alone and that you are protected."

I also asked her about racism and how she deals with it. I also asked the director about choosing "Dahil Sayo" which they interpreted in different ways and times in the film. Check out our interview with her this afternoon.

 

 Now make sure you get your tickets via KTX.PH and see the film on the 29th. If you want to see the struggles of a young Asian girl who only wished for freedom, for love, and an overwhelming passion for country music, go see Yellow Rose.

I will too.

 

Laugh and Cry to TOFARM's "Kamunggay"

I thought it was the same thing as the Moringa plant, and I was right. Kamunggay is the Visayan dialect equivalent of the lovely and nutritious Malunggay plant common in Filipino vegetable dishes and they named it after this with good reason. In a town and era where global warming got the Filipinos to undergo famine and hunger, the townspeople had one thing to do in order to survive, that is to plant food. There are really resilient and industrious ones, and there are those who chose not to work at all. That's where the conflict begins because these unscrupulous people started stealing from the old farmer, and get away with it.

Albeit heartbroken and furious about the situation, a lot of them got by with just making soup with the "Kamunggay" plant and got nourished fairly. It's a fight for survival, for ethics, how to deal with people who steal, how to make them pay for it, or just let them be. It's a story of family in the Cebuano and Mindanaoan Visayan dialect where you'll love the quirps of giving up, the act of giving, and bearing the fruits of your labor. All in that thin line of choosing what is right and wrong. 

"Kamunggay" includes actorsKent Raymond Basa, Roger Gonzales, legendary singer Ms. Dulce Cruzata, Skyzx Labastilla and indie singer Bayang Barrios. They will tell you their individual stories and you'll learn how it affects everyone in the community.

This entry is written and directed by famed director Victor Acedillo Jr. who also did "Kakampi" in last year's festival. They make you see a lot of small funny things, and perhaps attempt to make you cry about how the life story ends for these characters. The festival runs from July 12-18 and will show this and other entries at SM Megamall, SM Manila, Greenbelt 1, Robinsons Galleria and Gateway Mall in Cubao.

This will be a good addition to your must watch films during the TOFARM Film Festival. Make sure you support this worthwhile projects made to uplift the lives of farmers across the country!

KUMAGCOW

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ToFarm 2017 Proud To Release 6 Quality Films

After planting a seed last year, it looks like ToFarm 2017 is already bearing fruit. Several entries shown first on this festival have already won several accolades and nods of critics locally and around the world. Dr. Milagros O. How has spearheaded one of the most successful film showcases and dedicated it to shown the plight of farmers, agriculture and their families, made it even more powerful to tell their stories in 6 more quality movies to be released in the festival this year.

It includes Victor Acedillo Jr.’s "Kamunggai" (Malunggay), Topel Lee’s "Baklad", Byron Bryant’s "Sinandomeng", Joseph Abello’s "What Home Feels Like", Jason Paul Laxamana’s "Instalado" and Tara Illenberger’s "High Tide". We'll be featuring some of the artists and their characters later on this week so be sure to stay tuned.

For the opening salvo, they will also be featuring the work of Gerry De Leon called "Banaue: Stairway to the Sky!" starring no less than Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor, Christopher De Leon, Johnny Delgado and Ronaldo Valdez. The veteran actors will also grace the event on the 11th of this month at Novotel in Quezon City. They will also witness the re-introduction of the films together with the stars and directors of the 6 film entries this year.

Now this is exciting news! I can wait to see it on theaters, good thing there's still space for quality films during this run (without anyone resigning from their board LOL). You mat visit https://www.tofarm.org/join-tofarm/8 for more details about the film and information about the festival!

It's pretty apt for their theme this year which calls for "Planting Seeds of Change".

KUMAGCOW

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Universal Harvesters Incorporated Launches 2nd TOFARM Film Festival

I haven't seen this event last year, but it's always a good day to get acquainted with TOFARM FILM FESTIVAL as they create a new avenue for film makers to showcase their work on it's second year. Universal Harvester Incorporated's Executive Vice President Dr. Milagros How expressed her excitement as they are seeking talented individuals from all over the country, of which they just started the first leg this August 24-30, and starting the ones in Cebu and Davao this September and October too.

With the theme "Planting Seeds of Change" they want to take this year's festival to new heights to en-vibe the farmer's everyday realities and tell stories that reveal success, hard work, and life stories of those who belong in the agricultural sector. They are working in difficult regions, and the corporation has been also giving awards for unheard farmers who have been able to inspire others since a few years ago. They are doing something and that's a great deed in itself.

Festival and Famed Director Maryo J. Delos Reyes says "This came in a time where there should be an awareness amongst our people that agriculture, farming and the life around it should be regarded as a noble and honorable profession. Working on the theme Planting the Seeds of Change means the farmer needs to open himself up and imrpove his life, accept change and innovations so they could farm even greater and yield a film that talks about their lives, include this in the process. I enjoin hobbyists and producers before Friday at the TOFARM offices, accomplished forms with synopsis and a full length screenplay in Filipino. We will make sure everything will be impartial and be sure we are producing quality films."

In this year's festivities, the judges, the screening committee and organizers are going to pick 6 film scripts which would have a Php 1.5 Million grant to start off their projects and put it on the silver screen. The judges then will award the 3rd Best Film Php 300,000, 2nd Best Film with Php 400,000 and the Best Film with Php 500,000. There will be a Special Jury Award also amounting to Php 100,000. The winners will also take home the coveted TOFARM Film Fest Trophy, something only a few people posses. They already set a deadline on November 18, 2016 so if you are thinking of joining, you better have your entries submitted before that date.

For more information on how to join, please check out their official website www.TOFARM.org and their official Facebook Page TOFARM Festival Philippines. You may also reach them at info.TOFARM@gmail.com. 

KUMAGCOW

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Saranghaeyo #EwanKoSau Story Conference

We spent a quaint afternoon with the cast and crew of up coming film Saranghaeyo #EwanKoSau during their story conference at the Belleville Cafe in Scout Tobias in Quezon City. It's an independently produced film but will be released mainstream by Bagong Buwan Artist Collective (New Moon) and Directed by Roman Perez Jr. It's also written by Palanca Awardee En Villasis. 

As you can see, this one's pretty mixed. Artists from different channels like ABSCBN, GMA and TV5 comprise the stars of this movie and it's not often that this happens. Imagine Jon Lucas, Barbie Forteza, Francis Magundayao and Elisse Joson in one project, that just won't happen in normal circumstances but the stations were nice enough to allow them to do this and Director Roman Perez Jr. is really happy about the outcome of their dialogue with the networks. It was hard but when they told them the story and what they wanted to achieve the network wars didn't seem to be an issue at all. 

The producer herself says she is taking a gamble at this because she believes in the individual actors and the Director who has done projects for the different networks in the past. Aside from that, they are putting out a very current story and will delve more into the KPOP Fever that teens nowadays are crazy about and make the characters live in the moment but portray them differently so they can depart themselves with the goody two shoes role they used to see these stars on TV.

John Matthew Uy is also here. He's gone a long way from his Star Factor TV5 days and is juggling around appearances here and there. He was also in the highly successful She's Dating The Gangster movie with Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo. Joshua Rafael Davis the Yoyotricker and Ultimate Talentadong Pinoy isn't dishing out toys anymore. He's doing good in shows of TV5 and now he's doing this too with compatriots from other networks. He looks good and it seems that he's going to be part of the crew of John Lucas' character in the movie. Obviously we don't have any shortage of talent with this boy and we can only expect he'll be making this an interesting mix of personalities in the movie as Caloy.

Jon Lucas

Jon Lucas who played Dominic in the highly successful series Got To Believe in Magic and Michael in the longest running show Be Careful With My Heart (lol) will play the role of River Mondragon, a highschool hearthrob who's also an achiever and a student leader. He might grow the irk of Barbie Forteza's character later on, I'm sure it won't be helped.

Barbie Forteza

 I love Barbie Forteza in Half Sisters and I watch her everyday. I also have seen her best supporting actress performance in Mariquina that's been lauded by critics. Now that she's in this film, she's going to be very different from that kind cutesy role we often see her with because as she plays Calixta "Kai" Luna, an only daughter that's rich, but hungers for parental love. She's a hard core KPOP fan and falls for River (Jon Lucas' role). She's THE mean girl in school and she's going to make everyone's life miserable. She says this is going to be a challenge for her but says it's something that she wanted to do because she's always the good one on tv programs. She's welcoming the change and wants to see how they would be able to make the character as feared as she was reading it in the script. The character was that interesting so when her home station permitted her to play the character, she grabbed it. They were all hand picked by the way so just imagine this stellar cast on the silver screen soon.

Elisse Joson

I haven't seen her in person before before this event, but we've seen how she did "Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo" (Why aren't you the crush of your crush?) last year. I must say, she's really pretty. She also dresses well. Elisse is playing the role of Amanda "Mandy" Martinez. The character will be the best friend of Baste, but later on falls in love with him. We'll have to watch how her character gets beaten up by Kai (maybe) in the film. Will she also be the apple of the eye of Baste too? Well, we need to watch out for that.

Francis Magundayao

Francis Magundayao has worked for both GMA and ABSCBN. In the Kapamilya Network, he's doing several MMK episodes and Wansapanataym (read as Once Upon A Time) episodes. He's also in the hit series "Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon" (Wish Yesterday Was Tomorrow) as Sebastian Syquia. He's on that show with Bea Alonzo and Paulo Avelino. His successful projects makes him one of the most bankable young stars in the network and when the opportunity to work with different networks arrived, he said Yes right away. 

It was a no brainer because he always wanted to work with great people from other networks and lauds Barbie Forteza since he watched her shows and movies prior to this. He's also done an excellent job on his current projects and has amassed a good following even on social networks. In this movie, he's playing Sebastian "Baste" Agoncillo. He comes from a very big and happy family. Even if he's poor, he's doing good in school and wants to be a local Shakespeare in the making. 

 

Alwyn Uytingco, Nadine Samonte, Alice Dixson, Eric Quizon and a lot of other actors will also be in the film. These strong personalities and the different lives they make will surely be a great place to start telling the story. They also showed us a couple of locations that they will be shooting in. I sincerely hope they make more of these independently produced films and make the more commercial ones have a run for its money. It's also refreshing to see the combination of actors and actresses since they're not playing and operating in their own stables this time. Let's see how they play this modern day Romeo and Juliet in the Philippines. I'm sure with the tons of successful shows that they've had, it would be easy to make their fan base happy on this KPOP influenced film. Watch it on theaters soon!

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