Vilma Santos, Aga Muhlach, Arjo Atayde, Judy Ann Santos join 50th Metro Manila Film Festival

BY ROBERT REQUINTINA

Oct 22, 2024 04:42 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• This year's festival is set to be more vibrant and dynamic, showcasing the rich talent and diversity of the Filipino film industry.

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The stars and producers of the 10 official entries for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival pose during the announcement of the official entries for the annual film festival held at the Podium in Mandaluyong City on Oct. 22. (Images courtesy of MMDA)

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) unveiled the final five entries for its upcoming 50th edition, marking a significant moment for the Philippine cinema industry, during a press conference held at The Podium in Mandaluyong City on Oct. 22.

This year's festival is set to be more vibrant and dynamic, showcasing the rich talent and diversity of the Filipino film industry.

From left: MMFF Chairman Atty. Romando Artes, former Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, and MMFF Selection Committee head Jesse Ejercito

The second batch of official entries for the 50th MMFF are:

1) My Future You (Regal Entertainment) - Seth Fedelin and Francine Diaz; romance

2) Uninvited (Mentorque) - Vilma Santos-Recto and Aga Muhlach; thriller

3) Topak (Nathan Studios) - Arjo Atayde and Julia Montes; action

4) Hold Me Close (Viva Communications) - Julia Barretto and Carlo Aquino; romance 

5) Espantaho (Quantium) - Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino; horror

Sylvia Sanchez, representing Nathan Studios, receives the special citation after the movie 'Topak' is chosen as one of the official entries for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.

In July, the first five official entries were announced.

1) And the breadwinner is ... (Star Cinema and The IdeaFirst Company) - Vice Ganda; comedy

2) Green Bones (GMA Pictures) - Dennis Trillo; suspense/drama

3) Himala, Isang Musikal (Creazion Studios) - Bituin Escalante; musical

4) The Kingdom (APT Entertainment) - Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual; drama/fantasy/adventure 

5) Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital (Reality MM Studios) - Enrique Gil and Jane De Leon; horror

The new trophy for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi Ng Parangal is unveiled 

Former Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos attended the event, demonstrating the government's ongoing support for the arts and entertainment sector.

The reveal was also brightened by the presence of Vice Ganda, the star of one of the newly announced film entries, alongside other notable luminaries such as acclaimed director Jun Robles Lana and Mark Salamat; producers Perci Intalan, Nessa Valdellon, Madonna Tamayo, Carlo Lopez and Jojo Oconer, President and CEO Jane Basas, VP for Production Ops Camille Montano; fan-favorite actress Neomi Gonzales, Kakki Teodoro and Alexa Miro; actor Kokoy de Santos, David Ezra and Rob Gomez. Their participation underscores the festival's reputation as a premier event that attracts the industry's finest talents.

The announcement has been eagerly anticipated by fans and industry stakeholders alike, adding to the high excitement for the festival's golden anniversary.

The final five films, chosen from numerous high-quality submissions, highlight the festival's commitment to presenting diverse stories - from heartwarming tales and comedies to thought-provoking dramas and epic adventures, ensuring a rich cinematic experience for audiences of all tastes.

The cast of 'And the breadwinner is ...' led by Vice Ganda grace the announcement of the second batch of official entries for 50th MMFF.

In line with celebrating its milestone year, the MMFF unveiled a special edition trophy crafted by renowned Filipino artist Jefré. His innovative design pays homage to the Philippine cinema's historical journey and bright future, symbolizing the prestigious achievement of winning at the festival.

MMFF remains an essential platform for showcasing Filipino artistry and promoting the local film industry. "As we commemorate our 50th year, we look back with pride at the growth and achievements of the MMFF. But more importantly, we look forward to the future it helps to shape - one where Filipino cinema continues to thrive and inspire," said MMFF chairperson Atty. Romando Artes during the event.

The festival is set to run from Dec. 25, 2024, to Jan. 7, 2025, with a lineup that promises to captivate and entertain, reinforcing the MMFF's role in nurturing and celebrating Philippine cinema.

21. jemandem Löcher in den Bauch fragen

 

21. jemandem Löcher in den Bauch fragen

This one is pretty straightforward. In German, if you pester someone with questions, you are literally “asking holes in his belly.” As for the origin of this German saying, please have a look at this resource here. 

Example:

A: Wie heißt er denn? Wo kommt er her? Wie alt ist er? Ist er hübsch? Wie viele Freundinnen hatte er denn schon?

B: Jetzt hör doch auf mir Löcher in den Bauch zu fragen! Du wirst schon sehen!  

Translation:

A: What’s his name? Where does he come from? How old is he? Is he handsome? How many girlfriends has he had?

B: Now stop asking me holes in my stomach! You’ll see!

Filipino crew reunites with families as Carnival Panorama cruise visits Philippines

Jan 

Milo Severo - Philstar.com

October 22, 2024 | 8:57am

Carnival Panorama’s Manila visit is part of her 25-day Transpacific Carnival Journeys cruise from Singapore to Long Beach, California

Philstar.com / Jan Milo Severo

MANILA, Philippines — Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) celebrates its first-ever visit to the Philippines, with Carnival Panorama arriving at the South Harbor’s Eva Macapagal Super Terminal in Manila last week.

The ship’s leaders, Captain Luca Lazzarino, Chief Engineer Stefano Gazzolo, and Hotel Director Hector Groves, led the commemoration activity along with local dignitaries and representatives of Cruise Administration Services, Inc. and Open Sea Crewing Agency, Inc. 

Carnival Panorama’s Manila visit is part of its 25-day Transpacific Carnival Journeys cruise from Singapore to Long Beach, California. Carnival Journeys are a limited series of special, longer sailings that provide guests with unique travel experiences.

Measuring 1,055 feet in length and with a capacity of 4,000 guests and 1,450 crew members, Carnival Panorama debuted in 2019 and is based in Long Beach, California. In August, Carnival Panorama embarked on an 18-day Carnival Journey from Long Beach to Yokohama, Japan, which included stops in Alaska.

After the 18-day Transpacific voyage, Carnival Panorama entered drydock in Singapore for refurbishments. On October 12, Carnival Panorama left Singapore to begin its voyage back to Long Beach and visited Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, before arriving in Manila.

The ship’s Philippines visit gives guests a quick glimpse of the historic city of Manila and allows the vessel’s crew members to go ashore and spend some time with their families. A marching band and Ati-Atihan dancers welcomed guests and crew as they disembarked.

The ship also welcomed the families of Filipino crew members, giving them a glimpse of life on board. 

“We know this visit is a special moment for our Filipino team members, so we wanted their families to see their workplace. This is our first time docking in the Philippines and we prepared lunch on board as a thank you for the warm welcome,” Captain Lazzarino said.

“Filipino seafarers are among the top three nationalities sailing with the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. Carnival Panorama’s visit is a momentous occasion for CCL’s Filipino shipboard talent and a unique opportunity for them to be with their loved ones. This is why we prepared this homecoming event for them,” added Igmedio Cariaga, director of Carnival Cruise Line’s Crew & Travel Operations Team.

Open Sea Crewing Agency, Inc. became Carnival Cruise Line’s authorized manning agency last June and is committed to continuing CCL’s successful partnership with the Philippines. 

“Open Sea is proud to welcome Carnival Panorama to Manila, and we look forward to supporting the current and future generation of Filipino CCL crew members,” said Captain Antonio Ladera, president of Open Sea.

Always Be silent in five situation

 

Inside Mind ☑️

A daily dose of insightful articles on diverse topics, penned by expert writers.

In a world filled with noise and constant chatter, there is great power in silence. It is said that silence is golden, and in many situations, it can be the best response. Here are five situations where it is best to always be silent:

1. When you are angry: In moments of anger, it is easy to say things that we may later regret. Instead of lashing out in anger, take a moment to breathe and collect your thoughts. Silence can be a powerful tool in diffusing a tense situation and preventing further conflict.

2. When you are unsure: In times of uncertainty, it is best to listen and observe rather than speak. By staying silent, you can gather more information and make a more informed decision.

3. When someone is sharing their feelings: When someone is opening up to you and sharing their emotions, it is important to listen without interrupting. Sometimes, the best response is simply to be present and offer a listening ear.

4. When you are in a position of power: As the saying goes, "With great power comes great responsibility." In positions of authority, it is important to choose your words carefully and avoid saying anything that could be misinterpreted or taken out of context.

5. When you are in nature: In the midst of nature's beauty, silence can be a way to truly appreciate and connect with the world around you. Take a moment to soak in the sights and sounds of nature without the need for words.

In these five situations, silence can be a powerful tool for communication, reflection, and connection. So remember, sometimes the best response is no response at all.

‘Teacher Georcelle’ on empowering women through dance

BY MARINEL CRUZ

OCTOBER 22, 2024

Georcelle Dapat-Sy --CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Read Next

Celebrating the Indigenous way of life

Dancer-choreographer Georcelle Dapat-Sy said quite a number of women enroll at her G-Force Dance Center because they either want to have a boyfriend or get pregnant.

“Believe me! We have a lot of success stories related to this,” she told Lifestyle in a recent interview. She then cited as an example the story of a celebrity (“someone you would never expect to see in a dance class”) who enlisted in her #whiteshirtlove program and eventually transformed from “super shy and self-conscious” to “extremely confident.”

#whiteshirtlove is a specialized dance class that Teacher Georcelle created in 2014 to cope with the postpartum depression she experienced after the birth of her third child. She admitted to having had a hard time getting back into shape.

YEAR AFTER YEAR

By Klaus Döring

Year after year is often used to focus attention on the fact that something is repeated over and over, as in this example sentence: We vacationed there year after year, until our kids grew up.

One thing is very important: Gifts for Christmas.

Gift giving and receiving and Christmas simply but surely go together. Many times, it incurs our indignation. Only reluctantly, many of us defer the most important decision during the most jolliest season of the year. What is the best Christmas gift for our loved ones??? Is it really an important decision, or does it delete the real meaning of Christmas? I am sure, many of us know the real answer.

The giving spirit of the holiday season seems to fade in the light of necessary obligations and finances, along with the painful dilemma of giving gifts to those who want to buy as opposed to those for whom you should buy!

Let's think about it: To whom are we obligated at Christmas: our boss, our cousins, our parents, our partner or our children and friends as well? What about the children? Should they give presents to people either then family members? How about the innumerable large families especially in the Philippines, because of economics, resort to the name drawing process at Christmas.

For me, firstly, Christmas is spirit. You can always find ways to give gifts without expenses. The most well known and always remembered gift is to give to someone like giving time. In my family we do this mostly during the holiday season.

But if I look more around, mmh, sad to say, that "time as gift" doesn't satisfy most of all.Well, it's okay. There are so many ways to use your mind in terms of giving someone other things than putting Peso, Euro or Dollar notes. I am sure you know that home made gifts can also be a very good idea... .

The most thoughtful gifts are ones that have, well, thought behind them. Thoughts about what brings joy to the recipient, what they want, need, and what they didn't know they couldn't live without until it arrived at their doorstep.

Sure, there is etiquette of gift giving at Christmas and also other occasions. Homemade gifts are most appropriate especially as Christmas gifts, according to Stuart E. Jacobson, book author of "The Art of Giving". Allow me to quote Jacobson, "Homemade gifts are wonderful. A gift of imagination, a gift of creativity, a gift that shows (also!) time was put into it. A created time is a wonderful present."

When considering a homemade gift, instead of tumbling through crowded shopping malls (as I tried again yesterday -  and getting a headache (I really got!)! While stumbling from one mall to the next, I found out again, that the real and whole essence of giving a gift is to bring pleasure to the person receiving it. Jacobson says in his book, "Homemade gifts are also ideal for children to give as presents. Kids can create things because they have a unique imagination. Children should feel free to give something to anyone they spend a lot of time with. No monetary value should be placed on what a child should give to someone."

Very well said. I am just afraid that it seems more or less impossible nowadays in these modern times... .

Invitation to your soul, RSVP by now

Stephanie Zubiri celebrates one year of Soulful Feasts and the launch of her children’s book Chalky the Chameleon.

BY AA PATAWARAN

Oct 21, 2024 11:31 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• ‘I began this project with one goal in mind, to be as authentic as possible while sharing what I've learned from my own personal journey as well as the wisdom of experts and other inspiring people.’

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Audrey Tan Zubiri, Manuel Zubiri, Ana Garcia Zubiri, and Allana Montelibano

More than a new platform, Soulful Feasts is a paradigm shift for Stephanie Zubiri, who has turned the page toward holistic self-acceptance, embracing the whole stretch of the human experience, from challenging to rewarding, and ultimately consolidating the experiences, no matter how disparate or opposing they seem to each other, in the search for authenticity, wellness, self-fulfillment, and a purposeful life.

Cris Cu-Seisa, Stephanie Zubiri, and Rocio Olbes

“Soulful Feasts has evolved to more than just a podcast, it’s a holistic wellness platform designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul,” says Stephanie. “Through a combination of workshops, events, women’s circles, motivational speaking, one-on-one reiki sessions, and soulful living coaching, it offers a space for people to connect deeply with themselves and live more mindfully.”

DJ Honey Love

In celebrating the first anniversary of Soulful Feasts at Vestido in Poblacion, a party she entitled “Kaleidoscope: A Prism of Infinite Possibilities,” Stephanie also launched Chalky the Chameleon, the first in a series of four children’s books she is in process of writing to explore, expound on, and celebrate neurodiversity. 

Hindy Weber-Tantoco and Stephanie Zubiri

The books were inspired by her discovery during the worst of the pandemic, as if the pandemic weren’t enough of a challenge, that the younger of her two sons, Seb and Max, was on the autism spectrum. 

Jackie Cohen Antonio, Mikaela Martinez, and Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez

Like any human, Stephanie responded at first with denial, disbelief, and devastation. But she soon picked herself up, deciding to focus on what she could do, which was what her son Max, then only four years old, needed the most—early intervention and what made it possible, early detection. Now Stephanie is a strong advocate of early detection and early intervention, which have enabled her son to do “a full 180,” despite a condition that could have compromised his ability to cope and thrive all his life. Now seven years old, Max is fully integrated in a “normal school.” Aware of his condition, he is less burdened, inhibited, or even bothered by it.

Julie Boschi, Vicky Zubiri, Ana Garcia Zubiri, and Andrea Zubiri

Soulful Feasts was also an offshoot of this turn in Stephanie’s personal journey. “It’s about creating a life filled with intention, embracing wellness in all its forms, and finding fulfillment in every day,” she says. “The message is to live life with intent and with purpose, even in the smallest of moments. I think we breeze through life so fast we need some time for our soul to catch up. It’s an intentional slowing down, infusing of meaning into our lives, bringing a level of awareness to our emotions, our feelings, our dreams, and allowing ourselves to simply take up space in our beautiful world as children of the universe.” 

Kelly Misa-Fernandez, Sanya Smith, Jo Ann Bitagcol, and Stephanie Zubiri

 

Marga Tupaz, Mikaela Martinez, Camille Villar, and Audrey Pastelero

 

Marie Lozano-Gekoski and Connie Jimenez-Aquino

 

Matt Williams, Ian Dy, and Scott Woodward

 

Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez and Mikaela Lagdameo

 

Sandy Riccio, Xandra Rocha Araneta, and Audrey Pastelero

 

Sanya Smith, Kelly Misa-Fernandez, and Katrina Holigores 

Sara Black and Scott Woodward

 

Shari Poquiz, Bianca Reinoso, Bianca Bradner, and Audrey Pastelero

Philippine Retirement Authority

 

Rain, Hwasa, BINI, Carlos Yulo grace IAM Worldwide’s 7th anniversary, music festival

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Oct 21, 2024 12:38 PM

  

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Philippine direct sales company IAM Worldwide celebrated its His7ory 7th Anniversary with a ceremony and music festival on Oct. 20 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

K-pop stars Rain and Hwasa of Korean girl group Mamamoo, and P-pop queens BINI headlined the music festival. 

Korean singer Rain (Photos from Mall of Asia Arena's Facebook account, screenshots from IAM Worldwide video) 

Hwasa of K-pop girl group Mamamoo (Jonathan Hicap)

 

Filipino girl group BINI (Jonathan Hicap)

Celebrities and endorsers who graced the event included Olympic double gold medalist Carlos Yulo, Atasha Muhlach and Andres Muhlach. 

Hwasa performed first and sang “I Love My Body,” “Na,” “Twit,” “Don’t” and “Chili.” 

“Kamusta po? It’s been a while since I visited Manila. Are you guys doing well? The last time I visited the Philippines for the Mamamoo concert, I remember the night,” she said. 

BINI performed “Cherry on Top,” “Karera,” “Salamin, Salamin” and “Pantropiko.” They also announced that they are now part of the IAM Worldwide family. 

They congratulated the company for its seventh anniversary celebration. 

Rain (real name Jung Ji-hoon) was the final act, performing “Gang,” “La Song,” and “Love Song,” and taking off his shirt while singing “Rainism.” 

“What’s up, Philippines? I missed you guys. I’m so happy to be here. It feels amazing to be back here with all of you,” he greeted the crowd. 

He also went down from the stage to be close to the audience during his set. 

During the event, IAM Worldwide awarded its top sellers. 

The IAM Worldwide His7ory 7th Anniversary was presented by Wilbros Live. 

Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo (2nd from left) with IAM Worldwide executives (Jonathan Hicap) 

Andres Muhlach (center) (Jonathan Hicap) 

Hwasa of K-pop girl group Mamamoo (Jonathan Hicap)

 

 

 

Filipino girl group BINI (Jonathan Hicap)