Monday, September 24, 2007 Costanilla: Reviving Cebuano - Visayan cinema By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
MY very good friend, noted filmmaker Nards Chiu, a.k.a. Leon Villoria in the local movie circuit, e-mailed to stress that he did not organize the Cebuano/Visayan Cinema Revival Group (CVCRG), but that he merely responded to the appeal of Vice Mayor Michael Rama who is actually its organizer. I stand corrected, my friend. Anyway, Nards added that he did much of the deeper and wider research to help form the group.
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NARDS also stated that the group has people whose common goal is to help revive the Cebuano/Visayan cinema. They include filmmaking scion Councilor Edgardo Labella, ace corporate guy Teofy del Mar, screenwriter Bien Fernandez, film director Jojo Labella, writer Cynthia Kahulugan and film/stage critic Nick Ampatin. The group is also tapping the writing skills of June Bacalso, Fermin Gomez and Cora Rosales-Jayma in “refleshing” the 1951 classic of film icon Gene Labella titled Mga Anak Intawon.
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THE group, Nards added, is also planning to assemble other writers, like Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, Marcelo Geocallo, Estanislao Empinado, Porferio de la Torre and even Resil Mojares and Judge Simeon Dumdum in the noble task of eventually reviving the dormant local film industry. He also mentioned that the group may film Tino Yburan’s Ramisis, Ang Batang Bronse, an action-fantasy radio drama aired a few years back. Finally, Nards emphasized that money-wise, the city government is ready. “We shall ‘professionalize’ our talents by paying them honoraria yet unmatched in the dormant Cebuano/Visayan film industry,” he disclosed.
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IT is indeed commendable on the part of the CVCRG to start mobilizing individuals whose common aim is to revive the local movie industry. Yes, it’s a long overdue move but it’s better late than never. There have been attempts in the past to revive the local film industry, but they all failed. We are crossing our fingers that this time around, the effort would succeed.
Everybody should cooperate in this respect—after all, the effort is apolitical.
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ANOTHER good friend of mine in the entertainment scene is in town for her much-needed rest and recreation. Karol de la Cerna of Labangon is always glad to share with us her exciting experiences as a singer and host at Kuya Disco Pub in Nihal Hotel in Diera Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The joint is tagged as Dubai’s friendliest big brother. She’s the only Cebuano entertainer in this particular nightspot.
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ON local tourism, another “Suroy-Suroy Sugbo” will happen on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30, this time involving San Francisco, Tudela, Poro and Pilar all in the island of Camotes. Local and foreign tourists will surely enjoy the sights and food as well as cultural presentations that these four towns are preparing. For ticket reservations, call or text Tita’s cellphone number 09175464544.
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THIS former television/stage director was caught scanning a porno sight on his computer. No less than the station owner himself caught the guy in the act.
Incidentally, the station is airing religious programs all day long.
