Annabelle snubs court hearing

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

Richard Gutierrez was given the Fr. Satur Neri award by the National Commission on Culture and Arts and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change last Friday for his involvement with the enviromental protection group Greenpeace and his relevant docus, "Signos" and "Full Force of Nature. His mom Annabelle Rama didn't show up at the hearing of the case filed by Wilma Galvante against her also last Friday and just sent her lawyer as she chose to attend the awarding to her son. She was teary eyed when Richard received his award. "I'm very proud of my son," she said. Pres. Gloria Arroyo came later and she complimented Annabelle for looking good, to which Annabelle responded: "Mana lang ako sa'yo. "

From Annabelle, we learned that Richard is so generous he's sending David, the son of his brother Rocky, to school at Colegio San Agustin. Starting June, he volunteered to also send Diego, the son of his brother Ramon Christopher and Lotlot de Leon, to high school, at the school of his choice. "Napakabait talaga ni Richard kaya good karma siya," adds the proud mom.

In "Zorro", they added new characters that make the show more colorful: Chanda Romero as Agueda, Jen Rosendahl as Sephora, Isabel Granada as Minerva, Dick Israel as Jumal of Circo del Negra and a rhinoceros named Rosa of the Circo del Bueno. Bianca King as Cara has become a thief and everything she steals, she gives to help Circo del Bueno. Rhian Ramos as Lolita watches the circus with Richard as Antonio. Jumal lets the rhino loose and it wreaks havoc on the audience, putting Lolita's life in danger. But Zorro arrives and uses a rope to tame Rosa . Jumal does everything to destroy Circo del Bueno and this is when Cara meets her long lost mom, Minerva. Zorro encounters Ramon (TJ Trinidad) once again, who tries to take off his mask but fails. Ramon hostages Agueda to conquer Zorro but Minerva intervenes and is shot. Ramon nearly falls to his death but Zorro saves him. Ramon pushes him instead but he is saved by a net. Maureen Larrazabal is passing by and she sees Zorro without his mask, discovering it's Antonio. Ramon pursues Bella to tell him who Zorro but Bella says he doesn't know the guy. Ramon orders the salon of Bella to be closed down.

Karylle TO KRISTINE: ANG GANDA MO

Karylle was being pressured by some writers as to who between Jericho Rosales and Christian Bautista is closer to her heart but she insists that they're not even courting her. "Nakakahiya sa kanila dahil pilit akong nili-link sa kanila and people might think I'm using them to be written about," she says.

Karylle gets to do her first primetime teleserye since she moved to ABS-CBN in "Nasaan Ka Maruja". She plays Helen, the half sister of Kristine Hermosa, who plays Cristy in the present time. She's the first one who meets and becomes close to Derek Ramsay, who plays Ross. She's in love with him but when he meets Kristine, it's her character that he falls in love with. It turns out that Kristine already keeps seeing him in her dreams and they have a connection in the past, with Derek also playing Gabriel, the man who was Kristine's ill-fated lover when she lived as Maruja in the late 1940s after the Second World War.

Karylle admits she felt starstruck with Kristine when she first saw her. "I was staring at her and I said, 'Sorry, kasi ang ganda mo. ' I haven't worked with her at talagang humanga ako sa beauty niya. I read then na suplada siya but we easily warmed up to each other kasi she's easy to get along with naman pala. She's really nice at naging friends naman kami agad, lalo na nga we tape on location pa in Pampanga. "

What about Derek Ramsay? "First time ko rin to work with him and, based on our talks, he lives a very exciting life kasi adventurous siya. He ventures into different kinds of sports so kung minsan, darating sa set, may bagong sugat. I don't think I've met anyone as active as he is dahil laging wala at nag-diving, nag-whale watching, mga ganun. Naisip ko tuloy, compared to his activities, am I missing something in my life?"

Does she like her role as Helen in "Maruja"? "It's a big challenge as I'm not like her at all in real life. Kasi, kikay siya, outgoing, sosyalera. E, ako, I only open up to the people I'm close with. Hindi ako comfortable being kikay to everyone, but I enjoy playing the role and showing a side of me na hindi kilala ng ibang tao. "

ANGEL MISSES LUIS

Angel Locsin didn't know she loves to cook until she played the role of Jillian, a chef, in "Only You. " "It's so enjoyable pala and I realize I could make a career out of cooking," she says. "Gusto ko ngang seryosong mag-aral nito kasi when you have your own family, I think hindi ka mapapahiya sa husband and kids mo kung magaling kang magluto. As of now, meron na ring ilang dishes na alam kong lutuin, like talangkanin, combined talangka and kanin. I learned them while we're taping 'Only You' in a culinary school in Korea . "

Has she made her BF Luis Manzano taste her cooking? "Hindi pa. Ayoko muna kasi baka kapag natikman na niya, lalo siyang ma-in love sa'kin at mag-propose na," she laughs. "So huwag na lang. "

She misses Luis very much as he's now in New York shooting the movie "In My Life" with his mom, Gov. Vilma Santos. "Ang tagal naming hindi nagkasama kasi before he left, ako naman ang nasa Korea with Sam Milby and Diether Ocampo taping 'Only You' on location for three weeks din. Pagdating ko rito, sandali lang kami nagkasama at siya naman ang umalis. Pero okay lang, talagang we're both more focused on our work. "

THREE PINOY FILMS IN CANNES

THREE local films will be shown at next month's Cannes International Filmfest from May 13 to 22. First is Dante Mendoza's "Kinatay (The Execution of P)", formerly titled "Chop Chop". This will be shown in competition, a feat for Mendoza since his "Serbis" was also shown in competition last year. He must really be in good terms with the programmers since, just like last year, all he sent was a rough edited version and it still qualified. Photofinish, as known in local parlance. "Kinatay" stars Julio Diaz, who gave one of the best supporting male performances last year in "Serbis" as Jaclyn Jose's cuckolded husband, with Coco Martin, John Regala, Jhong Hilario, Alan Paule, Lauren Novero, Mercedes Cabral, Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos as himself, Mark Meily, Jim Libiran, and Maria Isabel Lopez. Just like "Serbis", this is also a co-production with a french company and written by Armando "Bing" Lao, whose own directorial debut, "Biyaheng Lupa", didn't make it to Cannes .

Aside from "Kinatay", the other films are "Independencia" directed by Raya Martin to be shown in the Un Certain Regard section and "Maynila," a twin bill remake of Brocka's "Maynila Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag" and Bernal's "Manila By Night," co-directed by Raya Martin and Adolfo Alix, starring and co-produced by Piolo Pascual. It will be shown out of competition.

"Independencia," a stylized period film set in the early1900s, was produced using a 120,000-euro (P7 million) grant from the French government called Fonds Sud Cinema. It was first offered to Vilma Santos, who met with the director but decided not to accept it, since she gave priority to Star Cinema's more commercial project, "In My Life," for which she's now shooting in New York . Sayang. It could have given her the chance to walk on red carpet of the world's most popular filmfest. The lead role went to Tetchie Agbayani. Playing her son is Sid Lucero and also starring Alessandra de Rossi.

RICHARD AND ANNE ARE DIRECTOR'S PROBLEM

AT the Sine Direk launch at Teatrino, we congratulated Director Maryo de los Reyes, who's megging the entry "Kamoteng Kahoy" starring tot stars Nash Aguas and Buboy Avila. His afternoon soap, "Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin" is setting records as it rated a very high 29. 9% twice. "Oo nga, e," he says. "Nagugulat kami sa sobrang lakas niya, mataas pa sa rating ng ibang shows sa primetime. At dahil diyan, magkakaroon na ng launching movie sina Aljur Abrenica at Kris Bernal sa GMA Films. It will be shot on location in Bohol. "

We thought he's also directing the Richard Gutierrez-Anne Curtis romance? "Yes, pero ginagawa pa ang script at wala pa silang maibigay na schedule ni Richard who's busy with 'Zorro' and ni Anne who's busy with 'The Wedding'. So habang hindi pa sila available, gagawin ko muna yung Aljur-Kris movie. GMA is assigning me another soap, but I begged off. Magmu-movies muna ako. Also, busy rin ako sa 'Kamoteng Kahoy' na three shooting days pa. Enjoy ako rito kasi mga bata ang bida, just like 'Magnifico' that won awards abroad. "

GMA JOINS BANGUS FEST

THIS year's Bangus Festival in Dagupan will get a big boost with the participation of the Kapuso Network's top stars from April 27 to 30. On April 27, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes of Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang will join the float parade at 3 p. m. Marian and Dingdong will then take the dance floor away with the Abztract Dancers in the opening number of the Festivals of the North Street Dancing Parade and Competition at 5:30 p. m. The next day, April 28, Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman will lead the Kapuso Fiesta at the CSI City Mall at 1 p. m. with guests Mark Herras, Rainier Castillo, Kris Bernal, Ryza Cenon, JC Tiuseco, Buboy Villar, Mocha, Gloc9, BOD, and Mr. Hajji Alejandro. On April 30 at 5 p. m. , rock star Bamboo and Kapuso Stars Moymoy Palaboy with the Band, Maureen Larrazabal, and the tandem of Cookie and Bellie will join the Bangusan Street Party on Kapuso Night at the Judge de Venecia Extension. Catch the brightest Kapuso stars in the biggest month-long festival in North Luzon ,
Bangus Festival, from April 27 to 30.
SHOWS, MOVIES ON '5'

ANIME fans will enjoy two exciting anime shows, Detective Labyrinth and Destiny Warriors (Juushin Enbu) are added to the line-up of TV 5's Animega shows starting today. A manga adaptation on the supernatural, Detective Labyrinth is about a boy who holds a special power that allows him to uncover the truth behind mysterious happenings. Crafted by the author of the multi-award winning Fullmetal Alchemist, Destiny Warriors (a. k. a. Juushin Enbu) revolves around Chinese folklore with swaschbuckling heroes. Detective Labyrinth is at 6:30 p. m. and Destiny Warriors (Juushin Enbu) at 7 p. m. weekdays on TV5.

On 5MAX Movies 9pm, Johnny Depp stars tonight in Stephen King's thriller Secret Window about a writer accused of plagiarism by a strange man who then starts harrassing him. Tomorrow, don't miss the sci-fi fantasy film Timeline, based on the novel of Michael Crichton . On Wednesday, the horror sequel Pet Sematary 2, will haunt you. The Pledge, a mystery film based on a 1958 novel, is showing on Thursday with Jack Nicholson as a detective who becomes obsessed in solving a case. A strange life form consumes everything in its path in The Blob on Friday (May 1). A little pig goes a long way on Saturday as the Oscar-winning movie Babe, about a pig raised by sheepdogs, learns to herd sheep with a little help from his friends. On Sunday, the voices of Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Chris Rock give life to the award winning animation Madagascar, with a special Barangay screening at Brgy. Rosario, Pasig City. .

Source: People's Journal