Coming of age
Young superstar Jennylyn Mercado's biggest break came last year when she won the lead role in the film Rosario, a movie about the life of a well-known Manila socialite in the early 20th century.
She had high hopes of getting noticed for her ensemble performance, with critics saying this was her coming of age film. The movie itself, which was screened at the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival, was critically acclaimed. Her biggest wish, however, turned into a huge disappointment when comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas' name was called at the festival's awards night instead of hers.
"It just happened two weeks ago, but it seems like a lifetime," says the young singer-actress who, before Rosario, was known more for her hit singles and being a feisty teenage mom than as a good actress.
She admitted she had high hopes, but wouldn't let this disappointment linger. "When I look back and think of it as a big disappointment, sure, it will be hard to forget. What I'd rather do is look at it as an opportunity to broaden my horizons as an artist. The people that mattered noticed, and that's good enough," she said.
When Mercado mentioned "people that mattered" she meant the critics who praised her performance. She was merely echoing what many in the entertainment industry felt was a deterioration of standards for the film festival.
She cited the fact that the jury members who decided the winners of the film festival were not known movie critics and three of them were not even involved in the film industry. Mercado wasn't nominated for the Best Actress category.
Milestone
Setting disappointment aside, Mercado is looking forward to getting more meaty roles in future film assignments. "Rosario is a milestone, and I am thankful I got the role. I had to audition for it, so it really meant something. That was a triumph in itself, as I was later told there were award-winning actresses who also auditioned for the role," she says with a glimmer in her eye — a sign she may have moved on and is looking forward to greater things.
Mercado revealed there are plans to showcase the film in various film festivals abroad, so "that is something good that came out of it. The producers are serious about proving the filmfest wrong, but more than that I think they're just really proud of the movie; that they think this is something worth a second look, critically I mean," she said.
"I feel like I am getting another chance, and this time I guess I am more mature to handle the pressure, the challenge, anything that comes my way," she says.
She has now come of age.
Sister Act
The Metro Manila Film Festival ended last week, and for the most part it was a big commercial success. Expect a bigger edition next year as even before the festival ended, Viva Films announced it already has a film scheduled for production which it plans to submit for screening. Viva will bring together three of the biggest stars in the industry — Sharon Cuneta (right), Judy Ann Santos and Sarah Geronimo — in what looks like a casting coup. This is worth looking forward to since this is the first time that all three superstars will be working together in one film. Sharon and Judy Ann did a movie together many years back, while Judy Ann and Sarah starred in a film together last year. Incidentally, both movies were about sisterhood.
Concerts
Valentine's Day is fast approaching and in Manila this means lots of top-notch concerts. Concert Queen Pops Fernandez (top right) will have a dinner-concert with newlywed Ogie Alcasid at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, while Pops' ex-husband, Martin Nieverra (bottom right), will have a show with Sarah Geronimo at the Araneta Coliseum. Between the two shows the Pops and Ogie show has already sold out, while the Martin and Sarah gig is still trying to fill up an 8,000-seat venue.
Advocacy
Singer-composer Ogie Alcasid proudly announced that his recent wedding to Asia's songbird Regine Velasquez has raised more than one million pesos (Dh83,365) for charity. In lieu of a gift, the couple asked guests at their nuptials to make a donation to a charity of their choice. Some of the beneficiaries include Bridges Foundation and Operation Smile. President of the Filipino Singers Association, Alcasid also announced that they will lobby for higher entertainment taxes for foreign artists doing shows in Manila. According to Alcasid, this is one way they can protect local singers and productions from the influx of foreign shows and artists.
Evasion
Local authorities are expected to revive tax evasion charges against actor Richard Gomez and star couple Eddie Gutierrez and Anabelle Rama Gutierrez (right). The Bureau of Internal Revenue said Gomez failed to pay the right taxes from 2000 to 2003, while the Gutierrez couple failed to pay for taxable income they earned in 2006. They owe the government close to Dh300,000.
