‘Thy Womb’: the return of Nora-Bembol teamup

by PABLO A. TARIMAN, VERA Files

THE INBOX

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Source:  http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/thy-womb-return-nora-bembol-teamup-141435826.html

The latest Dante Brillante Mendoza film,"Thy Womb," has reverberations of the 1957 Lamberto Avellana film "Badjao" and in another sense, Marilou Diaz-Abaya's "Sa Pusod Ng Dagat."

They all expound on love, life and lost traditions in the islands and with the unstable peace and order situation constantly threatening an otherwise idyllic life by the sea.

While the Avellana film zeroes on two warring tribes with their own versions of a "Romeo and Juliet" scenario and the Abaya film chronicling birth and death in the island, the latest Mendoza film unveils an uncanny kind of altruism between a childless Badjao couple.

The film captures the colorful life and tradition of the Badjaos as seen in courtship and wedding rituals and in the process showcase a rare unselfish kind of love between a Badjao comadrona and his husband. The irony of her life is that while she helps give birth to countless babies every week and keep count of them by keeping a part of their umbilical cord in her abode, she herself is childless. For love of her husband, she even helps find a suitable bride who can procreate.

It is in the role of Shaleha, the Badjao midwife, that Nora Aunor gives an incandescent performance. She has very little dialogue in this film but every time the camera focuses on her with her marital predicaments quietly etched on her face, she delivers a kind of acting that is natural and thus even more astounding.

Scriptwriter Henry Burgos has woven a tale of unselfish love that is unusually quiet and very cerebral. The breath-taking cinematography of Odyssey Flores captures the scenic way of life of the Badjaos. On his part,  Brillante's direction unwittingly stayed away from unnecessary details that will detract from the simple life of this gentle Badjao couple. When the couple makes love for the last time before the takeover of the new bride played with sensitivity by Lovi Poe, you can see that the heroine in this film is made of sterner stuff.

For its portrayal of the way of life of the Badjaos, the Brillante Mendoza film is a refreshing entry in the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival. It could educate a bulk of our young moviegoers who equate love with the usual "kilig" formula. It can further educate them on how our Muslim brothers live and how they cope with unstable peace and order in their territory.

Nora and Bembol in three films"Thy Womb" was an official entry in the 69th Venice Film Festival where it won three special prizes:  the La Navicella Venezia Cinema Award, the P. Nazareno Taddei Award - Special Mention, and the Bisato d' Oro Award for Best Actress (for Nora Aunor).

On the side, one can cay that the Mendoza opus completes the trilogy of good films featuring Roco and Aunor. They were seen in "Merika" directed by Gil Portes and they were unforgettable in "Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos: by Mario O'Hara.

The late O'Hara was also the director when they did "Sa Ngalan Ng Ina" for a TV network

If Roco made a mark as a Badjao husband in "Thy Womb,"  "Sa Ngalan Ng Ina" saw him playing  a smalltown politician felled by  an assassin's grenade during a political rally.  It was a role reminiscent of Ninoy Aquino's last few hours, it was a scene which easily recalled the Plaza Miranda bombing.

As in  "Thy Womb," Roco and Aunor played husband and wife too in their last TV drama starrer.

Some chilling scene in that TV drama: before the rally, his wife (Aunor) prayed for guidance while he is seen as a people-loving man and a gentle and loving husband.

Throughout this brief but powerful exposure, Roco held his own and came out a natural performer. His instant death all the more magnified a noble life he led and these layers of character-build up Roco managed to project with unerring grace.

In both TV and film team-up, it was a winning role for Roco and it was all worth the investments he had made for the industry.

His first big break was the starring role in "Maynila Sa Kuko Ng Liwanag by Lino Brocka and looking back, that film actually  changed his life completely. It opened new things to him that he did not think was just possible. "Here I realized that film had tremendous power comparable to big-time politics. It was after that film that I seriously thought of joining showbiz for good."

Close to three decades in film taught him a lot of things but it was  Brocka who showed the way. "He explained to me that as an actor, I have responsibility to the public.. I didn't know what that meant. That my privacy would be invaded I felt right away.  But I also knew that the reward was fulfilling as well. Anywhere you go, people know you and will take care of you. At that time, it didn't make sense to me that people would value privacy when they stand to gain more by having their share of modest fame and fortune."

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true.")

"SA NGALAN NG INA" IS GRITTY DRAMA

MS. NORA AUNOR

by ARNEL RAMOS

Malaya Business Insight

Friday, October 21, 2011

At the late September press preview of "Sa Ngalan ng Ina," Nora Aunor’s return to TV drama after an eight-year hiatus, the scene inside the venue was reminiscent of how it was when the legendary actress’ Elwood Perez-directed mother-and-daughter drama "Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M" was being shown in theaters in 1991. This was way before the advent of mall cinemas and Nora Aunor loyalists would burst into a thunderous applause at her every dramatic highlight.

Where Nora was largely over-the-top as the self-sacrificing mom in Pacita M, she delivers a fine performance as the wife who becomes governor in TV5’s "Sa Ngalan ng Ina." Unlike the regular soap that proliferates on the tube, "Sa Ngalan ng Ina" is far from glossy and convoluted. It is, thankfully, both gritty and theatrical. The theatrical touches are, of course, to be expected since the one at the helm is Mario O’Hara who remains a presence in the local theater scene.

And because theatricality calls for huge, spectacular scenes, logic is sometimes sacrificed. Consider the scene where Nora had to walk through the rubble after the explosion that killed her husband in the series (played by Bembol Roco). Why in the world was Nora without a mobile phone so that her children could have just called her and relayed the news? O’Hara was clearly striving for effect at the expense of logic.

Other than little quibbles like this, "Sa Ngalan ng Ina" is still rather refreshing to watch. Aside from Nora, Eugene Domingo (as Nora’s sister), Edgar Allan Guzman as one of Nora’s two sons and Karel Marquez (as the willful daughter of Christopher de Leon and Rosanna Roces) offer performances that bristle with quiet power. We would have wanted to sing hosannas to Alwyn Uytingco as the renegade son of Nora and Bembol but his portrayal strikes us as too blustery for comfort.

The ratings are none too impressive – 4.3% of the audience share for its pilot episode according to AGB Nielsen – but the month-long series which started airing last October 3 on TV5 is loaded with commercials and is praise-worthy if only for its being briskly-paced and quite gripping. If the Manny Pangilinan-owned station is aiming for prestige, their efforts had not entirely gone to waste.

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Source: http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct21/ent1.html

NORA'S COMEBACK VEHICLE SHAPES UP AS A MAJOR ENTERTAINMENT EVENT

by NESTOR U. TORRE

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Friday, October 7, 2011

Nora Aunor’s latest and perhaps last comeback to the local TV-film scene should, by rights, be a major entertainment event. Not just yet another turgid, florid melodrama, but a production with a theme and significance commensurate to the iconic actress’ proven worth.

The good news is that her prime comeback vehicle, the month-long TV5 miniseries, “Sa Ngalan ng Ina,” is shaping up to be such an event. Perceptively megged by Mario O’Hara, the series is more than just a convoluted and prolix family drama, it’s a seething study of politics, Philippine style, with all of its dark and dangerous twists and turns – and telling insights into the Filipino psyche.

Morality tale

As the new series’ cautionary political morality tale swiftly unreels, a well-loved gubernatorial candidate (Bembol Roco) is killed at a political rally, leaving his widow (Aunor) to (like Cory Aquino) carry the torch. In so doing, she reveals that she isn’t the meek pushover many people thought she was.

Other revelations in the series’ first three episodes include the fact that the widow had a past relationship with the governor (Christopher de Leon) who’s now her political foe (and the suspected mastermind of her husband’s murder). It’s also intimated early on that he isn’t guilty, but his ambitious wife (Rosanna Roces) could very well be.

As the plot dramatically thickens, the series’ significant themes emerge and glisten, exciting us with the possibility that “Sa Ngalan ng Ina” could be as exceptional as it has promised to be. On the local teleserye scene, where self-serving melodrama instead of authentic drama rules, that really is an eventuality worth celebrating.

Emphasis

To be sure, some “danger signs” are evident that may limit or detract from the series’ worthy objectives. There appears to be too much emphasis on the other and young members of the slain politician’s family, and some of the young actors assigned to those roles are not up to the thespic task at hand.

Also less than choice is the rather standard way that the production stages and handles its “political” scenes, which betrays a lack of “actualized” insights in the process that the story seeks to expunge.

Some production details are similarly and distractingly inept, like the “dramatic” veil that Nora is made to wear in the funeral scenes, which threatens to “drown” her slight frame and upstage her in a major way. And the decision to make Rosanna wear a brightly colored outfit at the funeral was similarly too “TH.”

But, these are details. What matters most is the firmness of the series’ plot, character and thematic development, and that’s coming along relatively well – so far. In addition to the gathering strength and force of Nora’s lead portrayal, Bembol also did well in his all-too-brief appearance, and Rosanna, Eugene Domingo, Karel Marquez and Alwyn Uytingco are also coming on strong.

Unfortunately, Christopher tried to get by with mannered “voice acting” in his early scenes. By the third telecast, however, in his first long scene with Nora, he managed to drop the melodramatic “act,” and the thespic chemistry between them was stirring to behold. We hope that, from here on in, the actor will continue to give us seminally focused moments like that, instead of mannered approximations thereof.

Other thespic “grace notes” thus far were provided by Nora’s speech at her first rally, Leo Rialp’s subtle political machinations, and the exceptionally telling scene between Eugene and Alwyn, ostensibly just a small and offhand interlude at mealtime, but in fact an eloquent expression of their unique relationship and what they felt about what was happening to their family and to their town.

It is grace notes like these that tell us that more than just simple storytelling is happening in this series, which could end up as one of the year’s best extended dramas – and proof positive that Nora Aunor still has what it takes, and is here to stay.

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Source:http://entertainment.inquirer.net/16721/nora%E2%80%99s-comeback-vehicle-shapes-up-as-a-major-entertainment-event

SA NGALAN NG INA MINI SERYE: A BIG HIT

by PIT M. MALIKSI

Remate

Thursday, October 6, 2011

CALL it what you will but the initial telecast of TV5 “Sa Ngalan Ng Ina” is a big, big hit! Proofs are the college students, particularly from PUP, who were glued on their TV sets and then declared – quality is back in the Philippine TV drama! And who will argue with that? With the great ensemble of great acting led by Superstar Nora Aunor and with the master direction of Mario O’Hara in SNNI, nothing compares.

The only trouble is the poor reception of TV5, sabi ng ibang nakapanood sa parteng Batangas, Laguna at Quezon. Kitam, hindi lang sa Metro Manila tumutok ang viewers, kahit pa nga sa Tacloban, ayon kay Luis ng GANAP. Ang problema nga lang, malabo o walang channel 5 din sa kanila.

Ayon naman kay Mar Coligado ng Liliw, Laguna, “Talagang totoo na mas dumami at naging active muli ang maka Ate Guy rito sa Liliw. Lahat lumabas ang pagka-Noranian, lahat nakatutok sa panood ng SNNI. Talagang iba ang hatak ni Ate Guy, ano?” Kahit nga sa Batangas ang hindi lang nanood ay iyong bawal mapuyat at iyon lang mahina ang reception ng TV5, sagot ko naman.

“Kung inaakala ng iba na ang ratings game ay diyan lamang sa Manila, magtanong-tanong kayo sa mga probinsya at talagang nangununa ang SNNI at ang Willtime, Big Time,” dagdag naman ni Aling Conching Comel. Walang duda, SNNI dominates the primetime these days.

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Source:  http://www.remate.ph/2011/10/sa-ngalan-ng-ina-a-big-hit-cristy-fermin-nagpapaawa/

"SA NGALAN NG INA" SYNOPSIS AND CAST PROFILES

TV5

SYNOPSIS

It is election year and Amang Deogracias is challenging the incumbent Pepe Ilustre for the gubernatorial seat of the province.

Amang has just married Elena, formerly the family nursemaid, much to the chagrin of his two elder children: Andrea, now running for the position of the town mayor; Alfonso; and the youngest child Angelo, who is in favor of this union.

Pepe is related to the province’s most influential political family by marriage and his wife’s family will do everything to hold on to power by any way possible, including an assassination attempt.

On the night of the election, at the miting de avance of Amang’s party, a bomb was placed under the stage and Amang dies. Much to the surprise of everyone including his partymates, Amang anoints Elena in his deathbed as his replacement for the gubernatorial seat.

The sympathy vote went to Elena’s favor and wins against Pepe as the new provincial governor. Elena promises to clean the province of all the corruption as she also swears never to wear anything but black until she rids the province of all the dirt and avenges her husband’s death.

With Zaldie, Amang’s trusted aide, Angelo and Pacita, her sister at her lone side, Elena boldly pursues a dangerous and almost impossible quest to fulfill all her promises to her province and to her family.

CAST PROFILES

NORA AUNOR as ELENA DEOGRACIAS As a quietly intelligent woman, silence is golden to her and her action speaks louder than words. She takes all the ridicules and insults going her way as challenges to overcome. Politics is never in her heart but with the gubernatorial position thrust to her, she vows to learn and earn her province’s trust as well her family’s love.

CHRISTOPHER DE LEON as PEPE ILUSTRE The crippled incumbent Governor and Elena’s first love. Ambitious in youth, he entered into a marriage of convenience to a political family only to realize that he will never love another woman but Elena.

BEMBOL ROCO as AMANG DEOGRACIAS Assassinated gubernatorial candidate and husband of Elena. He is the province’s shining hope to rid all corruption and so he passes this grave responsibility to his wife.

ROSANNA ROCES as LUCIA ILUSTREPolitical scion and sole heiress to the province’s most influential political family. It was a time and age when women were not worthy political leaders so she married Pepe to continue their reign. She is the power behind the throne and the signatory to all the provincial government’s illegal transactions.

IAN DE LEON as ZALDY Trusted aide to Amang but is actually the Ilustre’s spy in the Deogracias family.  Lucia’s kept lover, Zaldy is the lynchpin to the downfall of the Ilustre as he begins to put his faith in Elena and change allegiance for the betterment of his province.

NADINE SAMONTE as ANDREA Manila educated eldest daughter of Amang. Now the Town Mayor, she never hates Elena but will always regard her as her yaya, not the wife to her father. The distrust comes after Amang chooses Elena to be his replacement instead of her as the political blood was rightly ingrained in her to continue the tradition.

ALWYN UYTINGCO as ALFONSOPepe’s wild child and eldest son. It is he who hates Elena for being his father’s second wife and will do everything to embarrass her; even to the point of placing ELENA in an uncomfortable position of choosing between her responsibility to the province and her loyalty to their family.

EDGAR ALLAN GUZMAN as ANGELOPepe’s youngest son and devoted stepson to Elena. He has his father’s pure heart and is regarded as the most trustworthy of Pepe’s children.

EUGENE DOMINGO as PACITA TORIBIOYounger sister of Elena. She may not be as brainy as her sister but it is her innate ability to find ways and means that will help Elena in all her endeavors.  Pacita will be the wind beneath Elena’s wings. 

EULA CABALLERO as ELSAAdoptive daughter of Elena. Even she does not know the fact that she is in fact Elena and Pepe’s daughter. She will fall in love with Angelo and vice versa.

KAREL MARQUEZ as CARMELADaughter of Pepe and Lucia. She will fall in love with Angelo but this is just part of the plan of her mother to further infiltrate the Ilustre family.

JOROSS GAMBOA as RAMONCITO

Boyfriend and aide of Andrea. He will make Andrea realize that Elena is worthy to be called Governor and mother to her family.


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Source:  http://www.tv5.com.ph/shows/title/188/sa-ngalan-ng-ina

SA NGALAN NG INA THEME SONG: Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Mahal Ko

MINI-SERYE TV5: SA NGALAN NG INA
                                Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon

THEME SONG:     IKAW PA RIN ANG MAHAL KO
                               Composed by Ryan Cayabyab
                               Interpreted by: Basil Valdez

Hindi magagawang ikaw ay malimutan
Kahit kay tagal nang nagkahiwalay.
Hindi mo lang batid
Kung gaano kita kamahal.
Kung kailan pang hindi na umaasa
Tayong dalawa’y muli pa ring nagkita.

Sadyang hindi mo mapipigil
Ang pag-ikot ng mundo.
Hinding-hindi mo mapipigil
Ang ika’y mahalin ko.

Ibuhos mang lahat, gawin lahat
Ng makakaya mo,
Sa ngalan ng pag-ibig mo
Aking isinusumpa sa iyo
Sa dulo man ng sukdulan
Ikaw pa rin ang mahal ko.

Hindi mo lang batid
Kung gaano kita kamahal.
Kung kailan pang hindi na umaasa
Tayong dalawa’y muli pa ring nagkita.

Sadyang hindi mo mapipigil
Ang pag-ikot ng mundo.
Hinding-hindi mo mapipigil
Ang ika’y mahalin ko.

Ibuhos mang lahat, gawin lahat
Ng makakaya mo,
Sa ngalan ng pag-ibig mo
Aking isinusumpa sa iyo
Sa dulo man ng sukdulan
Ikaw pa rin ang mahal ko.

Ibuhos mang lahat, gawin lahat
Ng makakaya mo,
Sa ngalan ng pag-ibig mo
Aking isinusumpa sa iyo
Sa dulo man ng sukdulan
Ikaw pa rin ang mahal ko.

SA NGALAN NG INA FULL TRAILER

SA NGALAN NG INA FULL TRAILER

SA NGALAN NG INA MINI SERYE

Bagong genre na tinaguriang MINI SERYE, Isa sa mga inobasyon ng TV5 sa Philippine television. Seryeng magsisimula at matatapos sa loob lamang ng isang buwan, mabilis ang mga pangyayari sa kuwento, higit na kaabang-abang.

Sa engrandeng mini seryeng ito nagbabalik-telebisyon ang legendary Superstar na si MS. NORA AUNOR. Sa pamamahala ng batikang direktor na si MARIO O'HARA, katuwang si Jon Red. Tampok ang mga dekalibreng aktor na sina Christopher De Leon, Bembol Roco, Rosanna Roces, Eugene Domingo, Ian De Leon, Nadine Samonte, Edgar Allan Guzman, at iba pa.Isang dramang politikal tungkol kay Donya Elena Deogracias (Nora Aunor), isang biyudang tinanggap ang hamon na patakbuhin ang isang lalawigan, patunayan sa mga tao ang kanyang kakayahan hanggang makamtan ang kanilang respeto, at mag-alay ng malalaking sakripisyo sa pakikipaglabang maituwid ang baluktot na sistema ng politika.


Abangan mula sa ika-3 ng Oktubre, 2011.

PLEASE LIKE: FAN PAGE

'SA NGALAN NG INA' .....

Ian de Leon, kinilig sa tsikahan nina Nora at Boyet!

 

ni REY PUMALOY

Abante

Marter, Ika-23 ng Agosto, 2011

Eclipse at Nuclear Bomb inihahalintulad ni Ian de Leon ang pangyayari na muling nagkita ang kanyang parents na sina Nora Aunor at Christopher de Leon. Naganap ang pagkikita ng dalawa sa story conference ng gagawin nilang serye sa TV5 na Sa Ngalan ng Ina.

Once in a lifetime ang diskprisyon ni Ian sa paghaharap muli ng kanyang mga magulang matapos ang matagal na panahong hindi pagkikita ng mga ito kaya para raw itong Solar Eclipse.

Kahit mismo si Ian ay hindi na-predict na magkakaharap ulit ang kanyang mommy at daddy. Para nga raw siyang sinabugan ng Nuclear Bomb nu’ng makita ang eksenang nag-uusap ang kanyang parents.

Naaliw si Ian sa kanyang naobserbahan na parehong nakahawak sa kani-kanilang baba ang Mommy Nora niya at Daddy Boyet niya. Hindi nga raw alam ni Ian kung aware sa isa’t isa ang dalawa na pareho sila ng pustura habang nag-uusap.

 

Sabi pa ni Ian, para nga raw walang nakikitang ibang tao ang mommy at daddy niya habang masinsinang nag-uusap. Hindi raw napigilan ni Ian ang kiligin sa nakita niyang eksena sa kanyang parents. Dahil noon lang daw niya nakitang nag-usap ng ganito ang dalawa.

Nakaramdam ng pagmamalaki sa kanyang puso si Ian at nasabi raw niya sa kanyang sarili na “produkto yata ako ng Banawe”, isang award-winning movie na pinagbidahan ng kanyang mga magulang na kung saan nagkagustuhan ang mga ito.

Pero siyempre, hindi na umaasa pa si Ian na magkabalikan pa ang dalawa dahil alam niyang kuntento na ang mga ito sa kani-kanilang buhay.

May kuha raw si Ian sa Mommy Guy at Daddy Boyet niya habang nag-uusap. Pasimple raw niyang kinunan ng larawan ang dalawa kaya alam niyang iisa ang pustura ng mga ito habang nag-uusap.

Kahapon kinunan ang first taping day ng kanilang serye kung saan gagampanan ni Ian ang role ng isang ex-marine na magi­ging problema ng kanyang Mommy Guy. Sa sobrang excitement ay hindi sinasadyang i-reveal sa amin ni Ian ang magi­ging takbo ng character niya sa serye. Gagampanan daw niya ang papel bilang lover ni Rosanna Roces.

Lalabas na magkakaroon ng love triangle sa kanilang tatlo nina Osang at ng Daddy Boyet niya dahil asawa naman ng huli ang role ni Osang. Mukha nga lang hindi handa si Ian na magkaroon ng kissing scene o love scene kay Osang sa serye. Sinabi kasi nitong wala sa script na nagsasabing magkakaroon sila ng intimate sexual scene ni Osang.

Siyanga pala, hindi kabado at hindi rin takot si Ian sa pakikipagtagisan ng acting sa kanyang mga magulang dahil nananalaytay raw sa ugat niya ang dugo ng dalawang mahuhusay na aktor ng local showbiz.

Samantala, nag-last shooting day na si Nora sa pelikulang pinagbibidahan ni Laguna Governor ER Ejercito na El Presidente last Sunday. Ipinagbawal ang pagbisita ng mga entertainment media sa location ng shooting, pero hindi si Boy Abunda na may schedule ng interview sa Superstar.

Nangyari ang sinabi ni La Aunor sa presscon para sa kanya ng TV5 nu’ng kadarating lang niya galing ng Amerika na handa siyang tapusin sa itinakdang araw ang shooting niya sa nasabing historical movie.

Huwag lang daw na dadapuan siya ng karamdaman na puwedeng mag-delay sa kanyang commitment.

At ‘yun na nga, may isang araw na hindi nakapag-shooting si Ate Guy dahil nilagnat siya. Pero, walang mairereklamo sa kanya ang production ng El Presidente dahil ayon mismo sa kaibigan niyang si German Moreno, mismong ang doctor ni Gov. ER ang nagsabing pagpahingahin muna ang superstar.

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Source: http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/aug2311/ent_rp.htm

Nora to start taping TV series in Taal, Batangas

by NESTOR CUARTERO

Manila Bulletin

Sunday, August 21, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — In awe of Nora: TV5 producer Joanne Banaga is amazed at how fellow actors are in awe of Nora Aunor.

Rosanna Roces, cast as Nora’s contravida in “Sa Ngalan ng Ina,” says she was thrilled when she got the part. Joanne says Osang literally begged to be on board. “It’s funny,” Joanne observed, “that when we started calling people for this pictorial, we didn’t have problems making them come.”

Iza Calzado, not a member of the cast, showed up at the show’s promotional pictorial Aug. 18 at the Broadway Centrum just to greet the US-based superstar, who to Iza is an icon in great acting.

“Nagpupugay lang po,” Iza told the veteran actress, who surprised her visitor when she (Nora) requested for a hard copy picture from her. Ace photographer Pancho Escaler took charge of the pictorial.

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DATELINE TAAL, BATANGAS: “Sa Ngalan ng Ina” formally kicks off production on Monday, Aug. 22 in Taal, Batangas.

Nora plays a Cory Aquino-like character as governor of the province.

Eugene Domingo plays her combative younger sister while Alwyn Uytingco, Eula Caballero, Edgar Allan Guzman and Nadine Samonte are cast as her children.

Christopher de Leon is Nora’s adversary in the story with whom she also shares a romantic back story, just like in real life.

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BE A REAL MAN: “Opo, magpapaka-lalake ako,” 21-year-old newcomer Edgar Allan Guzman stated shyly on the day he signed an exclusive five-year, 10-picture contract with Regal Films in early August.

The challenge was hurled at the young actor, recently named Best Actor at the 7th Cinemalaya, by Lily Monteverde, who had been so impressed with Guzman the moment she watched him in the indie film, “Ligo na U, Lapit na Me.”

Earlier, Guzman, a 2006 winner of “Eat Bulaga’s” Mr. Pogi contest, made his mark playing gay roles in “Magdamag” and “I.T.A.L.Y.”

He didn’t say, however, if he was turning his back on gay roles from here on.

Edgar Allan says he wants to specialize in character roles that can either be lead or support. Their sexual orientation, he adds, is immaterial.

Regal plans to build him up through a variety of projects that can range from wholesome to sexy. Edgar Allan’s breakthrough film, “Ligo na U,” has presented him in erotic scenes that required nudity.

“Ligo na U” so entertained Ms. Monteverde, who was among those who camped at the CCP throughout the two-week run of Cinemalaya. The veteran producer said the film reminded her of one of her old films, “Bedspacers,” in the 1970s.

Regal is releasing “Ligo na U” in commercial theaters starting Sept. 7.

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EXCITED WITH AUNOR: The day Edgar Allan signed a contract with Regal was especially momentous for the young man, who comes from a poor family and went to public schools.

Earlier, he learned from his manager, Noel Ferrer, that he had been cast in “Sa Ngalan ng Ina,” the TV5 mini-series topbilled by returning actress Nora Aunor.

It had been his ardent wish, Guzman said, to act in the same frame with Nora, whom he watched in “The Flor Contemplacion Story.”

Acting with the great Aunor, according to Edgar, who is seen weeknights on the drama-serye, “The Sisters,” is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Edgar has just finished a “Maalaala Mo Kaya” episode with Kim Chiu.

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Source:

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/331384/nora-start-taping-tv-series-taal-batangas-edgar-allan-quips-opo-magpapakalalake-na-a

REVIEW: 'Telenovelas' find home in new TV channel

by NESTOR U. TORRE

Philippine Daily Inquirer / ANN

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Telenovelas (TV dramas) have become so popular, that our three top TV channels in the Philippines have been churning out dozens of them per season. They used to be telecast mostly at night, but now we have early-afternoon teleseryes, followed by late-afternoon drama series, etc.

In fact, the latest development on the local TV scene is the imminent debut of Asia¿s first 24-hour Telenovela Channel; a joint undertaking of Beginnings at Twenty Plus and Televisa Internacional. Televisa has hundreds of telenovelas in Spanish and Beginnings have been dubbing them in Filipino for mainstream TV, so the partnership is apt and tested.

But, a 24-hour all-telenovela channel? Won¿t this be too much of a good thing? Well, the new channel fully aims to prove otherwise, so we¿ll be watching.

The plan is to start with four telenovelas dubbed in Filipino¿¿En Nombre de Amor (In the Name of Love)," ¿Las Dos Caras de Ana (Two Faces of Ana)," ¿Pasion¿ and ¿Verneo de Amor (Summer of Love)." Those series have done very well in other countries, so the expectation is that they will also click with viewers here.

More ¿teleseryes¿

Other developments on the local teleserye front: Kim Chiu¿s new drama series, ¿Binondo Girl," is of particular interest to her fans, because she sometimes has to pass herself off as a man in it. Will she be up to the challenge? The series¿ trailer indicates that, at least as far as physical and visual believability is concerned, she passes muster.

Nora Aunor¿s coming drama series for TV5 is similarly noteworthy, but it should be pointed out that it¿s a miniseries, running for only one month.

Still, Nora¿s ¿diehard¿ followers (who, by the way, are already in their 50s) miss seeing her perform, so much that they¿ll be avidly supporting and watching her TV comeback¿now, if only the show can be cannily canted to interest young and young-adult viewers, as well!

For its part, the Filipinized adaptation of the hit telenovela, ¿Maria la Del Barrio," now stars the young-adult love team of Erich Gonzales and Enchong Dee. The young team-up has clicked with viewers before, so hopes are high that their new show could become a hit.

The only ¿problem¿ is the fact that viewers have already enjoyed the Spanish original in English translation, starring Thalia. Sometimes, however, that liability can be tweaked into an asset, as some viewers are curious to see how similar or dissimilar the two versions are.

Now that ¿Captain Barbell¿ has ended its relatively underwhelming run, show biz observers are trying to figure out why the fantasy action series didn¿t do as well as expected. The main ¿culprit¿ could be the fact that the series about the crime-busting superhero is an update, rather than a fresh story.

Also, the inclusion of a veritable platoon of younger superheroes may have shifted the main focus away from the title character, where it properly belonged. Now, the thing is for star Richard Gutierrez to learn from those gaffes, and make sure they don¿t happen again on his next TV show.

Finally, Christian Bautista and Karylle have been taping in Singapore for the Asian TV series, ¿The Kitchen Musical," with other Asian nationals as costars. This could definitely be a sign of more and better ¿regional¿ telenovela productions to come!

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Sourse: 

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/review-telenovelas-home-tv-channel-041002085.html