WILL 'BWAKAW' GIVE US OUR FIRST
OSCAR?
|
[PHOTO - Eddie
Garcia (top), lead actor of Bwakaw, wasn't able to make it to the premiere at
the New York Film Festival. Among those present were (from left) Perci Intalan
(producer), Jun Lana (director), Armida 'Tita Midz' Siguion-Reyna (star), Bibeth
Orteza (co-star) and Ferdinand Lapuz (co-producer).]
MANILA, OCTOBER 15, 2012 (PHILSTAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo - That
question from Funfare's Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre is the same one
that I and I'm sure those who have seen the movie are asking — will Bwakaw earn
for the Philippines its first Oscar? Keep our collective fingers crossed.
Edmund, who saw the movie at its US premiere at the ongoing (until Oct. 14)
50th New York Film Festival (NYFF), described it as "arguably the Philippines'
strongest entry in recent years to the Oscar Best Foreign Language Film
category." Bwakaw was listed by Time Entertainment as "one of the 10 films to
watch" at non-competition NYFF, one of the most eminent international film
festivals anticipated annually by the discriminating New York audiences and
critics worldwide.
"And judging from the resounding cheers and ovation accorded by the huge
crowd at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in Manhattan, the Philippines may be
in a better position than ever to clinch a nod for the Top 5 Oscar slots from
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)," reported Edmund.
Bwakaw is "the real discovery of the (NYFF) slate this year" and "a totally
surprising, lovely film," according to the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the
same group that used to dismiss Philippine entries in the past NYFF. (Bwakaw was
invited to NYFF prior to its selection by the Film Academy of the Philippines as
the country's official entry to the Oscars, according to its producer Ferdinand
Lapuz.)
[PHOTO -Direk Jun answering a question during the movie's
post-screening Q&A, with Richard Peña (NYFF selection committee chairman) as
moderator. Left: Bwakaw in the NYFF souvenir program]
Richard Peña, Film Society's program director and chairman of the NYFF
selection committee, said out of hundreds of outstanding submissions worldwide,
Bwakaw, "a work by an unknown director (Jun Robles Lana) popped out from nowhere
to captivate and enthrall with its emotional truth, high humor and sage
assessment of the human condition."
True enough, NYFF audiences were laughing and giggling constantly especially
during the movie's first half, only to find themselves choking back tears in the
latter part.
As Funfare and local critics have noted, Eddie Garcia delivers a tour de
force as a grumpy old gay man who rediscovered life — through his "best friend,"
a dog named Bwakaw — in a subdued but powerful performance only he can do.
Garcia was described by Lana during the festival's Q&A as a multi-awarded
and legendary Filipino actor and film director, who is considered as the
Philippines' Clint Eastwood.
"And Eddie Garcia is as straight as Clint Eastwood," Lana assured the crowd
that burst into laughter.
According to Edmund, here's how the NYFF program describes Garcia and the
synopsis: "Filipino cinema great Eddie Garcia gives a career-capping performance
as Rene, a 70-plus single gent in a quiet provincial town who, having alienated
almost everyone with his caustic comments, is resigned to seeing out his days
alone, save for the company of his loyal canine companion, (Bwakaw). Rene has
his secrets but is disinclined to share them until he befriends a brawny
tricycle taxi driver (Rez Cortez). Employing frequent outrageous humor, director
Jun Robles Lana elegantly captures the quality of everyday life in the backwater
while crafting a superior character study of a man who has allowed most of life
to pass him by until an emotional jolt emboldens him to go where he's never
dared venture before."
Stefanie Dworkin, a New York-based video editor, calls the movie "first-rate
entertainment."
"The acting is superb, the story line is very good," said Dworkin, who is of
Russian and Jewish descent. "Some scenes are hammy but they're kinda cute. It
also presents a different kind of culture we're not familiar with." She added
that the country setting, which is San Pablo, Laguna, is "simply adorable."
Others, including a Cuban-American benefactor of Lincoln Center, called
Bwakaw "a masterpiece."
"It's a magnificent film, a masterpiece," said the man, who requested
anonymity, and added that he's a fan of Filipino director Brillante Mendoza. "I
love watching foreign films and I noticed that more and more Filipino
filmmakers, many of them very young like Mr. Lana, are coming out with
exceptional work."
Edmund quoted Jose Wendell Capili, a UP professor, as saying, "The movie has
all the basic ingredients of a world-class film worthy of Oscar citation. It is
"technically polished and the universal subject about old people and a dog is
hard to resist.
And Lapuz, the producer, couldn't agree more. This is the very reason, he
said, why everyone involved in Bwakaw is inspired to give it a do-or-die push —
even moneywise — to get noticed by the members of the Academy.
"We have an agent, Fortissimo Films, that is coordinating with our producers,
APT Entertainment of Antonio Tuviera," Lapuz expained. "They are currently
finalizing on who will handle our publicity for the campaign. We are grateful
that the film was given to this group, who, just like Jun and myself, love the
film so dearly.
"Although we don't have a publicist yet, there are private individuals who
are doing their share in helping us promote the film like New York-based Vincent
Nebrida, and Strand Releasing's Marcu Hu. Of course, there's APT Entertainment,
which is spending money to hire a publicist.
"And through NYFF's help, we got so many reviews published that brought
awareness to the movie. The Toronto International Film Festival, too. We got
good feedback from the Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety. Even from Time Out
London."
In Bwakaw, Garcia got a terrific support from the likes of Soxie Topacio,
Joey Paras, Armida Siguion-Reyna, Beverly Salviejo, Luz Valdez, Allan Paule,
Gardo Versoza, Soliman Cruz, Bibeth Orteza and a resplendent Rez Cortez as the
tricycle driver who became a special friend to Garcia's character.
Edmund said that people missed Eddie during the NYFF. People were hoping he
would show up at the end of the screening to receive their long and thunderous
applause of approval. Unfortunately, Garcia wouldn't get his US visa in time for
Sunday's screening, according to the producers.
"With Garcia's absence, it was a regal Armida Siguion-Reyna — alongside
Bibeth Orteza, Lapuz and Perci Intalan — who formally acknowledged the crowd's
adoration with a flying kiss," added Edmund.
At the Q&A moderated by Richard Peña, direk Jun continued to be showered
with accolades by film buffs and critics who were in awe of the rising young
filmmaker from a Third World country.
Lana, who is a Palanca Hall of Famer and two-time FAMAS awardee for
screenwriting, talked about the resurgence of Philippine cinema, thanks largely,
he said, to independent filmmaking. He also shamelessly admitted that seeing
Bwakaw making it to the Oscar night is his ultimate dream.
The smart and articulate director spiced up the evening chat with his wit and
sense of humor that endeared him more to the crowd.
When asked what he hoped for the future of Eddie's character in the film,
Lana made the crowd go wild with his response: "Peace, love and wherever he's
headed, I hope he'll find a very hot guy."
Noted Edmund, "With his eloquence in English, mannerisms and fashion sense,
not a few thought that Lana was US-educated. We verified this with Lapuz as Jun
was mobbed by admirers in the theater lobby after the screening."
It turned out Lana was actually "US-T."-educated," quipped Lapuz, referring
to the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. "Proud Thomasian si direk," Lapuz
said.
Postscript (still from Edmund): There are no categories and no prizes are
awarded at the NYFF, which is highly competitive with an average of 28 feature
films in the main slate and 16 short films selected each year. This year, Bwakaw
joins other notable new films including Lee Daniel's The Paperboy (with Nicole
Kidman and Zach Efron), Robert Zemecki's Flight (with Denzel Washington), Ang
Lee's Life of Pi and Pablo Larrain's No (with Gael Garcia Bernal).
What's up?
WARNING: GMA Network chairman and chief executive officer lawyer Felipe L.
Gozon does not have a Twitter account. Netizens are advised to disregard
fictitious Twitter accounts using his name and photos.
No, Sen. Tito Sotto is not running for re-election in next year's elections.
His term is good until 2016. Missed out in Funfare's list of showbiz people
running were Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao for re-election, his wife Jinkee
Pacquiao for governor of Saranggani, Dennis Padilla for board member in Laguna,
director Joel Lamangan for congressman (Cavite), Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado for
re-election and ABS-CBN reported Sol Aragones for congresswoman in Laguna.
Actor-endorser Tony dela Rea is now being managed by Minda Flores. Tony
guested in the ABS-SBN soap Walang Hanggan which ends in two weeks time. Before
that, he was in an episode about the Olalia massacre of the GMA show Case
Unclosed, cast as Col. Red Kapunan. Tony is the image model of Beth J. Skin Care
International.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
PH Headline News Online. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved