Wenn Deramas: Busiest director in town

Mataas ang energy level ng direktor na si Wenn Deramas nang bisitahin siya ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa first shooting day ng bago niyang pelikula na Pasukob under OctoArts Films. This is the frist time na gumawa siya ng project sa produksiyon na pag-aari ni Orly Ilacad. Reunion movie rin ito nina Ai-Ai delas Alas at Rufa Mae Quinto pagkatapos ng Booba (2001).

"Okay na okay ang first shooting day namin. Magaan ang shooting namin at walang hassle. Higit sa lahat, all-out ang support ni Boss Orly sa project," masayang pahayag ni Direk Wenn.

Simula pa lang daw ito ng maraming pelikula na pagsasamahan nila sa OctoArts, ayon na rin kay Boss Orly. May playdate na ang Pasukob on November 28. Pagkatapos nito, may isa pang nakapila agad na project si Direk Wenn sa OctoArts Films.

"Eto ‘yung movie nina Juday [Judy Ann Santos] at Ryan [Agoncillo] na pang-filmfest sana ng Octo. Actually, na-approve ang script namin sa [MMFF] committee, kaya lang may ruling sila na isang movie lang dapat bawat bidang artista. E, may Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo na sila sa Star Cinema, so, ‘yung sa amin baka next year na," kuwento ni Direk Wenn, na ang tinutukoy ay ang project na Mister Housewife.

Tinatapos na rin ni Direk Wenn ang isa pa niyang pelikula under Viva Films, ang Four In One starring Rufa Mae, Pokwang, Candy Pangilinan, at Eugene Domingo. Natapos na niyang i-shoot ang mga eksena sa Hong Kong ng apat na artista niiya bilang mga domestic helpers.

After this movie, hinahanda na ni Direk Wenn ang launching movie ng "lucky charm" niya na si Eugene bilang matandang dalaga na may titulong Demetria.

By November, balik Star Cinema si Direk Wenn. Masaya niyang ibinalita na okay na ulit sila ng Star Cinema. Ipinatawag siya ng managing director ng film arm ng ABS-CBN na si Ms. Malou Santos. Hindi itinanggi ni Direk Wenn na nagtampo siya sa Star Cinema pagkatapos ng Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo.

"Nagtampo talaga ako noon," pag-amin niya. "Pero ngayon naayos na. Hindi man nadagdagan ‘yung bonus ko, idinagdag naman nila sa talent fee ko. Kung magkano ‘yung talent fee ko outside Star Cinema, ganun na rin ang rate ko sa kanila."

Gagawin na ni Direk Wenn ang long-overdue na sequel sa monster hit na Ang Tanging Ina nila ni Ai-Ai na pinamagatang Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat. Ayaw munang i-reveal ni Direk Wenn kung bakit ganito ang titulo ng sequel nila. Magsisimula raw sila ng shooting ni Ai-Ai sa Star Cinema right after ng Pasukob.

Mamayang gabi ay matatapos ang isa sa dalawang teleserye ni Direk Wenn sa ABS-CBN, ang Walang Kapalit nina Piolo Pascual at Claudine Barretto. Pero hindi pa man nagtatapos ang Walang Kapalit ay naplantsa na ang usapan sa panibagong programa na gagawin niya for ABS-CBN.

"It's another fantaserye at isang remake ulit. Mas bongga sa Kokey. Gagawin namin ni Ai-Ai ang Volta: The Series sa ABS-CBN," kuwento ni Direk Wenn.

On September 15 ay magse-celebrate ng kanyang birthday si Direk Wenn. Wish niya ay kumita ang lahat pelikula niya sa mga sinehan.

Source: http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313959

Juday ecstatic over 'Ploning's entry to Oscar Awards

Actress Judy Ann Santos was in cloud nine while announcing the good news that her well-acclaimed film 'Ploning' was chosen as the country's official entry to the 2009 Oscar Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film category.

"Finalist for the Oscar's kung baga magiging representative ng Pilipinas... pero mahabang pagka-nerbiyos pa ito," Santos said.

It was during a meeting last Friday, August 29th when the Board of Governors of the Film Academy of the Philippines approved the selection of "Ploning" as the country's representative for the Oscar's.

"Actually yung masabi lang na magiging representative ng Pilipinas para mapa-billing sa Oscars ay sobrang kaligayahan na yon. Yung makasama ka sa 18 finalist ay bonggang bongga na yon, eh yung makasama ka sa lima -- napakabuting tao ko na siguro talaga. Magbre-breakdown siguro ako to the highest level," the actress added.

The film is the story of Ploning (Santos), a woman who is considered as the town's beauty who is torn between keeping her two promises -- one is to look for her greatest and first love Tomas in Manila or stay in Cuyo to take care of the young boy Rodrigo who depends on her motherly love and care.

Santos admitted that she learned a lot of things before and after shooting the film.

"Maraming bagay na nangyari sa amin. Marami kaming realization at marami kaming naging friends. At saka nagmature ako for some reason, bakit kaya? Parang bigla akong -- hindi naman tumanda, pero ang dami kong natutunan habang ginagawa ko itong movie na ito," she said.

Santos said that despite the problems that she is facing right now like her tax evasion case, she believes that God is giving her things that could also make her happy.

"Siguro ito ang naka-platapormang buhay ng 2008 para sa sa akin sabi ni Lord... madami ka namang kasong hinahawakan, bibigyan kita ng manaka-nakang kaligayahan," she said.

Santos is now battling legal problems after her petition to dismiss the tax evasion filed against her by the Bureau of Internal Revenue was denied by the Supreme Court.

In a 27-page decision penned by Justice Chico Nazario, Santos' petition to reverse the resolution of the Court of Tax Appeals last June 19, 2006 due to lack of merit was denied.

It will be remembered that the BIR filed a case against Santos for not declaring her income from her movie and product endorsements for the year 2002. According to one report, she has a P1.7 million tax liability.

Santos hopes that her tax case will come to an end. But she also said that she will respect the decision of the highest court.

"Kung ano ang mangyari sana ay matapos na, maayos na. Kung ano ang maging hatol ng Korte Suprema ay tatanggapin ko naman 'yon ng buong puso at buong loob at nirerespeto ko kung ano ang magiging opinion nila sa kaso ko wala naman akong tinalikurang problema noon pa," she said.

Santos said that she continues to keep calm and keeps praying so that God will help her in the face of her troubles.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=130004