Congratulations to the winners of the recently held PMPC 25th Star Awards for Movies. “Baler,” a co-production between Viva Films and Bida Foundation, won most of the awards – nine! Digital movie “Yanggaw” got four, and “Paupahan,” another digital movie, received three awards. “Boses,” also a digital film, won two.

The following are the award winners:

“Baler,” Movie of the Year; “Yanggaw,” Digital Movie of the Year (Creative Programs Inc./Strawdogs Studio Productions); Sharon Cuneta, Movie Actress of the Year (“Caregiver”); Jericho Rosales, Movie Actor of the Year (“Baler”); Emilio Garcia and German Moreno, Movie Supporting Actor of the Year (“Walang Kawala” and “Paupahan” respectively); Snooky Serna, Movie Supporting Actress of the Year (“Paupahan”); KC Concepcion, New Movie Actress of the Year (“For the First Time”); Sherwin Ordoñez, New Movie Actor of the Year (“Kurap”); Julian Duque, Movie Child Performer of the Year (“Boses”); Mark Meily, Movie Director of the Year (“Baler”). Richard Somes, Digital Movie Director of the Year (“Yanggaw”).

“Sangandaan,” Digital Movie Theme Song of the Year (“Paupahan”) with Joven Tan, composer-lyricist, Jan Nieto, interpreter; “Ngayon, Bukas at Kailanman,” Movie Original Theme Song of the Year (“Baler”); Louie Ocampo, composer; Edith Gallardo, lyricist and Sarah Geronimo, interpreter; Jethro Joaquin and Ronald de Asis, Digital Movie Engineer of the Year (“Concerto”); Ditoy Aguila, Movie Sound Engineer of the Year (“Baler”); Jourdan Petalver, Digital Movie Musical Scorer of the Year (“Boses”); Jessie Lasate, Movie Musical Scorer of the Year (“Ploning”); Hermann Claravall and Lyle Sacris, Digital Movie Cinematographer of the Year (“Yanggaw”); Lee Meily, Movie Cinematographer of the Year (“Baler”); Dennis Evangelista, Digital Original Movie Screenplay of the Year (“Paupahan”); Roy Iglesias, Movie Original Screenplay of the Year (“Baler”); Michael Espanol, Donald Camon and Rashel Gumacal, Digital Movie Production of the Year (“Yanggaw”); Aped F. Santos, Movie Production Designer of the Year (“Baler”); Francis Xavier Pasion, Kats Serraon and Chuck Gutierrez, Digital Movie Editor of the Year (“Jay”); Danny Anonuevo, Movie Editor of the Year (“Baler”).

Special awardees were:

Manny Pacquiao, Newsmaker of the Year; Herbert Bautista, Darling of the Press; John Lloyd Cruz, Male Star of the Night; Sarah Geronimo, Female Star of the Night; Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Awardee; “Urduja” (APT Entertainment), Cinematic Excellence in Filipino Animation Award.

A Special Citation for Global Cinematic Excellence and International Recognition was given to the 1982 classic film “Himala,” produced by the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines, which was the winner of the 2008 Cable News Network (CNN) Asia-Pacific’s Screen Awards Viewers’ Choice as Best Film of All Time. “Himala” starred Ms. Nora Aunor, won as Best Actress. The movie was directed by Ishmael Bernal. Scriptwriter was Ricardo Lee.

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Stephanie Reese captures Manila audience

Stephanie Reese, a Fil-Am chanteuse and musical theater actress, has proven her singing mettle to her kakabayan with her recently held successful first solo concert in Manila entitled “I Am Stephanie Reese” at the Teatrino, Promenade in Greenhills Shopping Center.

The Teatrino was packed with an audience composed of Filipinos and foreigners, young and old alike. The concert traced Stephanie’s personal and musical journey from her childhood to how she became a singer and actress and to how she was able to get back to her roots in the Philippines.
The singer/actress started the concert by singing the songs that her lola (grandma) taught her when she was young. The audience was brought back to her childhood days when she gave a compelling rendition of “Que Sera Sera,” “Doggie in the Window,” “Somewhere My Love” and “Hi Lily Hi Lo.”

Stephanie recounted that while growing up in Seattle, her parents sent her to different training centers to enhance her skills in singing, dancing and acting. After getting enough working experiences, Stephanie reached the dream that every Asian-American like her wants to portray in the world of musical theater. She starred as Kim in “Miss Saigon” in Germany.

Before Stephanie gave her concert audience a feel of Saigon that evening, she impersonated her grandma and told a short story of how her lola started a sari-sari store and sold mongo beans. She did a heartfelt performance of “Sun and Moon” in German and English as the Reese family portraits were flashed on screen.

The svelte songstress demonstrated her incredible vocal power by performing a number of showstopping opera numbers: “Malaguena,” “Spente le Stelle,” “Habanera” from Carmen. She also performed her original composition called “Chocka Locka Boom Boom” that’s always the most requested song in any show she does.

But what really impressed the audience was her effortless performance of the popular opera aria “Nessun Dorma” from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot. It was her rendition of this aria that made Patti LaBelle call her the “little girl with a big voice,” and which also earned Stephanie the title “Standing Ovation Queen.”

Before the evening ended, Stephanie showed her versatility as a singer by singing a wide range of repertoire and this included singing some kundiman and Original Pilipino Music (OPM) hits. She sampled the audience with a medley comprised of “Dahil Sa’Yo,” “Sarong Banggi,” “Usahay” and “Ikaw.”

Finally, Stephanie thanked the people who made the concert a reality, one of which is her best friend Sarah Soliven de Guzman. Stephanie called on their mutual friend George Yang to sing a duet with her. In their rendition of “The Prayer,” the audience was just marveled at how complementary their voices were. George even sang some parts in Italian with a flawless diction.

As the show came to a close, Stephanie said that she had one more “audition” to do that night. “I stand before you as Stephanie Reese, the Filipino. I hope by the end of this song, all of you will accept me as a true Filipino.” And she gave an intense and sincere interpretation of “Bayan Ko” and “Ako ay Pilipino.”

On that note, Stephanie had the audience on their feet as an approval and as a sign of welcome that she is a Filipino, and true to the moniker that she is the “Standing Ovation Queen.”

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Crobar Malate opens June 15 with guest celebrities

Guest celebrities from the movie, TV and music industries will grace the grand opening of Crobar Malate, the contemporary origin of night scene in the Metropolis, this June 15 at 620 Julio Nakpil cor. Maria Orosa Street.

Much more than a fashionable and upscale party place, Crobar Malate is a two-story, well-furnished haven where beautiful people such as artists, poets, actors, film and TV directors, ramp and commercial models and the glitterati will gather.

The newest nightlife origin has a comfy lounge on the ground floor which could be an ideal venue for private functions and other corporate chill-out events. Internationally-trained bartenders and the efficient staff will provide endless hours of hospitality and entertainment.

A very spacious dance floor is on the second floor, provided with a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, manned by globe-trotting deejays. This swinging part of Crobar Malate makes it the ideal party place in the Metropolis.

World-acclaimed deejays who have performed in other leading party centers all over the world, will soon provide the international flavor in Crobar Malate, the two-level structure with a total area of 359 square meters.

Its restaurant features a fusion of Filipino and international cuisine for the delight of Crobar’s clientele. The premiere party place spotlights the very best in hip-hop, R&B, House and Electro music, the entire evening till dawn.

Partying will surely be unforgettable nights at the nightlife origin, Crobar Malate.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings for June 12, go to action star Tony Ferrer, Dra. Sol Consing, Divina Cabantac, and Robert Dean Barbers, former general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)… Happy wedding anniversary to Tito and Belen Tagum… Condolence to the family of Leonor Mendoza vda. de Bayani, who passed away last June 9. Her remains lie at the Christ The King Chapel, Green Meadows, Quezon City…