Ruffa-Yilmaz honeymoon cancelled

Because of her pregnancy (four months), Ruffa Gutierrez has no choice but to drastically change her and brand-new husband Yilmaz Bektas’ well-laid plans. For instance, they have decided to postpone their May 11 Muslim wedding in Istanbul to next year when Ruffa shall have slimmed down after giving birth on Aug. 15 to a girl (according to the ultrasound).

Don’t look now but Ruffa and Yilmaz have also agreed to scrap their honeymoon (even if, according to Ruffa, "It’s over!") in Maldives due to Ruffa’s delicate condition, prompting her doctor to stop her from leaving last Thursday night (March 27) with Yilmaz. The long flight (from Manila to Singapore to another stopover before flying to Maldives) was bad for the baby. Instead, Ruffa left last night straight to L.A. where she’ll meet up with Yilmaz who’s coming from Istanbul.

A lot of people have been wondering if Ruffa and Yilmaz signed a pre-nuptial agreement. No, they didn’t, according to Ruffa’s mom, Annabelle Rama.

Until now, even if every detail of the "Wedding of the Year/Decade" has been widely publicized, not many people knew that Yilmaz had to escape from his mother, Nurhan Celik, in Istanbul to keep his altar date with Ruffa (last March 25 at The Fort). Afraid of the war (in Iraq) just across the border, Yilmaz’s mom thought it would be very risky for Yilmaz to travel all the way to the Philippines (12 hours by car to where he and two friends took connecting flights to Manila), so she asked him to postpone the wedding. But Yilmaz defied her.

It was only when the wedding was played up on the front pages of Istanbul newspapers did Yilmaz’s mom know where her favorite son (older of two children) went. She promptly called up Yilmaz and gave him some "tongue-lashing" (the mom is as taray as Annabelle), threatening to disinherit him.

Yilmaz was in such a hurry to come to Manila that he was barely able to stuff a Valentino suit into his maleta. He had to buy a new pair of shoes at Rustan’s because he forgot to bring his own.

In L.A., Ruffa and Yilmaz will look for a house. Otherwise, they might have to go to New York to find one. But Ruffa would rather settle down in L.A.

Now, how would Yilmaz pacify his irate mother?

"As soon as she learns that she’ll be a grandmother soon," said grandma-to-be Annabelle, "lalambot ang puso n’un."

Meanwhile, reacting to yesterday’s story about couples getting married soon, Tintin Bersola denied that she and Julius Babao are living-in. "He lives in his own house and I live in my own house," said Tintin.

Donita Rose‘s manager, Angeli Pangilinan, also wanted to make it clear that Donita and her Fil-Am boyfriend, Eric Villarama, are not into a "married-like" relationship in Singapore where Donita is based. Angeli added that Donita and Eric have decided to get married in the States in June not to "scrimp" but to be practical.

"Most of their family members are there. Besides, it’s hard to fly 40 ninongs and ninangs to Manila, isn’t it?"

Magnifico vies in international filmfest

Here’s a piece of good news from Ferdinand Lapuz, Funfare’s Toronto-based international correspondent:

Well, I have good news for you and the Filipino movie industry. Director Maryo delos Reyes’ Magnifico has been officially invited to the very prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic from July 4 to 12, 2003. The better news is it will be screening in the official competition program of its 38th edition, making it the first Filipino film competing in this festival. This great news was relayed to me by Artistic Director Eva Zaoralova.

Karlovy Vary may not sound familiar to most Filipinos, even to me before. It is right behind the Cannes, Venice and Berlin filmfests in prestige. It is a non-specialized festival with a feature-film competition. It belongs to group one in the Paris-based International Federation of Film Producers Association along with Berlin, Cairo, Cannes, Mar de Plata, Montreal, Moscow, San Sebastian, Shanghai, Tokyo and Venice. One thing the above festivals have in common, according to FIAPF director of festivals and communication’s interview on Variety on August 28, 2000, is that they cannot accept a film for competition if it has been in competition in another festival.

Last Sunday’s winner of Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, Germany’s Nowhere To Hide, had its international premiere in Karlovy Vary and was awarded a Special Jury Prize. Other recent winners from Karlovy Vary that were short listed in the Oscars or Golden Globe include Sergei Bodrov’s Prisoner of the Mountains, Nanna Djordjadze’s A Chef in Love in 1996 and Alan Berliner’s Ma Vie En Rose Best Feature Film in 1997.

With the exceptions of festivals in Venice and Cannes, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the oldest film show in the world. It was established in 1946 and its first two years took place in Marianske Lazni.

According to Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor of Variety, "Karlovy Vary has the best audience of any festival in the world." With its vibrant location and challenging film program, it is clear that the festival has become one of the top film events and is the leading film competition in Central and Eastern Europe.

The festival presents the Grand Prix Golden Crystal Globe Award for Best Feature Film with $20,000 as part of the prize. Other awards are Special Jury Prize, Best Actor, Best Actress and Special Jury Mentions for feature films. Its trophy is one of the most beautiful in the festival circuit, with a figure of a woman stands raising a crystal ball.

Congratulations to direk Maryo, Violett Films, first time writer Michiko Yamamoto, the production staff and the cast (Lorna Tolentino, Albert Martinez, Ms. Gloria Romero, Cherrie Pie Picache, Amy Austria, Tonton Gutierrez, Mark Gil, Danilo Barrios, Girlie Sevilla, Alisson VII Gonzales, Cloyd Robinson, Susan Africa and, of course, the three kids, Isabella de Leon, Joseph Robles and Magnifico himself, Jiro Manio). Just a note: Lav Diaz’s Batang West Side was the first Filipino film screened in Karlovy Vary (last year).

Thanks and I’m not sure yet if I am going to Karlovy Vary although an invitation has been sent to me already. But if I am going, I will try to bring my video camera so I can record the film’s presentation and awards ceremony for your segment in The Buzz. If it is okay with you.

What’s up?

• From reader Deborah Vizcarra-Simsuangco: Did you know that Willie Revillame, Ronnie Ricketts and Andre Castillo (of The CompanY) studied in the same school? It’s none other than the Union High School of Manila (UHSM) – Philippine Christian University (batch ’79) which is preparing its 25th grand reunion. We invite them and other members of the batch to please call or text Lydda Tantay at 0919-2709950 or to me at 0917-8153795.

• From reader Jessi Palmares: The BNS ’93 of the Iloilo Doctors’ College of Iloilo City will have a grand reunion on May 9-12 at the Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. Members of the class are advised to get in touch with me at (847) 202-5939 or at pager (847) 552-0031 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Or call Jed Macasaet at (813) 390-6482.

• Ruby Rodriguez and Amy Perez will host the finals of the Century Tuna Culinary Meet this weekend at Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Amy will anchor the students’ division competition today while Ruby will enliven the amateur division contest tomorrow, March 30. Exciting prizes and giveaways await the winners. The Culinary Meet 2003 is open to those who will present a label of any variant of Century Tuna canned meat. For inquiries, call 811-1352 or 811-1720.