Zsa Zsa in winning performance in M

MANILA, Philippines - Zsa Zsa Padilla is happy to finally get the Best Actress trophy she won at the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) New Wave Category last December for her performance as the dying lawyer in M, Mother’s Maiden Name. This was handed to her by Quantum Films producer, lawyer Joji Alonso, who is also releasing M in selected SM and Ayala mall theaters today, after the recent press launch of the film.

Lawyer Alonso is also the producer of the filmfest entry mainstream hit, English Only, Please, which is expected to hit the P150M mark this weekend as it is on an extended run in several theaters.

 In the film, Zsa Zsa plays a single mom dying of cancer. It also shows the great disparity in medical treatments between the rich and the poor. Starring also in the film are Nico Antonio, Dennis Padilla, Sue Prado and Gloria Sevilla.

“I read Zig (Dulay)’s script at nagandahan ako sa role ko as Atty. Bella Monteclaro. Mataray siya at ang gaganda ng lines ko rito na quotable quotes. Maganda rin ang story about two moms, ako at si Gloria Sevilla. I discover I’m dying from pancreatic cancer and she as daughter, Sue Prado, who’s dying from a chronic liver disease.

“The film also comments on the disparity of health treatments between the rich and the poor in our country. Maganda rin ang relationship ko rito with my son who’s gay, si Nico Antonio.

“Lahat ng friends kong nakapanood last December really liked it. Tawa raw sila nang tawa sa maraming scenes but in the end, napaiyak sila kasi reality situations ang ipinakikita,” says Zsa Zsa.

Director Zig is now with GMA Network where he started as writer-assistant director for the romantic drama anthology, Wagas. He also wrote Sa Puso ni Doc, which starred Dennis Trillo and he co-directed it with Adolf Alix. He was given the chance to write and direct GMA’s special Christmas musical drama Himig ng Pasko, starring Regine  Velasquez.

M will compete for the Circulo Precolumbino awards at the 31st Bogota International Film Festival in Columbia in October. It is also in the exhibition selection of the Hawaii International Filmfest in November.

M, Mother’s Maiden Name was graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board.