St. Luke’s short film winner to Int’l Filmfest Manhattan NYC
I have long suspected that doctors can be good actors and it was confirmed when I sat as one of the judges for the first-ever Internal Medicine Film Festival (IMFF) of the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) held during the recent Medicine Week, with four short films in competition. I bet my co-judges will agree, including talent manager Keren Pascual, Qualibet head Pinky Tobiano, directors Jerry Sineneng and Daryll Yap, Dr. Frederick Hawson, GMA senior creative consultant Suzette Doctolero and Marivin Arayata (former GMA VP/consultant of Entertainment Group).
All directed by Emir Kahn Bautista, the entries starred the doctors who all deserved a round of applause and plus a pat on the shoulder for their credible and creditable performances. Out of their immaculately-white uniforms, the doctors immersed themselves in their roles with amazing fluidity and, if offers came, they should follow in the footsteps of, among other doctors, Maricar Reyes (Mrs. Richard Poon) who has amply shown her acting prowess in movies and television — sans stethoscopes and scalpels.
The entries were: Miss Concepcion (by the Blue Team), which was about HIV AIDS; Not Today (Green Team), about mental health; Anghel sa Alapaap (Yellow Team), about illicit drug; and Romantic Baboy (Red Team), about obesity.
And the winner is...drum roll, please!...Not Today, Best Picture.
The good news, according to Dr. Ian Homer Cua, IMFF organizer, is that the movie has been officially invited to the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) NYC, Nov. 16-17.
“It’s a big honor for us,” said Ian.
The other winners of the Lucas Awards:
• Second Best Picture (Special Jury Award) — Miss Concepcion;
• Third Best Picture — Romantic Baboy;
• Fourth Best Picture — Anghel sa Alapaap;
• Best Director — Emir Kahn Bautista (hands down);
• Best Screenplay — RT Tipones (Not Today);
• Best Actor — Jolly Santos (Miss Concepcion);
• Best Actress — Marian Dimabuyu (Not Today);
• Best Supporting Actor — RT Tipones (Not Today);
• Best Supporting Actress — Joy Fontanilla (Anghel sa Alapaap)
The entries were judged on these criteria: message, originality, screenplay and acting.
The screenings were held at the Henry Sy, Sr. Auditorium at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) last Sept. 30, with fellow doctors and other SLMC employees as audience that applauded over the appearance of the doctor-actors, and cheering for the teams they were rooting for.
There were resource persons between the screenings, speaking about issues relevant to each film, one of them Claudine Barretto (at the hospital taking care of her dad) who reiterated her admission that she suffered from depression, and a businesswoman who made the audience cry with tearful recollection of how depression drove her young son to commit suicide.
In the audience were Tirso “Pip” Cruz II and his wife Lyn Ynchausti.
“We were having mixed emotions because of so many sad memories about our late son TJ who was confined at St. Luke’s,” Lyn told Funfare. “Sa parking pa lang, tears were already rolling down my cheeks until we were on our way to the auditorium. I cried even more as the event opened with a dance number. If TJ were alive, he would have loved to join the group because he was very good in Fire Dance. But the St. Luke’s group used lights, instead of fire.”
Lyn added a light note.
“But Pip and I had fun watching the doctors act in the films. Ang huhusay nila!”
As I was saying…
What’s up?
• Manila-based alumni of Tabaco Pei Ching School (Tabaco City) are invited to a dinner on Friday, Oct. 18, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Century Seafood Restaurant, Century Park Hotel, #599 P. Ocampo St., Malate, Manila. The alumni will discuss plans for a grand reunion set for next year. For confirmation, call Willy Ngo at +63-9175580888.
• 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach (photo) is the newest addition to ABS-CBN Books’ roster of celebrity authors. Pia began her yet untitled book last August. Said Pia, “I want to share a story of a girl who joins a beauty pageant. It’s not really my life story but it’s based on my experiences and the stories that I’ve heard and seen from other girls who have also joined.”
(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)
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