Mother Lily’s target: 52 films in 2020
Starting with D’Ninang (starring Ai-Ai delas Alas with Kisses Delavin and McCoy de Leon) which is showing mid-January, Regal matriarch Lily Monteverde plans to produce 51 more movies this year. That means that Regal is releasing films on a weekly basis. Impossible?
“Not really,” said Mother Lily whom Funfare caught at Gloria Maris Greenhills having a New Year lunch with Annabelle Rama, her “eating partner” (who gave Mother Lily two lechon direct from Cebu). “Regal used to do it. We can do it again. It’s my way of encouraging other (younger) producers to help strengthen the industry.”
One of those 51 movies is her bioflick, with Joey Reyes being eyed as scriptwriter. Mother Lily is still trying to decide who should direct, Erik Matti or Joel Lamangan?
“I want Judy Ann Santos na mag-portray sa akin. Si Vilma Santos sana kaya lang she’s very busy as a congresswoman. I want to have several leading men,” she added. “Aga Muhlach, Gabby Concepcion, Richard Gomez.”
To crank out those 51 films, Mother Lily may have to resort to her 1998 ”pito-pito” style (shooting done in seven days) which produced two of today’s finest directors, Lav Diaz (Ang Kriminal ng Baryo Concepcion starring Raymond Bagatsing) and Jeffrey Jeturian (Sana Pagibig Na with Nida Blanca, Angel Aquino and Gerald Madrid; Pila-Balde; and Tuhog).
Meanwhile, Annabelle said that she’s concentrating on producing concerts full time, starting with a pre-Valentine concert featuring, among others, Jed Madela and Angeline Quinto.
“Mother Lily will be a guest performer,” according to Annabelle. “She will do a special number playing the piano. Magaling siyang pianista.”
Annabelle and the rest of the Gutierrezes (husband Eddie and children Ruffa, Richard, Raymond, Elvis and Rocky, plus the in-laws) always spend Christmas together.
“It is a family tradition. Sama-sama sa Pasko, pati ang mga kasambahay. May raffle, exchange gifts. When New Year came, hiwa-hiwalay na kami. Ruffa was in L.A. with Richard and Sarah (Lahbati, his partner). Raymond came home from New York.”
Vico focused on work
Up to now, people are wondering what’s going on between Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Gretchen Ho, especially after they were seen seated beside each other while watching a volleyball game at a PhilSports Arena in the city. That was during the SEA Games.
You know how it is with celebrities. They are seen together, even if only by chance, and people start putting one and one together, equals…
When he officiated a mass wedding in Pasig, his first time to do it, Mayor Vico good-naturedly “warned” the crowd not to ask about his love life, or else they would be fined (P500).
Lest Your Funfarer be “fined,” I opted to ask Vico’s mom, Coney Reyes (the city’s First Lady), to “clear” the matter once and for all.
Texted Coney, “As far as I know, there’s nothing to clear. Vico is so focused on work in Pasig. He hardly has time for anything else.”
The country’s Most Eligible Bachelor, Mayor Vico is turning 31 on June 17. In a previous STAR interview, he admitted being NGSB (No Girlfriend Since Birth).
(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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