Philippine Entertainment Portal

Sid Lucero and Emilio Garcia go down in history as the first persons to tie for the Best Actor award in the 49-year history of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The Filipino actors were recognized in Greece for their outstanding portrayal in the film Selda (international title: The Inmate), which is co-directed by Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos.

This indie film is also credited as the first Filipino movie to compete in the said festival, which took place in Greece from November 14-23, 2008. Both directors attended the film fest but the two lead actors were unable to attend.

Francis Xavier Pasion was also present at the 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival to present his film Jay, which was screened as part of the Independence Day section.

According to Leo Dominguez, Emilio’s manager, his ward was not able to attend because he has tapings for Gagambino three times a week. Emilio learned about the good news this morning on the set of the said GMA-7 show.

In a text message sent to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portak) this morning, Emilio said, “I’m shocked and at the same time very happy. This is my fourth award for Selda and I am happy for all the recognition I received for this film.”

It will be recalled that Emilio won as Best Supporting Actor for Selda during the 31st Gawad Urian. He was also the Best Supporting Actor during this year’s Gawad Tanglaw and was named as the Supporting Actor of the Year during the 24th Star Awards for Movies.

In the Gawad Urian, Sid tied with Jason Abalos for the Best Actor award, with Sid being recognized for Selda while Jason performed in Endo.

Selda is about a young man (played by Sid Lucero) who is imprisoned for defending his wife (played by Ara Mina). He then meets a fellow inmate (played by Emilio) who helps him adjust to life inside prison.

According to Ferdy Lapuz of Ignatius Films Canada, the jury president of the Thessaloniki IFF, Michael Ondaatje, liked the film very much and said that Selda is a “powerful film.” Mr. Ondaatje is best known as the writer of The English Patient (1997). Another member of the jury is Diablo Cody, the American screenwriter behind the hit movie Juno (2007).

Selda is represented by Ignatius Films Canada.

Philippine Entertainment Portal

Dating couple Geoff Rodriguez and Tisha Silang of the Philippines made it to the final leg of Amazing Race Asia 3 after finishing second in tonight’s episode. Tisha and Geoff will join Malaysia’s Ida and Tania, who stepped on the mat first, and Hong Kong boys Vince and Sam, who came in third place, in the 11th and final leg.

The finale episode of Amazing Race Asia 3 will be aired next Thursday, November 20, in AXN.

Amazing Race Asia 3 is the third installment of the popular reality game show, which is actually a spin-off of the Emmy award-winning reality show Amazing Race. It is hosted by Singapore-based Chinese-American actor Allan Wu.

Geoff and Tisha now have the chance to become the first team from the Philippines to win Amazing Race Asia and the $100,000 cash prize. They will also have the chance to erase or at least duplicate the third-place finish of Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez last season.

Geoff and Tisha are actually good friends with Marc and Rovilson.

At the start of the 10th leg, Geoff and Tisha were in third place; behind the teams from Hong Kong and Malaysia. In fourth place was A.D. and Fuzzie of Singapore.

Geoff and Tisha were actually behind most of the 10th leg when they made some crucial errors. First was when they failed to answer correctly the year Mahatma Gandhi, India’s major spiritual and political leader, was born (1869). Then, in Detour (a task that all teams must perform), both Geoff and Tisha had a hard time counting the exact number of nuts inside a sack.

Luckily, all teams got lost going to the Roadblock (a task that only one member of the team can pefrorm) in Muscat, Oman, so Geoff and Tisha arrived there the same time as the other teams. Geoff also finished the Roadblock easily that enabled them to came in second, behind the team from Malaysia.

The team from Singapore, which finished last, got eliminated.

Amazing Race Asia 3 started with ten teams from different Asian countries, including India, South Korea, and Thailand. After each leg, one team gets eliminated, although there are pre-determined non-elimination legs.

Throughout the race, Geoff and Tisha made some enemies mainly because of Geoff’s attitude that turned off the other teams. It was also only Geoff and Tisha who chose to use the Yield and U-Turn against the other teams this season. A team that was yielded will have to wait for a pre-determined time before continuing the race, while the team that was U-Turned has to do the other detour that they did not previously completed.

Tisha was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe in 1998 but resigned due to her Canadian citizenship. She also tried hosting before in some shows of GMA-7, including Mornings@GMA. Tisha also had a relationship with TV host Paolo Bediones.

Geoff, on the other hand, was a member of the all-male group Powerboys, which also included Jordan Herrera, Frank Garcia, Greg martin, and Jay Salas.

Philippine Entertainment Portal

Just a few days after winning two awards in the 6th International Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Russia, Brillante Mendoza was once again honored in an international film fest. Brillante, first-time filmmaker Francis Xavier Pasion, and John Torres were among the directors who won in the recently concluded Bangkok International Film Festival.

The sixth edition of the Bangkok IFF took place from September 23 to 30 in Thailand. Ferdy Lapuz, one of the producers of Serbis, say that this film won the Golden Kinnaree Award in the Southeast Asian competition at the Bangkok IFF. Serbis shows the life of a family who operate a run-down movie house showing sex flicks in Pampanga. Gina Pareño, Julio Diaz, Jaclyn Jose, Coco Martin, and Kristoffer King are some of the stars who topbill this award-winning film.

The Cinemalaya 2008 entry Jay, directed by Francis Xavier Pasion, bagged the Special Mention Award in the main competition category. Baron Geisler and Coco Martin appear in this film about a TV producer creating a documentary about a homosexual teacher.

John Torres’ Years When I was A Child Outside won special mention in the Southeast Asian competition. This 2007 Cinemanila International Film Festival entry is also known for its alternative title is Taon noong ako’y anak sa labas.

According to the official website of the Bangkok IFF, the Golden Kinnaree Award “symbolizes the creative spirit—looking to the future, while respecting the achievements and traditions of the past—flying between the worlds of reality and imagination.” This award was won by Brillante Mendoza for Serbis.

The winners were chosen by a six-member jury panel, including Thailand-based, Lao-Australian-ethnic actor Ananda Everingham, Swedish festival artistic director Martial Knaebel and Singaporean director Eric Khoo. The Bangkok IFF has two divisions: the main competition and Southeast Asian competition, each featuring 10 films from the world and the region.

The Bangkok IFF screened around 80 films from over 40 countries during its week-long run.

Philippine Entertainment Portal

Filipino-American Ramiele Malubay survived the last cut to sail through the Top 12 of this year’s American Idol.

In the last elimination before the Top 12, Ramiele was among those who luckily made it in the next round.

The four who were eliminated and did not make it in the Top 12 were Luke Menard, Kady Malloy, Asia’h Epperson, and the openly gay Danny Noriega.

The remaining six female contestants and six male contestants will go up against each other starting next week.

Ramiele will be joined in the Top 12 by fellow female contestants Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, Amanda Overmyer, Carly Smithson, and Brooke White.

The male contestants who made it the next round are David Archuleta, Chikezie, David Cook, Jason Castro, David Hernandez, and Michael Johns.

For her first performance in the elimination round, Ramiele sang “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” by Dusty Springfield that drew praises from the three judges—Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell.

Ramiele’s next two performances though—”Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston and “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins—did not impress the judges too much.

But without a doubt, Ramiele has one of the best vocals in the competition and this is enough for America to put her through the Top 12.

The winner will win $1 million and the the title of American Idol.

Philippine Entertainment Portal

A new queen was chosen yesterday, November 11, during the coronation night of Miss Earth 2007 at the University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City. Ms. Canada Jessica Nicole Trisko bested 87 other delegates for the title, which was previously held by Hil Hernandez of Chile.

The pageant, which was aired live last Sunday night on ABS-CBN, was hosted by MTV Asia VJ Greg “Utt” Panichkul and Ms. Earth 2004 Priscilla Meirelles. The Brazilian beauty queen is currently the flame of actor John Estrada.

Jessica is a political science Ph.D. student at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Her mother, Maria Elizabeth Asuncion Domingo, hails from Manila. The newly crowned beauty queen was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A total of 88 environmentally aware and concerned young ladies competed in the Miss Earth beauty pageant, which is organized by Carousel Productions. Now on its seventh year, Miss Earth is a pioneering beauty pageant that serves as a vehicle for environmental advocacy.

Ms. Philippines Jeanne Angeles Harn of Montalban, Rizal, was adjudged the Most Photogenic for the competition. She is an account executive for an advertising agency, as well as a commercial and print model.

Other special prizes given away that night include: Beauty For A Cause Award: Bokang Montjane (Ms. South Africa); Miss Friendship: Amale Al-Khoder (Ms. Lebanon); Miss Talent: Monica Baliunaite (Ms. Lithuania); and Best National Costume: Jiraporn Sing-ieam (Ms. Thailand).

Ms. Venezuela Silvana Santaella was an early favorite among the contests as proven by her two special awards—Best in Long Gown and Best in Swimsuit.

Another segment host that evening was 2006 Miss Philippines-Air Ginger Conejero, who also works as a showbiz news reporter for the Kapamilya Network. During the program, Ginger interviewed Ms. Canada Jessica Nicole Trisko, who told the audience, “I’m so grateful and so blessed to have this opportunity to represent my country. I wish the Filipinos so many blessings in return.”

The 16 semi-finalists announced that night were: Jessica Nicole Trisko (Ms. Canada); Eva Čerešňáková (Ms. Czech Republic); Themys Febriel (Ms. Dominican Republic); Nanka Mamasakhlisi (Ms. Georgia); Pooja Chitgopekar (Ms. India); Amale Al-Khoder (Ms. Lebanon); Elodie Delor (Ms. Martinique); Stacey Garvey (Ms. Nigeria); Odilia Pineda (Ms. Peru); Alina Gheorge (Ms. Romania); Bokang Montjane (Ms. South Africa); Angela Gomez Duran (Ms. Spain); Ivana Gagula (Ms. Sweden); Stefanie Gossweiler (Ms. Switzerland); Jiraporn Sing-ieam (Ms. Thailand); and Silvana Santaella (Ms. Venezuela).

They were later trimmed down to eight finalists, who all showed off their winning form while wearing Filipiniana creations by Anthony Cruz Legarda. His collection was dubbed E3, which stands for “Earth, Ethnic, and Élan.”

Ms. Canada, Ms. India, Ms. Venezuela, Ms. Spain, Ms. Georgia, Ms. Peru, Ms. Switzerland, and Ms. Thailand were then tasked to answer questions from eight environmental leaders to determine if they would move on to the final round.

MTV VJ Utt, who happens to be Thai, had to step in to translate for Ms. Thailand since the interpreter had some difficulty translating the contestant’s answer.

For the final round, all scores are back to zero and they will be judged based on their answer to the final question given to all of them. The Final Four—composed of Ms. India Pooja Chitgopekar; Ms. Venezuela Silvana Santaella; Ms. Spain Angela Gomez Duran; and Ms. Canada Jessica Nicole Trisko—were given headsets so they could not hear the question and the response of the other contenders.

The host asked the ladies one by one: How would you describe the beauty of Mother Nature to a blind child?

Jessica gave a poetic answer: “I would say that the beauty of Mother Nature smells as sweet as the sweetest rose, the beauty of Mother Nature feels as soft as the softest leaf, and the beauty of Mother Nature sings like the birds and the trees.”

After tallying the scores, it was finally announced that Ms. Canada Jessica Nicole Trisko is this year’s Miss Earth 2007.

Ms. India Pooja Chitgopekar was proclaimed as Miss Earth-Air, the contest’s equivalent of a first runner-up.

Ms. Venezuela Silvana Santaella and Ms. Spain Angela Gomez Duran were adjudged Miss Earth-Water and Miss Earth-Fire, respectively.

Philippine Entertainment Portal

Two Filipinos have bested entries from over 40 countries, bringing honor to the country in the recently concluded 11th World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood.

Similar to the Olympic sport of figure skating, there are the “Junior World Championships” (ages 15 and under) and a “Senior World Championships” (ages 16 and over).

Eleven-year old Aria Clemente, ABS-CBN’s Little Big Superstar finalist, emerged as Overall Grand Champion of the World (Junior Division) in the 2007 WCOPA Finals Night at the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel last Friday, August 3.

The young singer hurdled three rounds of competition in five vocal categories, which included Broadway, Pop, Latin, Rock and Gospel, to get into the grand finals. As Overall Grand Champion, she bested around 5,000 entries, which included dance, acting and modeling acts, coming from 50 other countries, from Armenia to the United States.

Aria sang an abridged version of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from the musical Funny Girl that also won her the Grand Champion Junior Vocalist of the World award. She competed against four junior vocalists representing South Africa, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Russia.

Reymond Sajor, ABC-5′s Philippine Idol Season 1 finalist, is another big Pinoy winner in WCOPA. Reymond bagged the Grand Champion Senior Vocalist of the World award with his rendition of the one-minute-long “Anthem” from the musical Chess. He competed with fellow Pinoy singer Raki Vega, and three other vocalists from Haiti and South Africa.

The panel of judges in this year’s WCOPA is composed of prominent personalities from Hollywood and Broadway mainstream industries, namely L.A. models agency, Nickelodeon, Disney Theme Parks, Paramount Pictures, and various Broadway theater companies. The judges work in their respective fields as casting directors, talent agents, magazine editors, music composers and arrangers from Broadway, record producers, and TV and film producers.

Judging is based on entertainment value, and marketability of talent in the U.S. mainstream entertainment industry.

WCOPA is often cited as the “Hollywood Olympics” for performers and entertainers. After 11 years of incredible growth, it has become the only global talent and model competition of its kind staged annually in Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world. Similar to the Olympics, only invited and qualified competitors (called Worldstars) representing countries compete each year in a fierce competition for Grand Champion of the World titles.

Filipino recording and concert artist Jed Madela was named Overall Grand Champion of the World (Senior Division) in 2005.

OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD. All Kids Talent Management Group, based in Los Angeles, has had talks with Aria and Carlo Orosa, WCOPA National Director for the Philippines, regarding representation of the young singer in Hollywood.

Reymond and Raki have had one-on-one meetings with Shelley Sondheim, nephew of famed Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, regarding opportunities in Hollywood and Broadway.

“Team Philippines to this year’s WCOPA has once again proved to the world that our singing talents are exceptional and world-class. Everybody is a winner. Doors have opened for these talents to explore and expand to mainstream Hollywood and Broadway,” says Carlo.

Aria and Reymond have been trained in Trumpets Playshop, and endorsing Trumpets Music Academy in the Philippines. Aria will soon star in the Manila debut of the off-Broadway hit musical Children’s Letters to God. Reymond is currently working on his debut album.

Both new World Champions are managed by STAGES, the same management group handling Filipino mainstream artists Christian Bautista and Sam Concepcion.

The WCOPA grand finals night, held last August 3 at Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, was taped for television distribution worldwide.