ANITA LINDA GOES TO HER 1ST INTERNATIONAL FILMFEST

http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=107&a=29716
Anita Linda goes to her first international film fest
LOS ANGELES - Anita Linda is “very nervous and at the same time, very happy to be with us to present ‘Adela’ in Toronto,” director Adolfo Alix Jr. recently told us via e-mail about his and the actress’ attendance in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). “It’s her first trip to an international film festival, so we hope she enjoys it. We also plan to take her to other film fests where ‘Adela’ will be screened this year.”
Fil-Canadians and cineastes can check out Alix’’s film starring Anita playing a woman whose solitary observance of her 80th birthday leads to a reflection on family, society and relationships, on Saturday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. at AMC 9; Sunday, Sept. 7, 9:15 p.m. at AMC 2, and Saturday, Sept. 13, 3 p.m. at AMC 1.

The three As—Anita (who’s 83 in real life), Adolfo and producer Arleen Cuevas, who will be in Toronto from Sept. 4 to 9—will grace the first two screenings of “Adela,” which is part of the Contemporary World Cinema program. “Our sales agent, Ryan Kampe and Sylvain Tron of Visit Films, will also be there,” Adolfo volunteered.

Rewarding experience

“I’m very excited to see how people would respond to ‘Adela,’” the 29-year-old writer-director enthused. “It’s a special film for me because working on it was a very rewarding experience for everybody. Having Anita Linda as our lead actress was truly a pleasure. It’s our tribute film to her. When Noel Ferrer, Arleen and I decided to do this movie, we felt that Tita Alice (Anita) deserved a film that would show her at her best. She has been part of the industry for a long time. She worked with the country’s best directors—Lamberto Avellana, Gerry de Leon, Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal. As a young director, It was a learning experience to work with a legend like her.”

“Adela” also stars Iza Calzado (who was shooting Yam Laranas’ “The Echo” in Toronto during the TIFF last year), Perla Bautista, Ricky Davao, Angeli Bayani, Joem Bascon, Jason Abalos, Kenneth Ocampo and Arnold Reyes. The film is the seventh feature from the prolific filmmaker since his debut feature, “Donsol,” which was screened in various film festivals and was the Philippines’ official entry in the 2007 Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film category. Since 2006, Adolfo also directed “Kadin,” “Tambolista,” “Nars,” “Batanes” and “Daybreak.”

Of his first participation in what has grown to become one of the world’s major festivals, the Makati native said, “We’re happy to have the international premiere of ‘Adela’ at the TIFF after opening the 2008 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. It’s my first time to have a movie screened in Toronto, although as a scriptwriter, two of my films were featured there before—Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s ‘Kahapon May Dalawang Bata’ in 1999 (which was one of the winners in the festival’s People’s Choice Awards) and Gil Portes’ ‘Mga Munting Tinig’ in 2002.”

Adolfo, a magna cum laude graduate with a degree in mass communications from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, shared that he’s also looking forward to watching films in the Canadian event.

On the late Lino Brocka’s “Bayan Ko: Kapit Sa Patalim” being featured in the TIFF’s “Dialogue: Talking With Pictures” program, Adolfo said: “I think every Filipino filmmaker looks up to Brocka. He paved the way for the rest of us. I admire the honesty of his films and how he cared for the welfare of everybody on the set, as well as those in the film industry. He fought for what he believed in.” Another Pinoy director highlighted in the TIFF is Dante Mendoza, whose “Serbis” is an official selection in the Vanguard program.

Tribute

Adolfo revealed his own cinematic tribute to Brocka: “Right now, we’re in production of ‘Manila,’ a twin bill I’m doing with Raya Martin, which is inspired by Ishmael Bernal’s ‘Manila by Night’ and Brocka’s ‘Jaguar.’ Both stories will be topbilled by Piolo Pascual. I’m doing the re-telling of ‘Jaguar.’ I saw some of Brocka’s films before I started working on the project, and I felt that his best works—including ‘Bayan Ko’—are truly timeless. The issues he tackled then are still relevant now. He made simple films, but their messages still ring loud and clear!”

(inquirer.net)