Topic: Focus on Joey Gosiengfiao/Elwood Perez

[FLIM]

Where the hell did you find that?

[keating]

Got it from the blog of Video 48, FLIM.

I remember Boots Anson Roa in one of the wacky episodes in ZOOM ZOOM SUPERMAN as the balut vendor who sells Ariel Ureta Superman's paraphernalia and Celia Rodriguez as the Spiderwoman.

[keating]

STARS CONVERGE
The Stellar Art and Career of Elwood Perez
February 25-27, 2008
UP Film Institute

Feb 25 Monday-2 pm

NAKAWIN NATIN ANG BAWAT SANDALI (Sampaguita-VP Pictures, 1978)

A young couple's affair is marred by their feuding families and small-town intrigues. They meet years after as successful career people only to be drawn into another scandalous liaison.

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Orlando Nadres. Cinematography: Gener Buenaseda.
Cast: Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, Baby Delgado

5 pm

TILL WE MEET AGAIN (Regal Films, 1985)

The majordoma's daughter in a rich household falls hopelessly in love with the family scion. Philippine Cinema's legendary loveteam is revived in this tremendous box-office hit!

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Jose Javier Reyes, National Artist Rolando Tinio. Cinematography: Ricardo Jacinto
Cast: Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Dina Bonnevie, Edu Manzano, Armida Siguion-Reyna, Perla Bautista

7:30 pm

I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (Regal Films, 1985)

A singing star's success causes her break-up with a childhood sweetheart. It would be too late for her to recover their lost love.
Official Selection- 1985 Metro Manila Film Festival

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Jose Javier Reyes, Ishko Lopez. Cinematography: Ricardo Jacinto. Cast: Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Rowell Santiago, Jackie Lou Blanco, Lani Mercado, Miguel Rodriguez, Nadia Montenegro, Richard Gomez

Feb 26- Tuesday 2pm

IBULONG MO SA DIYOS (Regal Films, 1988)

A down-on-her-luck ex-japayuki suffers indignities in the hands of the man she loves until a faithful suitor comes along.
Winner of 8 Major Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematpgraphy, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Song, Best Actress for Vilma Santos, Best Supporting Actor for Miguel Rodriguez- 1989 Famas.

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Orlando Nadres. Cinematography:Ricardo Jacinto. Cast: Vilma Santos, Gary Valenciano, Miguel Rodriguez, Eric Quizon, Nida Blanca.

5 pm

MASARAP, MASAKIT ANG UMIBIG (Sampaguita Pictures 40th Anniv. Presentation, 1977)

A wealthy couple's sacrificing adopted son and wayward biological son vie for the love of the same woman.
Official Selection: 1981 ASEAN Film Festival, Sydney. Official Selection 1978 Asia-Pacific Film Festival, Taipei. Winner of Best Supporting Actor for Mat Ranillo III, 1978 FAMAS.

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Orlando Nadres. Cinematography: Gener Buenaseda. Cast: Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, Mat Ranillo III, Anita Linda, Amado Cortez.

***Screening to be preceded by program in honor of Elwood Perez in attendance with distinguished guests.

7:30 pm

BILANGIN ANG BITUIN SA LANGIT (Regal Films, 1989)

A determined barrio lass grows up as a powerful woman who succeeds in acquiring the wealth of the proud man she appears to loathe and at the same time love since childhood. Winner of over 20 awards and distinctions including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Music, Best Production Design, Best Actor for Tirso Cruz III, Best Actress for Nora Aunor from various local award-giving bodies- FAMAS, FAP, PMPC, URIAN.

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Jake Cocadiz, Jigz recto. Cinematography:Ricardo Jacinto. Cast: Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Miguel Rodriguez, Gloria Romero, Perla Bautista, Ana Margarita Gonzalez.

Feb 27- Wednesday

2 pm

ISANG GABI, TATLONG BABAE (Juan dela Cruz Productions, 1974)

The three-part social drama unravels chronicles of an upper-class stepmother falling in love with her stepson, a lady of the slums torn between her bastard son and her good-for-nothing lover, and a social climbing fashion model belittling her adoptive parent. The film sealed Elwood Perez' reputation as a foremost serious film director as it merited front-page yearend review in a leading national daily proclaiming it one of the year's three best films.
Nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Amalia Fuentes, Boots Anson-Roa, Pilar Pilapil, other citations from Catholic Mass Media Awards.

Direction: Elwood Perez, Screenplay: Wilfrido Nolledo, Orlando Nadres, Joey Gosiengfiao, Douglas Quijano. Cinematography: Rudy Dino, Rey de Leon. Cast: Amalia Fuentes, Boots Anson-Roa, Pilar Pilapil, Luis Gonzales, Ricky Belmonte, Orestes Ojeda, Marissa Delgado, Mona Liza, Ray Marcos.

5 pm

PAKAWALAN MO AKO (MVP Pictures, 1981)

An escort service girl is junked by her fiance upon the revelation of her profession kept secret from the man. Winner of Best Actress for Vilma Santos. Nominations in major categories including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Story, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Christopher de Leon, Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Castelo, Best Supporting Actress for Deborah Sun-1982 FAMAS.

Direction: Elwood Perez, Screenplay: Pete Lacaba, Mauro Gia Samonte, Ishko Lopez. Cinematography: Gener Buenaseda. Cast: Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, Anthony Castelo, Deborah Sun, Mila Ocampo.

7:30 pm

ANG TOTONG BUHAY NI PACITA M (MRN Films, 1991)

A bawdy two-bit singer in a cheap pub is shattered when her teenage daughter  the only one true love of her life is hit by a stray bullet.
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Story, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Music, Best Actress for Nora Aunor-1991 MMFF, more distinctions from all local award giving bodies including FAMAS, FAP, PMPC, URIAN, YOUNG CRITICS CIRCLE. Official Selection in Main Competition for Silver Screen Awards 1992 Singapore Intl. Film Festival. Official Selection 1992 Toronto IFF/Hawaii IFF/India IFF, New Delhi. Southeast Asian Film Festival, Amsterdam.

Direction: Elwood Perez. Screenplay: Ricardo Lee. Cinematography: Ricardo Jacinto. Cast: Nora Aunor, Lotlot de Leon, Armida Siguion-Reyna.

[keating]

You're invited to the beachside screening of the iconic film by the camp master Joey Gosiengfiao. Cinema One presents TEMPTATION ISLAND beachside screening and party in Boracay, April 18, 2008, Beachcomber, Boracay Island.

Plus
Games
Celebrity Guests
70's Themed Party
with DJ Mars Miranda

[polio8vaccine]

I was watching Nights of Serafina and I thought the old woman there looked familiar. Is that the same woman who appeared as the villain in La Paloma?

[keating]

Poster ad of the cult classic BLUE JEANS. Apo's second gig after playing the singing narrators in SI POPEYE ATBP. 

[keating]

ETERNAL MASTER OF PINOY CAMP
Joey Gosiengfiao was planning his directorial comeback


By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer



MANILA, Philippines – Cinema was the most enduring passion of director Joey Gosiengfiao, who succumbed to a heart attack, his sixth, on Friday - a day after his 66th birthday.

Inquirer Entertainment witnessed Gosiengfiao rummaging through movie queen Amalia Fuentes’ DVD collection, borrowing several titles - all Hollywood classics - last October.

“He loved watching movies,” recalled Regal Films’ Lily Monteverde, who produced Gosiengfiao’s biggest hits: “Temptation Island,” “Underage,” and “Katorse.”

“He grew up in a moviehouse,” fellow director Elwood Perez remembered. “He was from a prominent clan of lawyers in Tuguegarao. An uncle owned a theater, where Joey played behind the telon (screen).”

Perez said he met Gosiengfiao when they were students at the University of the East. “He confided that his life was like the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie,” Perez recounted. “His mom Maria was pure Japanese and looked like Lana Turner. She was erudite and genteel. Their house was filled with books. I used to borrow books by Sartre and Kafka from their library.”

He would forever remember Gosiengfiao as “a bohemian in a turtleneck, a cigarette dangling from his lips, like French actress Jeanne Moreau,” Perez said.

From school plays, they jumped to TV, as directors on the drama series “Balintataw.” When the movies beckoned, they made the big leap together.

After working as co-directors in “Lipad, Darna, Lipad” in 1973, Perez’s family produced Gosiengfiao’s solo film, “La Paloma,” in 1974. It top-billed Mona Lisa, Celia Rodriguez and Vina Casino.

“La Paloma” is one of the films featured in the Gosiengfiao retrospective, currently running on Cinema One, ABS-CBN’s Filipino movie channel on cable.

“We got a 16mm black-and-white copy from Direk Joey,” said Cinema One’s Ronald Arguelles. “We planned to hold a big screening event, to raise funds for his medical needs.”

Last time Arguelles saw Gosiengfiao was on March 6, during a taping of an interview for the retrospective. “In that interview, he mentioned that his favorite movie was ‘Bedspacers’ because it was based on his student life,” Arguelles said.

“He should be remembered for his support of young filmmakers,” Perez asserted. Gosiengfiao was supervising producer for Good Harvest, a subsidiary of Regal which produced the so-called pito-pito movies (low budget, shot in seven days and processed in seven more) by independent filmmakers Lav Diaz, Rico Ilarde and Jeffrey Jeturian in the late 1990s.

“In a way, pito-pito movies were the precursor of today’s digital movies,” Jeturian said. “Budget was limited, but we had a free hand.”

“That was an exciting and highly creative period,” Ilarde said. “With a budget of P2 to P4 million, Good Harvest produced gems.”

Jeturian related: “Two months ago, Direk Joey called, asking me to recommend a scriptwriter because he was planning his directorial comeback.”

According to Arguelles, Gosiengfiao’s last full-length film was “Nights of Serafina” in 1996.

Jeturian reported: “Direk Joey wanted a writer who understood his humor. I suggested Chris Martinez, who directed the stage version of ‘Temptation Island’ at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2003.”

On its last night, Gosiengfiao watched ‘Temptation Island’ at the CCP with his stars Azenith Briones and Dina Bonnevie, according to Martinez. “At curtain call, I gave him my bouquet of flowers.”

Serafina parties

Martinez recalled that his UP theater friends had mounted “Nights of Serafina” parties in their younger years. “We would rent a VHS copy of ‘Serafina’ from ACA Video and laugh all night.” Later on, they threw ‘Temptation Island’ parties. “All my friends knew that movieís lines by heart. [Comic] John Lapus produced the stage version. He had the script transcribed from a videotape copy.”

Diaz hailed Joey as an “eternal master of Pinoy camp.”

Bonnevie insisted that no one could rival Gosiengfiao when it came to witty lines and wacky ideas. “One line has stuck in my mind: ‘Once a waiter; always a waiter.’ For ‘Temptation,’ he had a giant ice cream cone and fried chicken in the middle of a desert!”

Gosiengfiao was also her guardian, she said. “I was only 17, and my dad entrusted me to him. He rushed me to the hospital when I was [sick, and] when I fought with [my boyfriend and co-star] Alfie Anido, he acted as mediator.”

[ciconneguy]

nakaka-miss si joey g. sana regal would release all his films on dvd. the campier, the better hehe. glad to have bought a copy of temptation island, even on vcd.

ETERNAL MASTER OF PINOY CAMP
Joey Gosiengfiao was planning his directorial comeback


By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer



MANILA, Philippines – Cinema was the most enduring passion of director Joey Gosiengfiao, who succumbed to a heart attack, his sixth, on Friday - a day after his 66th birthday.

Inquirer Entertainment witnessed Gosiengfiao rummaging through movie queen Amalia Fuentes’ DVD collection, borrowing several titles - all Hollywood classics - last October.

“He loved watching movies,” recalled Regal Films’ Lily Monteverde, who produced Gosiengfiao’s biggest hits: “Temptation Island,” “Underage,” and “Katorse.”

“He grew up in a moviehouse,” fellow director Elwood Perez remembered. “He was from a prominent clan of lawyers in Tuguegarao. An uncle owned a theater, where Joey played behind the telon (screen).”

Perez said he met Gosiengfiao when they were students at the University of the East. “He confided that his life was like the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie,” Perez recounted. “His mom Maria was pure Japanese and looked like Lana Turner. She was erudite and genteel. Their house was filled with books. I used to borrow books by Sartre and Kafka from their library.”

He would forever remember Gosiengfiao as “a bohemian in a turtleneck, a cigarette dangling from his lips, like French actress Jeanne Moreau,” Perez said.

From school plays, they jumped to TV, as directors on the drama series “Balintataw.” When the movies beckoned, they made the big leap together.

After working as co-directors in “Lipad, Darna, Lipad” in 1973, Perez’s family produced Gosiengfiao’s solo film, “La Paloma,” in 1974. It top-billed Mona Lisa, Celia Rodriguez and Vina Casino.

“La Paloma” is one of the films featured in the Gosiengfiao retrospective, currently running on Cinema One, ABS-CBN’s Filipino movie channel on cable.

“We got a 16mm black-and-white copy from Direk Joey,” said Cinema One’s Ronald Arguelles. “We planned to hold a big screening event, to raise funds for his medical needs.”

Last time Arguelles saw Gosiengfiao was on March 6, during a taping of an interview for the retrospective. “In that interview, he mentioned that his favorite movie was ‘Bedspacers’ because it was based on his student life,” Arguelles said.

“He should be remembered for his support of young filmmakers,” Perez asserted. Gosiengfiao was supervising producer for Good Harvest, a subsidiary of Regal which produced the so-called pito-pito movies (low budget, shot in seven days and processed in seven more) by independent filmmakers Lav Diaz, Rico Ilarde and Jeffrey Jeturian in the late 1990s.

“In a way, pito-pito movies were the precursor of today’s digital movies,” Jeturian said. “Budget was limited, but we had a free hand.”

“That was an exciting and highly creative period,” Ilarde said. “With a budget of P2 to P4 million, Good Harvest produced gems.”

Jeturian related: “Two months ago, Direk Joey called, asking me to recommend a scriptwriter because he was planning his directorial comeback.”

According to Arguelles, Gosiengfiao’s last full-length film was “Nights of Serafina” in 1996.

Jeturian reported: “Direk Joey wanted a writer who understood his humor. I suggested Chris Martinez, who directed the stage version of ‘Temptation Island’ at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2003.”

On its last night, Gosiengfiao watched ‘Temptation Island’ at the CCP with his stars Azenith Briones and Dina Bonnevie, according to Martinez. “At curtain call, I gave him my bouquet of flowers.”

Serafina parties

Martinez recalled that his UP theater friends had mounted “Nights of Serafina” parties in their younger years. “We would rent a VHS copy of ‘Serafina’ from ACA Video and laugh all night.” Later on, they threw ‘Temptation Island’ parties. “All my friends knew that movieís lines by heart. [Comic] John Lapus produced the stage version. He had the script transcribed from a videotape copy.”

Diaz hailed Joey as an “eternal master of Pinoy camp.”

Bonnevie insisted that no one could rival Gosiengfiao when it came to witty lines and wacky ideas. “One line has stuck in my mind: ‘Once a waiter; always a waiter.’ For ‘Temptation,’ he had a giant ice cream cone and fried chicken in the middle of a desert!”

Gosiengfiao was also her guardian, she said. “I was only 17, and my dad entrusted me to him. He rushed me to the hospital when I was [sick, and] when I fought with [my boyfriend and co-star] Alfie Anido, he acted as mediator.”

[keating]

Cinema One just aired this morning the omnibus camp classic MAY ISANG TSUPER NG TAXI megged by Gosiengfiao, Perez and Luciano B. Carlos from Juan dela Cruz Prods.

The brilliant Celia Rodriguez, a Gosiengfiao veteran stars in one of the episodes as a spouse who retaliated on her cheating husband. The taxi driver is played by Orestes Ojeda.

[pinoymovies]

1974 Expressweek article on Joey Gosiengfiao is posted in Pelikula ATBP blog. Here is the link:

http://pelikulaatbp.blogspot.com/2009/01/joey-gosiengfiao.html

[keating]

Joey Gosiengfiao's 14 GOING STEADY reviewed on http://sari-saringsinengpinoy.blogspot.com/

one of my generation's favorite...... Just the opening sequence alone, the camp master got the milieu right!

[keating]

Stills from ZOOM ZOOM SUPERMAN. Many thanks to James DR of Pelikula, Atbp, blog. If you haven't seen this film during the 70's you missed 1/2 of your life! 



Ariel Ureta flying around the metropolis.





Celia Rodriguez as Babaing Gagamba.

[keating]

Rita Gomez as the mad scientist who unfolds the homicidal SpiderWoman played by Celia Rodriguez. Yes folks, DC and Marvel characters co-existed in one film which can only happened in this trilogy made by Ishmael Bernal, Joey Gosiengfiao and Elwood Perez.

[keating]

Rosanna Ortiz terrorize you again as the 100 year old witch!

[keating]

Gina Alajar as the 12 year old witch.



Gina Pareno as Cheetah.

[keating]

One of the camp master's favorite films......Joey Gosiengfiao's BEDSPACERS will be shown this Thursday at 3pm on Rewind at Cinema One.

Based on his college life with Alma Moreno, Rio Locsin & Amy Austria.

[keating]

NYMPHA (Joey Gosiengfiao, 1980)

Burden with a traumatic childhood past, the body of Nympha Monteverde played to perfection by Gosiengfiao muse Alma Moreno, was found in the mountains after she escaped from the convent and had mass sex by dozen campers. The rescue operations led by Ella Luansing the nun, a brilliant thespian. Alma was gang-bang with her consent landed on the hospital after the rescue operations with raptured vagina but the doctor tells it will heal.  That childhood past resulted to a different kind of sickness, not promiscuity but nymphomania where she just shake and perspires whenever she sees a man. In his most daring and perverse work tucked in his filmography, MTRCB Chairman Laguardia slapped the film with an X rating at the Cinema One film fest 3 years ago.....the camp master created a world not only infuse with camp, black humor and wicked thoughts that combines Almodovar & Bunuel in one. And for pure laughs check out or spot the influence from Hitchcock's VERTIGO & GONE WITH THE WIND. Rosemarie Gil as the stepmother was at her usual elan flair and almost eclipsed Alma and had a tryst with Ricky Belmonte. The Gosiengfiao veterans Deborah Sun in a restrained performance, Orestes Ojeda, Ed Villapol, Sandy Garcia and the late Alfie Anido were at their usual best. With all the sexual innuendos thrown in, this camp opus should not be confused with Castillo's NYMPHA released during the 70's. But it was still Alma Moreno that stood out, the body and face that could launched a thousand ships. With classic lines that can make Andy Warhol proud.....kung masakit ang daliri ko, puede ko putulin, paano ko puputulin ito? Alma cries! Baka tuhugin mo lahat ng muchacho dito, his father shipping magnate Johnny Wilson shout to Alma! Alma makes a dramatic entrance to a party thrown by her stepmother, Rosemarie Gil....."kumusta ka na hija? Nympha shouts with proud....eto, stepmother, ni-rape ng sandaang lalake! Hind lang apoy ang nilalamon ko kundi laman....Alma tells carnival fire-eater Alfie Anido. In order to avoid spoilers, will Alma be cured of her sickness, be a normal woman and have a family in the future? Catch this Gosiengfiao opus on the archive of Cinema One.
 

[Qoheleth]

***CAMP GOSIENGFIAO: The World According To Joey G.,The Master of Pinoy Camp -
In celebration of Joey Gosiengfiao's 2nd death anniversary (March 15, 1941-March 16, 2007)***

July 13-18, Monday to Saturday
Screenings start at 5:30 pm
Mag:Net Cafe Katipunan (beside Rustan's Supermarket, in front of Miriam College)
Tel # 929.3191

CALENDAR.MOV

July 13 Mon: DIARY OF CRISTINA GASTON (1982): Joey Gosiengfiao
July 14 Tue: BLUE JEANS (1981): Joey Gosiengfiao
July 15 Wed: BATA PA SI SABEL (1981): Joey Gosiengfiao
July 16 Thu: KATORSE (1980): Joey Gosiengfiao
July 17 Fri: BOMBA STAR (1980): Joey Gosiengfiao
July 18 Sat: TEMPTATION ISLAND (1980): Joey Gosiengfiao

***July 17 Fri, 9pm: CAMP GOSIENGFIAO NIGHT
Featuring the best camp-rock bands this side of the barracks***

[keating]

anytime Nino... wala talagang sinabi si Almodovar.

Jojo was it the sanitize version Cinema One was airing lately regarding NYMPHA? I noticed that everytime the word MONTEVERDE was spoken by the cast, it was deleted.

Was Mother offended by the film? Could it be the copy that was suppose to be shown at Cinema One fest when they paid tribute to Gosiengfiao at Sm Megamall 4 years ago that was slapped by an X rating by the MTRCB?

[jdv1229]

No... as a matter of fact it's the complete version of Nympha. The only thing is that the censors thought that Monteverde was used in bad taste since Regal is owned by Lily and Remy Monteverde. Nympha still remains to be Alma Moreno's boldest film role ever.

[keating]

I concur with you...its Alma's most daring role ever. That opening rescue operation scene was such a stunner!

[keating]

Actress Deborah Sun gets her second wind


By Gerry Plaza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:52:00 07/23/2009


MANILA, Philippines—From 1971-81, a young actress named Deborah Sun set movie screens on fire with her sizzling portrayals of alluring characters in Elwood Perez’s “Diborsyada,” Joey Gosiengfiao’s “Nympha” and Mel Chionglo’s “Playgirl,” among other flicks labeled under the bold genre.

Though she then had the looks, figure and persona of a femme fatale, Deborah now confesses that she was nothing more than a reluctant newcomer who disliked the limelight. It took intense prodding before the aspiring flight stewardess was launched in “Bedspacer” opposite Mark Gil.

“I didn’t even know my name was changed to Deborah Sun,” she tells the Inquirer. “I only learned about it in the newspapers.”

A member of a prominent show biz clan, Deborah was born Jean Louise Salvador—Gigi to close friends—a daughter of director Leroy Salvador and Corazon Porcuna.

“It was Douglas Quijano who thought of Deborah,” she recalls. “Mother Lily (Monteverde) then added Sun.”

‘Temptation Island’

“Bedspacer” was a hit, which prompted Gosiengfiao to cast Deborah in “Temptation Island.” Released in 1980, the film became a favorite of critics and went on to enjoy a reputation as a “cult classic” and a prime example of “Pinoy camp”—whose master was Gosiengfiao.

Deborah was the only non-beauty titlist in the cast, which included Azenith Briones, Jennifer Cortez, Bambi Arambulo and Dina Bonnevie. The story revolved around contestants in a beauty pageant stranded in a desert island without food, water and shelter.

Playing an oppressed domestic helper, Deborah says shooting the film in a beach in Paoay, Ilocos Norte was the opposite of the “paradise” that the movie was trying to project.

“Everyone in the cast slept in one room,” she recounts. “We had no means of communication with our families.”

But the worst thing that made the whole experience seem like “hell” was the scorching heat they had to endure. It was so hot, Deborah remembers, “that the lead stars ended up quarreling.”

She couldn’t forget Alfie (Anido) and Dina (Bonnevie)—who were a couple at that time—fighting on the set. “Alfie had his arm locked on Dina’s neck and she asked for my help,” Deborah says. “That was hilarious. Jennifer, Bambi, Azenith and I also quarreled at times, but despite everything, we had a great time.”

Deborah adds that it was also during the shoot of “Temptation Island” when she first met a dashing new actor named Gabby Concepcion. “He was not part of the cast ... he was just there to observe,” Deborah explains. “I wanted him to feel comfortable ... I told him, ‘Hi handsome, don’t be shy, join us.”

Gabby’s first magazine pictorial was with her as partner, says Deborah.

The impression she made in “Temptation Island” led Regal, Deborah’s home studio, to line up several projects for her, including a key role in “Underage” — the film that advanced the careers of Dina, Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna. In the starring role was Deborah, with Gabby.

Famas nomination

Deborah says her peak year was in 1982, when she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress at the Famas Awards for Elwood Perez’s “Pakawalan Mo Ako,” where she appeared with Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon.

She lost to Chanda Romero (“Karma”).

More projects followed: “Adultery (Aida Macaraeg Case No. 7892)”; “Till We Meet Again”; “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow”; “The Day They Robbed America”; “Asawa Ko, Huwag Mong Agawin.”

That was when Deborah fell trap to a destructive vice. “I got into drugs,” she admits. “I’m sure everyone knows that.

She also also got involved with her “Diborsyada” co-star, Jimi Melendez, then married to somebody else, and with whom she later bore a son, Jam. At the time she already had a daughter, Gelanie, who was born when Deborah was only 15.

Downward spiral

As her career bottomed out, her personal life went on a downward spiral as her drug addiction worsened. In 1989 Deborah was forced to migrate to the United States in 1989. That same year, fellow actress Lorna Tolentino filed an estafa case against her over non-payment of jewelry.

Trying to turn a new leaf, Deborah settled in New York and landed a job in a famous American clothing line. She also fell in love with a Filipino-American, with whom she has a daughter, Gemmalyn, her youngest.

But 15 years of living in the US was no better, as Deborah couldn’t lick her drug problem. “I couldn’t stop it,” she says.

In 2004 she returned to the Philippines.

A few months after guesting in a TV show, Deborah was placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s hold-departure list and eventually arrested for violations of Batas Pambansa 22 or the Anti-Bouncing Checks Law.

Saving grace

In 2005 she was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

Deborah describes her life behind bars as something like “being alive and dead at the same time.”

On the other hand, being in jail, she says, also proved to be her saving grace.

“If I didn’t get imprisoned, I would have been more hooked on drugs. I might have even become a pusher,” she relates.

Only a year after serving her sentence, she was granted a conditional pardon from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Deborah said she owed her release to the support of her longtime show biz friends, notably veteran actress Amalia Fuentes.

Now drug-free, Deborah swears she has walked away from her old carefree, devil-may-care attitude. All she can think of now is caring for her family.

Comeback

Staging a show biz comeback wasn’t easy, and she admitted having to burn the phone lines to reach out to producers and directors and ask for work.

Deborah has thus far appeared in two prime-time dramas on GMA 7, “La Vendetta” and “Impostora.” Just last year, she was cast in “Magdusa Ka,” “Babangon Ako’t Dudurugin Kita,” “ESP,” and the drama anthology “Obra.”

She also landed a supporting role in “My Best Friend’s Girlfriend” which top-billed Richard Gutierrez and Marian Rivera; a cameo in the comedy “Ded Na Si Lolo” (starring Gina Alajar, Elizabeth Oropesa, Dick Israel, Manilyn Reynes and Roderick Paulate).

Deborah was likewise seen in the just-concluded GMA 7 prime time series “Totoy Bato.” She noted that her comeback would not have been possible without the help of her long-time friend Gina Alajar and director Maryo J delos Reyes, as well as GMA 7, which opened its doors for her 20 years since her last major film, “Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos.”

She says her children, Gelanie, now 35, Jam, 26, and Gemmalyn, 8, inspire her to make the most of her rejuvenated career.

For now, Deborah is content with the projects and roles she’s been getting.

“I am not asking for a big talent fee. I only want a job,” she says. “It’s difficult to land roles these days because there are a lot of contenders.”

Getting her second wind, she hopes to let the dark chapters in her life remain closed and forgotten.

“I hope people will remember me as the Deborah in the early phase of her acting career,” she says, “not the one who became a drug addict and convict.”

But how does she really see herself?

“I’m a survivor,” she replies. “With all that has happened to me, I think that’s the only way I could best describe it.”

[Noel_Vera]

I remember hearing about how Louis Malle was extremely taken by Deborah and wanted her in a project. But he passed away and that was that.

[keating]

I loved Deborah Sun in Gosiengfiao's NYMPHA. Her classy and restrained performance was so good.

[keating]

SOFIA Presents Joey Gosiengfiao's La Paloma: Ang Kalapating Ligaw

 

 

For the second leg of its series “Underrated Films, Forgotten Filmmakers,” the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA) presents La Paloma: Ang Kalapating Ligaw by Joey Gosiengfiao, to be screened for free at the Tanghalang Manuel Conde (CCP Dream Theater) on Thursday, November 26, 2009, at 4 pm.

 

Shot in 1974 in black and white, the humorous film tells the story of  flamboyant actress Paloma Corazon (Ceclia Rodriguez), who's  unexpected visit to the wake of the late Don Lorenzo (Ricky Belmonte), her  lover, causes unwanted tension as she is deemed unwelcome by Don Lorenzo's wife Anida (Vina Casino). Chaos further ensues with the inevitable inheritance split, this time also involving Don Lorenzo's mother Soledad (Mona Lisa). Adding to the mess is the entry of Joel (Orestes Ojeda), a struggling but handsome guitarist who applies as a gardener in the mansion.

 

Hilarious at every turn and filled with biting wit and social commentary,  La Paloma: Ang Kalapating Ligaw is  a film that truly deserves a second look.

 

***

 

Through its program “Underrated Films, Forgotten Filmmakers,” the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA) aims to spark awareness and a renewed sense of appreciation for Filipino films that have hitherto gone unnoticed, as well as to turn the spotlight on local filmmakers who have not received their proper due but who are undoubtedly worthy of recognition.

 

For more details, please contact Vicky Belarmino at 832-1125 loc. 1704 to 1705 or Monchito Nocon at 0920 2836393, or email [email protected]

[beautiful decay]

I still remember during my elementary & high school days in Cavite City, i would spend my weekends watching films by Joey Gosiengfiao & Elwood Perez in a third run theater.  Since most of their movies are For Adults Only, i'm not allowed to watch it with my mom ( a fan of both filmakers) in first run moviehouses.  Then i would wait for them to be shown on Piling Piling Pelikula and Cine Spectacular on channel 13. I miss those days.

[keating]

Most of Sine Pilipino Prods and Juan dela Cruz flicks were shown on PPP & Cine Spectacular on channel 13. Brings to my mind again.....LIPAD DARNA LIPAD, ZOOM ZOOM SUPERMAN & SI POPEYE ATBP.

And if you're not tired of watching them you can still catch it every Saturday. Right after Saturday Fun Machine on channel 9, im glued on the couch on channel 13.

[beautiful decay]

I can't remember if i'd seen Lipad Darna Lipad and Zoom Zoom Superman which is such a shame.  I remember watching Popeye and loved the Dracula episode.  Another Gosiengfiao film i want to see again is Bedspacers.  I remember watching it on Cine Spectacular and particularly liked the character of Rio Locsin as the social climbing Itang.  To bad i always fail to catch it whenever they show it on Cinema One.   Same with Underage.  I remember those Saturday afternoons too when i am glued on the T.V. watching re-runs of Supergirl of Pinky Montilla and Elektrika Kasi Eh of Trixia Gomez, though both were not directed by Gosienfiao & Perez.

[keating]

Cinema One's copy of BEDSPACERS is in bad shape. Worst copy of Gosiengfiao flick I've seen on cable.

Even the gang rape scene of Rio Locsin was mangled terribly!

Ariel Ureta's comic timing is impeccable in ZOOM ZOOM SUPERMAN & SI POPEYE ATBP.

[joey escalera]

bakla b yan dalawang direktor n yan?