Ai Ai De Las Alas Personally Receives Her Asean International Filmfest Best Actress Award From 'Area' Producer Mrs. Baby F. Go

AI AI DE LAS ALAS finally received the Hornbill best actress trophy she got from the Asean International Filmfest held last weekend in Sarawak, Malaysia. Mrs. Baby Go of BG Productions, which produced the movie for which she won, “Area”, held a special intimate presscon to personally hand her the trophy, also for Ana Capri who best supporting actress for “Laut”, another movie produced by BG Productions. Both “Area” and “Laut” are directed by Louie Ignacio, who won as best director.

Ai Ai de las Alas sat beside us during dinner and she clarified reports that she’s going back to ABS-CBN. “Maraming nagtatanong kasi nakita nila ko sa show ni Ama (Boy Abunda),” she says. “Nag-guest lang ako roon to promote my new movie, ‘Our Mighty Yaya’, at nagpapasalamat ako that GMA-7 allowed me to be a guest there at tinanggap naman ako ng ABS-CBN. Thankful din ako kasi, ayon kay Mother Lily, happy siya sa box office results ng ‘Our Might Yaya’ at naka-P7 million raw kami when it opened nung Wednesday. Ang alam ko, baka may gawin din akong movie sa Star Cinema by next year.”

When she was shooting “Area”, where she played an aging prostitute looking for her long lost son, did she somehow have an inkling that she’d won international acting awards for her performance? “Naku, wala. Ayoko mag-expect kasi kapag lost ka, masakit. Pero talagang sobrang nahirapan ako sa movie na yan. Yung location namin na bahay ng mga prostie, sobrang liit, sobrang init, marumi. Ang first scene na kinunan sa’kin, yung agad nawala yung perang iniipon ko. Heavy drama agad at mahabang tuhog ang shot na sinusundan ako ng kamera kaya di ako puedeng magkamali. Tapos, yung final scene, namang may costumer akong Amerikano, who turns out na siya palang nawawala kong anak, hindi ako nasiyahan sa acting ko so I asked for a take 2.”

But she now realizes all her sweat and efforts for “Area” have paid off nicely. “Talaga, lahat ng hirap, worth it, dahil ayan nga, nanalo na kong best actress sa Queens, New York, at ngayon naman, sa Malaysia. Feeling ko, para na kong mga aktres nating nanalo sa international filmfests, like Ate Guy, Ate Vi, Jaclyn Jose! And to those who want to watch ‘Area’, palalabas ito SM Theaters sa MOA, North Edsa, Fairview, Bacoor, Cebu, Iloilo, Megamall at Southmall, from May 19 to 24 kaya chance nyo nang mapanood ang award-winning film na itong ipinagmamalaki ko talaga.”

She’s nominated again in the Asia Pacific Filmfest in Brisbane, Australia. Would she go? “Naku, ayaw na nila akong papuntahin. Kasi noon, sa Kazakhtan Filmfest, nag-go ako, gustong-gusto nila ko at yung movie roon, pero lost naman ako. Sa New York at Malaysia, di ako nagpunta, pero win ako. So sabi nila, wag na lang ako um-appear sa Australia. Pero totoo pala yung ma-nominate ka lang sa abroad, fulfilled ka na kasi ang mga kalaban mo, puro taga-ibang bansa, parang Miss Universe ang dating, di ba?”