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| ATE GUY WITH DIREK JOEL LAMANGAN |
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| the cast of ISA PANG BAHAGHARI |
WILL LIGHTNING STRIKE twice for the team of Director Joel Lamangan, scriptwriter Eric Ramos and producers Dennis Evangeliusta and Harlene Bautista? Last year, their “Rainbow’s Sunset”, won the lion’s share of trophies at the Metro-Manila Filmfest Awards Night.
This year, their entry is “Isa Pang Bahaghari”, another gay-themed story this time starring Nora Aunor with Phillip Salvador and Michael de Mesa as the main stars. How did Ate Guy feel when the original choices as her leading men, Christopher de Leon and Tirso Cruz III, nixed the project?
“Naku, bahala na sila,” she says. “Decision nila yun at respetuhin na lang natin. Masaya naman akong makatrabaho si Kuya Ipe at si Michael de Mesa na hindi rin matatawaran ang kakayahan sa pag-arte. Happy rin akong makasama ang young stars na kasali sa cast ng pelikula at siempre, si Director Joel Lamangan.
"Lagi akong masayang katrabaho siya dahil marami na kaming nagawang pelikula, gaya ng ‘Flor Contemplacion Story’, ‘Muling Umawit ang Puso’, ‘Bakit May Kahapon Pa’, ‘Sidhi’ at ‘Hustisya’. At sa lahat ng movies na yan, nanalo akong best actress, so natitiyak kong magiging maganda rin ang bagong pagsasama naming ito sa ‘Isa Pang Bahaghari.’”
She loves her role as Lumen. “High school friends kami rito ng characters nina Kuya Ipe at Michael, sina Dom at Rey. Si Kuya Ipe, naging seaman at nawala sa laot. Akala ko, he abandoned us. Yun pala, sumabog ang oil tanker nila at napadpad siya sa Cuba, kunsaan kinupkop siya ng isang mag-ama.
"E, wala pa namang cellphone noong araw kaya hindi niya ako nakontak hanggang sa lumipat na kami ng mga anak namin ng ibang lugar. 24 years later, bumalik siya, nahanap niya ako sa tulong ni Michael. Siempre, galit ako sa kanya kasi iniwan niya kami.”
She became a single mom who works as a laundry woman. “Mag-isa kong tinaguyod yung tatlong anak namin, played by Zanjoe Marudo, Joseph Marco and Zanya Lopez. Susuyuin nila ako at ang mga anak namin, pero si Sanya, galit na galit sa kanya. Ipinagbubuntis ko pa lang ito nang mawala siya. Hindi naging maganda ang buhay ng mga anak ko.
"Si Zanjoe, napasama sa mga pusher. Si Joseph, nabilanggo dahil pinabintangang nang-rape. Si Sanya, single mother who works as a GRO. Hindi naman alam, may lihim palang itinatago si Kuya Ipe sa pagbabalik niya.”
Playing the young Nora, Phillip and Michael in the flashback scenes are Maris Racal, Albie Casino and Migs Almendras. Supporting them are Lloyd Samartino as the rich businessman Zanjoe works for, Jim Pebanco as the older brother of Ate Guy, Angela Cortez of “Jino to Mari” as the wife of Zanjoe,
"Shido Roxas as the ex-BF of Sanya and dad of her child, newcomer Mari Preizer as Joseph’s girlfriend whose parents accused him of raping her, Tabs Sumulong as the friend of Ate Guy, and Xixi Maturan and Fanny Serrano as the friends of Michael de Mesa with whom he does a female impersonation act as the Tres Estrellas.
Just like “Rainbow’s Sunset” last year, the shooting of “Isa Pang Bahaghari” will have to be finished by August so that they can submit it as a completed movie before the September deadline.
