Thanks Ben Padero for upsounding! Original blog entry here.

the thank you girls review

i missed the opportunity to work as designer for this movie since it was shooting the same time with serbis. also, i was held back by tvc work from leaving for mindanao ergo i missed working on a fantabulous movie by emotistic centerstage colleague, charliebebs gohetia

yesterday was the thank you girls’ premiere at the UP and carlo and i headed for the theater on the invitation by writer-editor-director bebs. we of course expected the tongue-in-cheek comedy fished out from gay beauty pageants and we were taken in for a roll!

haskang grabe ka-juker! bibo gyud siya, never laughed so hard at a movie in a long time. the great part of this film was how natural the dialogue, both scripted and impromptu, twittered out of the cast’s lip-shimmered mouths. of course in the beginning it takes a bit of time to get used to bisayan gay linggo. hearing them speak in their native tongues and acting out along the billboard-less highways of mindanao, the bantering and witty exchanges felt right at home as if we’ve worn red satin gowns everyday of our lives. lighting and sound technicals aside, this movie is fantabulous from fake diamond tiara to flattened-out yellow spartan flipflops.

among the cast, we laud mommy paula’s natural and realistic approach to her role, her gay mamasan was never sashaying and contrived. i particularly loved both scenes that featured mommy paula and son, chris, driving on the freeway and the backstage scene after the bukidnon pageant. being a bisaya, i enjoyed hearing the dialogue come as natural as air, her exchanges with chris were spot on and their emotions on check and never overboard.

of course, a large part of the movie lived on the glorious top of the jeep, called taplod (top load) in bisayan linggo. the script featured a loadful of MG (miss gay) pageant scenarios, here the thank you girls (linggo for contestants who didnt make it to the semi-finals round, ergo “thank you, girls”) reenact opening spiels and the quintessential question-and-answer round, rehearse, playaround and just about anything they could do there. sometimes witty, sometimes effortlessly stupid, totally laugh-out-loud moments for us and the audience. nagkini-at ang mga bayot sa atop sa jeep bwahaha

the pace and energy of the film were infectious so kudos to bebs the editor. i loved that final scene in fictional cagayan de oro (bebs ha!) with the mirrors, great editing. even the first act of the movie was ultimately made more energetic with the editing and the shifting to and fro scenes from davao to the pageant. the soundtrack was also very chika bibo. all the thank you girls’ characters were wonderfully developed, so kudos to bebs the writer. loved each of the characters and their plight in life and in love. the actors’ performances were right on so kudos to bebs the direction.

bebs is on cloud 9. after his success with writing adolf alix’s daybreak and being solely acknowledged in singapore for editing tirador (tama ba?) plus the pending urian nomination for both tirador and foster child’s editing, he’s soon off to ********* for the city’s international filmfest for thank you girls in september. i cant wait to see what else bebs has up his fuschia colored bead encrusted silk sleeve. dili ni atik-atik gang ha, congrats! ikaw daog, imoha ang korona. rampa bayot! lovett!

Finally, nirelease na rin nila officially. Oh-em-gee. I swear. I'm so loving this.

Sabi nga ni Allyson habang nag-uusap sila ni Mommy Paola sa madilim na bahagi ng pageant sa Bukidnon (in Tagalog):

Allyson: Di ko maintindihan kung bakit dito sa mga probinsya, mahilig sila magpa-MG (Miss Gay) para sa mga first timers.

Mommy Paola: Masarap raw kasi ang first time.

Oo. Eto. Perstyam ito ng TYG kaya masarap (at hihirit akong sana masundan pa, haha). Masarap na masarap, ohyeah. I-access ang press release dito. Opisyal na. TYG competes in the Dragons and Tigers Section sa Vancouver Film Festival. Char!

Vancouver fest unveils Asia-heavy slate
'Longwang Chronicles,' 'Jalainur' set for world premieres
By Adele Weder

Aug 28, 2008, 03:43 PM ET

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver International Film Festival on Thursday unveiled what organizers called the largest slate of East Asian cinema in North America, including world premieres for Li Fifan's documentary "The Longwang Chronicles" and Zhao Ye's "Jalainur," which is set in wintry Manchuria.

The festival, which is set to run Sept. 25-Oct. 10, will screen 73 East Asian films, with 27 international premieres and 18 North American debuts.

The Dragons & Tigers competition for emerging Asian directors includes international premieres for "German + Rain" from Yokohama Satoko and Uchida Nobutero's "Kaza-Aana" (Japan) and Charliebebs Gohetia's "The 'Thank You' Girls" (Philippines) and North American premieres for Emily Tang's "Perfect Life" and Gao Wengdong's "Sweet Food City," both from China.

This year's Dragons & Tigers jury includes Ichiayama Shozo, filmmaker Pe-nek Ratanaruang and critic Elisabeth Lequeret.

Vancouver's 27th installment also has booked an international premiere for the Cuba Gooding Jr. starrer "Linewatch," from Kevin Bray and Sony Pictures Entertainment, and a world premiere for Spanish director Ivan Noel's coming-of-age drama "In Your Absence."

Photo courtesy of Ben Padero

Halos isang linggo ako di makatulog. Iniisip ko kung mapupuno ko ba ang Adarna sa premiere night ng TYG o lalangawin ba siya at isang row lang ang mauupuan at ang row na yun ay bakante pa sa harap. Nag-aalala ako kung magugustuhan ba siya bilang ang premiere ay isang napaka-crucial na pangyayari sa isang pelikula at dahil hindi naman ito kalakihang pelikula, I have to rely sa word-of-mouth advertising.

Aligaga. Kailangan mag-color grading. Kailangan maglatag. Kailangan maghatak ng manonood. Kailangan magsubtitle. Maayos, walang typo at hindi text-language na subtitle. At dahil tradisyon ko na ang maghabol ng oras, kahapon lang nagkaroon ng master copy ang pelikula. Dalawang araw kong hindi tinulugan 'yun.

Balak ko pa naman sana bumongga ng todo dahil alam kong may mga camera na magmamatyag. Magpa-makeover, yung tipong di na ako makilala ng mga kakilala ko. Umeport sa damit, yung tipong nasa Video Music Awards ako. Di ko rin naman nagawa. Pweh.

Kahapon ng tanghali, pagkauwi ng bahay galing Ignite, natulog na lang muna ako para di tumuyo ang balat ko at ayokong malosyang-looking. Wa na sa eport ng makeover at fashown. I was just banking on internet advertising at konting print mileage at nang makita ko nung Wednesday na marami naman ang nagpupromote sa mga sites nila, kumampante na ang katauhan ko. (Salamat, guys!)

Nilipad namin lahat ng cast from Davao para ma-experience naman nila ang World Premiere at nang makita nila for the first time yung pelikula. Hindi ko sila nakausap until alas singko y media na ng hapon pagpunta ko sa Adarna para magtechnical test. Maayos naman altough may mga modang hindi lumabas ang tunay na kulay base sa na-grade nang material (feeling ko, maganda pa rin naman na lumabas) at aligaga ang audio (hindi masyado nabigyan ng hustisya ang audio mix ni Sir Ditoy) . Aktwali, hindi talaga ganun kaganda ang acoustics ng Adarna pero kebs na. Maayos akong nakapag-technical test.

Nagsidatingan na ang mga tao ng 6pm. Narealize ko, andami, dami, dami, dami ko palang friends, haha. At kahit hindi ito sex film, maraming pumunta. Sobrang ganda ng ginawa ng UP Cinema na exhibit sa labas. Thanks Jed. May mga expected akong mga tao at celebrities na di nakarating, sayang. At may mga taong matagal ko nang di nakikita na dumating at sumuporta. Grabe, kakatouch.

Mark dela Cruz, maraming salamat sa pagpayag na mag-emcee bilang kinaladkad lang kita 30 minutes bago ang screening, hekhek. Unang pinalabas ang short film ni Leo bilang front act at bilang experimental ang pelikula, nakatulala lang ang audience after the film, haha! Angganda kaya nung film niya. Very internet relationship.

For the first few minutes ng TYG, naging tin can-sounding ang audio. Ulk! Nyetah. Something always goes wrong, divine. E, maayos naman ang technical run so bakit nagkaganun. Si manong mixer talaga! So, kelangan ko siyang aligagain! Tumayo ako at dumikta sa tabi niya para iayos yung mix habang nagpapalabas. Kaya pasensiya kung nagkaganun ang audio sa ibang parts kasi nag-aayos si manong. PERO I ASSURE YOU, HINDI TALAGA PANGIT ANG AUDIO NG TYG, I SWEAR! I paid so much detail sa audio mixing kaya alam kong maayos ang technicals ng pelikula dahil alam ko kung gaano ka-crucial at kaimportante ang sound.

Anyway, habang nagpi-play ang pelikula, natuwa naman ako at tumatawa ang mga tao kahit sa mga parteng di ko inexpect na tatawa sila. Siyempre bentang-benta pa rin ang "define darkness" kahit nasa trailer na 'to. Sabi ni Andrew, dapat nagdala raw siya ng papel at bolpen para mailista ang mga quotable quotes sa MG (Miss Gay), hekhek.

Ayun. Nawala na ang mga masasamang kaluluwang bumabagabag sakin. Maganda ang reception ng mga tao after and tuwang-tuwa si Jim, yung producer, sa resulta. At siyempre, touched na touched ako ke Cranks at Karl sa flowers! Eeeeeh. Mu-miriam Quiambao moment ako, pagkatapos madulas ay tumayo at pumroclaim nang rumirepresent sa all women in the world who stumbled and got up. Ansaya. Tapos, binigyan pa ako ng UP CINEMAsters ng sign book kung saan umemo message ang mga tao.

Oh yeah, Dimen. I'm officially a god. Buwaha. What took you so long to even realize that? Char.

So, ayun. O-opportunitista nako to thank everyone who helped out (no tears).

• Jim for making this happen. You're the one who should be commended.
• Adolf for being unconditional (char).
• Noel dahil lagi kang handang sumuporta at tumulong.
• Staff and crew at actors na rin (isa-isahin ko pa ba kayong ilista?) dahil naging masokista kayo sa panghahaggard ko, haha. And for sticking out with me during our worst times sa shoot, di niyo ako iniwan (emo niyo, tsweh!). Buti na lang at friends tayo kaya kinaya natin ang worst conditions na naexperience natin.
• Nelson Canlas and Michael Cruz.
• Film friends. (wag na kayong magpabanggit ng isa-isa, baka me makalimutan pa'ko).
  
• UP CINEMA. Habac, masaya ako manghaggard diba?
• Chris Fabian dahil lagi mo akong binibigyan ng exposure, hehe.
• Sa mga artists at banda na nagtiwala at nagpahiram ng kanilang mga kanta. Roxys, Haphazard (great meeting you MM, churvaloo girl!), Kampai, Gasulina, Sidecrash, Reggztheory, Lizardchips, Chris Uy, atbp.
  
• Sa mga nag-extra sa pelikula.
• Yam, Yen, AVL, Kuya Roy ng Iwag, Mintal gays.
• Libay Cantor at Nonoy Lauzon.
• Sir Ditoy and Soundcrew Staff.
• Ignite staff. Tom, dubout uli, haha.
  

Sa mga pumunta kagabi:

• UP CMC friends. Klaring, Dan, Emman, Kirkay, Sol, etc.
  
• Davao friends.
• Congress people.
• AJ, Miggs, Princhecha Fiona, Kuya , Geloy bloggers (kahit hindi nakapunta).
• Nestor de Guzman, salamat sa book.
• Ben, salamat sa magandang review! Friend talaga kita.
• Babaylans! Thanks Nicole.
  
• Coco Martin. Thanks, Co at pinakilig mo ang mga bakla dun haha.
• Jerome Romzey at Toni Ikwin.
  
• At sa mga tumulong na nakalimutan kong banggitin, salamat!
  

So.. on to the next destination. Baklain ang buong Davao! At buong mundo na rin. Eto ang mga schedule ng screenings:

Sept 8 - Premiere Night (Davao) at Gaisano Mall of Davao. Tickets at P100.

Sept 10-16 - Regular Showing (Davao) at Gaisano Mall of Davao

Sept 23 - Advance Screening 9:00pm Robinsons Indiesine

Sept 24-30 - Regular screening (Manila) Robinsons Indiesine

Moment of truth.

Today is the day.

TYG World Premiere na!

Cagayan... Sambahin mo ako!!!!!!!!!!!! [obnoxious laugh]

Two days to go at kinakabahan na ako.

I swear.

Bigla akong nagulat kanina pagbukas ko ng Facebook, eto ang bumungad sakin...

Di ako makapaniwala. Seryoso? Si J.R. Richards nga ba ito? Huwaw! Pakshet, kinilig ako ng sobra, yung kilig na may pangingisay at tirik mata. Grabe, Dishwalla vocalist ito, inadd ako bilang pwend sa facebook. And I'm like.. eeeeh, a fan.

Nadiskubre ko ang Dishwalla nung 2000 nang marinig ko ang 'Counting Blue Cars' at ayun, tinuloy-tuloy ko na. Karamihan sa kanilang mga kanta, ginamit na soundtrack sa mga tv shows tulad ng Charmed. Sila ang kumanta ng Somewhere in the Middle, Angels and Devils, Every Little Thing, Collide at ang pinakapaborito kong Candleburn at Opaline. Woohoo. Kinikilig pa rin ako.

After a 3-year hiatus, nagconcert ang Dishwalla nung July with their original drummer and a special guest vocalist dahil busy nga itong si J.R. sa kanyang solo project which will be released by fall. Di na rin ako nagpatalo at minessage ko siya. Eeeeeh. I love you, J.R.! Char.