HOLLYWOODFLIP

I read this in the news: “NBC’s ambitious new drama series “Awake” opened last night with a 1.9/5 in adults 18-49 and 6.2 million viewers.” I wonder how they knew what age range watches television at a specific time of broadcast! Isn’t is strange you always see this kind of rating reviews?

Best Shorts Competition (www.BestShorts.net) is calling all filmmakers creating television pilots, all new media, public service announcements, animation, video blogging, short documentaries, web series, music videos, commercials, mobile advertising, podcasts, webcasts, webinars, among other categories as long as your entry is 57 minutes or less. The competition offers a number of prizes. Deadline is at the end of this month. Email info@bestshorts.net to get entry forms or go to the above web site for more details.

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This past Thursday (March 15) marks the 3rd death anniversary of one of my best friends, Lito Torres, a multi-awarded Filipino filmmaker, active volunteer and advocate of AIDS prevention, and a well-known event producer. As a director, his films: A Box of Cookies (2000), In the Company of Friends (2001), Mother’s Love (2002), Mannequin Hands (2003), Queen of Asia (2005), Cio Cio San (2006), Waiters (documentary, 2007), and Becoming A Man (unfinis d, 2008) have been selected in different film festivals around the world. Among the festivals he has been invited and won several awards were Palm Springs International Filmfest, Uptown Whittier Filmfest, San Francisco Facine Filmfest, Columbia University Arkipelago Filmfest, Cucalorus Filmfest of North Carolina, Santa Monica Moxie Filmfest, Cinemafest of L.A., Big Bear Lake International Filfmfest, Turin International Film Festival of Italy, Barcelona Film Festival of Spain, Asian Film Festival Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C., Pride International Filmfest, Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Cinema Indio Film Festival, Toronto Asian Film Festival, Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, North Carolina International Film Festival, Asian Pacific Video and Film Festival, among others. Lito’s wasn’t able to finish his drama masterpiece “Michael Angelo,” a story about two brothers discovering the hard way and the evil that men do to each other, due to his untimely demised. Lito  was diagnosed with “nasopharyngeal cancer” (NPC) in March 2008 and lost his battle on March 15, 2009.

In the Los Angeles community, Lito Torres is also well-known as the executive producer of numerous series of shows. In 1994, he formed the non-profit organization – A Company of Friends Entertainment Group (where I became one of the members), a group of  Filipino professionals who have decided to make a difference in the issue of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome awareness and education. The group have specifically targeted their concern to the Asian community, but also wanted to reach out to the community at large.

After the successful “Burst of Summer” swimwear fashion show in 1994 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (which ran for a couple of years more), it was followed in 1995 with the “Search for the Best Celebrity Impersonator of California.” 1996 brought on the very successful “Best Male Exotic Dancer” contest, and in 1997, “A Night of A Hundred Gowns” was added to the line up of shows. All these benefited several organizations, including Bienestar:

AIDS Latino Project, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, among many others, held at the El Rey Theatre on Wilshire Blvd.

A Tribute and Film Retrospective in his honor was presented at the Directors Guild of America during the 2009 Asian Pacific Video and Film Festival for his contributions to the annual festival and the Asian American community.

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As I commemorate Lito’s passing, another dear friend, Angelo Santos (I’ve known this guy since 1980) is being recognized in Hollywood for his contribution in the fashion and tv industry. Filipino couturier Angelo Santos (who grew up in San Miguel, Tarlac, Philippines and ) will be honored with ‘Congressional Record of Achievement’ by the U.S. Congress, together with the team who won this year’s Red Carpet Green Dress third annual couture competition.

This fresh news was relayed to him yesterday (March 13) by Suzy Cameron herself (wife of writer/director James Cameron - Titanic, Avatar, Aliens), who spearheaded the competition, leading to the first ever Eco-gown worn and walked at this year’s Academy Award red carpet, held at the Hollywood & Highland Theatre (formerly Kodak Theatre). Missy Pyle (part of the ensemble cast of ”The Artist”) wore a flowing Aqua gown made from organic silk, hand-dyed with natural mineral pigments and lined with recycled polyester gown designed by Valentina Delfino, patterned and sewed by Angelo Santos (and finished in a matter of four days!), together with Birgit Muller. Angelo and Birgit are team partners of worldwide hit tv soap “ The Bold & The Beautiful,” who won the Emmys “Best Costume Designers” three years consecutively. Angelo has been working for the world-renowned television soap for 13 straight years. Angelo graduated with a degree in Nursing but pursued fashion design and pattern-making at FIDM, where he won the Bob Mackie Award. He was mentored by Jack Stitsworth, designer to the stars (Elizabeth Taylor, among others) and Dean of FIDM. Angelo’s creations has been displayed and bought at the famous Bullocks on Wilshire Blvd. before setting up his own couture salon in Beverly Hills until he was sought after by executives from “The Bold…” stationed at CBS Network (adjacent to The Grove on Fairfax Ave.).

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Samut-sari: This Saturday (March 17), inabangan ang first interview ni Bebe Gandanghari (dating Rustom Padilla) sa tv show na Papparazi (Channel 5) na iinterbyuhin ni Zoren Legaspi (current husband ni Carmina Villaroel na ex-wife ni BB). Matagal na naglagi ang kapatid ni Robin Padilla sa New York City at balitang magkakaroon ito ng bagong tv show sa TV5. Sikreto pa ang tv program na i-hohost nito pero huhulaan ko na ito kung ano — may kinalaman siguro ito sa isang fashion reality show na kahawig ng show ng drag queen na si RuPaul sa Bravo network dito sa U.S. Aber nga, ano kaya ito? …… Kasalukuyan pa ring masama ang loob ni Ai-Ai de las Alas sa Head ng Security ng ABS-CBN, ang mother network ng Queen of Comedy dahil sa pinaglakad ito ng malayo nito sa compound ng 2. Imbiyerna pa rin ang komedyana kahit na pinadalhan na siya ng bulaklak ng nakagalitan nito. Incidentally, may show si Ai-Ai dito sa Los Angeles sa April 14 kasama ng dating mag-asawang Martin Nievera at Pops Fernandez. Isang magandang tema ng pang-aasar na naman ang ibibigay ni Ai-Ai sigurado sa dalawa at sa madlang people of Los Angeles. Kaya sugod na kayo sa opisina ng Starmedia Entertainment para kumuha ng tiket….. May problema kayo sa column ko, email nyo lang ako sa oliver@iatalent.com ha, ne?

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Posted by PinoyWatchDog.com on March 18, 2012. Filed under ENTERTAINMENT,HOLLYWOODFLIP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry