Ever wondered about the individuals behind Aces & Queens now?
Well, the group photo below should answer your question.
Front row, sitting (l-r): Ian Mendajar, Raymond Galang and Mikee Andrei;
Middle row, standing (l-r): Dave Grona, John Jay Graciano Cuay, Cesar Evangelista, Gerry Diaz, Jim Ryan Ros and Maui Kline Potente;
Third row, standing (l-r): Direk Jeffrey Jeturian and Dave Ocampo.
Missing but part of the group: Carissa Cielo Medved, Albert Kurniawan and Atty JV Salud (Q&A mentor)
Photo credit: Dion Besa
#acesandqueens
ACES & QUEENS 2020
Passion. Mission. Vision
Passion
– for Beauties and Pageants.
Mission
– to help beauty queen wannabes.
Vision
-to produce national and International winners
Jonas Gaffud (back to the camera) watches each of the 50 aspirants for the Aces & Queens Class of 2018
Over the weekend at the Theatre at Solaire, the fifty (50) short-listed members of the Aces & Queens Class of 2018 were given their formal orientation where the journey towards Bb. Pilipinas 2018 continues. Camp pillars Jonas Gaffud, Arnold Mercado and Atty. Nad Bronce presided over the briefing while doing their running assessment of each of the ladies who will be trained and polishes for the nationals. Senior Adviser (Direk) Jeffrey Jeturian, along with the members of the beauty camp, were also in attendance.
The important question now is how many of the fifty (50) will survive the training. Truth be told, this is also like a mini-version of Bb. Pilipinas as aspirants will be eliminated one by one en route to building the core line-up of around 15 ladies who will be officially fielded for the country’s biggest beauty search.
I will update you with developments from time to time. In the meantime, here are more photos from the said orientation.
Jonas Gaffud, Arnold Mercado and Nad Bronce presiding over the orientation
Direk Jeffrey Jeturian joined the group
50 wide-eyed wanderers looking for a crown in 2018
Members of Team Aces & Queens pose for a group shot
Yesterday, Aces & Queens started screening the ladies who will form part of the beauty camp’s Class of 2016 for Bb. Pilipinas. Everyone was present – from Jonas Gaffud to John Cuay to Bessie Besana to Arnold Mercado to Gerry Diaz and more. Of course, the identities of the ladies (filtered from more than two hundred applicants) cannot be revealed just yet. It’s way too premature to even give hints or teaser photos. But this much I can say. All of them came out with smiling faces – a good sign that next year’s batch could be potentially an excellent one.
The names of the ladies who qualified will only be known at the right time. For now, let’s rest easy knowing that the group is going to prepare and train a new set of wow beauties who will vie for the quintet of titles for Bb. Pilipinas 2016.
The festival will run from July 26-August 4, 2013.
In case some of you are wondering why I am giving a spot feature to the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, your blogger is also a self-confessed indie movie buff who enjoys watching flicks that have moderately off-mainstream appeal. This year, the line-up is particularly special with the presence of some big-name stars as well as plots that are both ground-breaking and innovative in appeal. Do check out seven of the more interesting opuses below:
courtesy of QuantumFilmsProdn
Vilma Santos stars in her first indie movie and Jeffrey Jeturian has the honor of directing her in this one. “Ekstra” (The Bit Player) is a socio-realist drama-comedy which follows a seemingly usual day in the life of Loida Malabanan (Vilma Santos) as she embarks on yet another shooting day of a soap opera as an extra. As the shoot goes on, we get a glimpse of the truth in the ruling system of the production as well as the exploitation on the marginalized laborers like her.
The project is made more luminous with the cameo appearances of Piolo Pascual, Marian Rivera, Cherie Gil, Cherrie Pie Picache and Pilar Pilapil playing their real selves.
courtesy of Christopher Ad. Castillo
The first directorial debut of Christopher Ad. Castillo (yes, he is the son of the late renowned director) takes pride in having Gretchen Barretto – another indie first-timer – in the lead. “The Diplomat Hotel” is about Victoria Lansang (Barretto), a popular news reporter who has been requested to mediate a hostage crisis. And in front of a national television audience, something horribly goes wrong and people are killed while Victoria suffers a mental breakdown. A year later, she’s eager to get back into the game but the only assignment she can get is to do a documentary on the last night of The Diplomat Hotel in Baguio City, a crumbling and abandoned building infamously known for its bloody past and its hauntings and has carved a place in Philippine ghost lore. Looking for redemption, she arrives there with her crew and they start filming. But as they get deeper into the night, the place starts to exert its will on them and they find out exactly what monstrous evil awaits at The Diplomat Hotel.
courtesy of QuantumFilmsProdn
What do you get with the combination of Cinemalaya favorite Eugene Domingo and Japanese actor Yuki Matsuzaki (who has starred in a string of Hollywood films like Letters from Iwo Jima)? Director Leo Abaya’s “Instant Mommy“!
In order to solve a personal predicament, Bechayda (Domingo), a wardrobe assistant in TV commercials, pretends to be pregnant.
The film is one summer’s journey with her as she reaches the fateful decision amidst a highly visualized world where the video screen not only reigns supreme but is also the frame within which a usually unsuspecting public accesses the content of image-makers.
courtesy of Joseph Israel Laban
This is going to be the most controversial entry for 2013, I reckon. Coming from one of GMA-7’s most prolific documentary filmmakers – Joseph Israel Laban – “Nuwebe” is inspired by the actual story of one of the youngest mothers in Philippine history. It follows the story of Krista who at the tender age of 9 got pregnant from the sexual abuse perpetrated by her own father. Her story is complex. Krista refuses to see herself as a victim.
With an almost documentary style, “Nuwebe” follows Krista’s story as she demonstrates a level of resilience uncommon to her age. Her mother on the other hand is torn between her love for her child and her love for her husband.
The movie stars TV child performer Barbara Miguel as Krista, with the support of Anita Linda, Jake Cuenca and Nadine Samonte.
courtesy of MyCinemalaya
“Debosyon” is from Director Alvin Yapan and stars Paulo Avelino and Mara Lopez (yes, the daughter of Ma. Isabel).
Mando, a Bikolano devotee of Ina, Virgin of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bikolandia, injures himself in the middle of the forest at the foot of the Mayon Volcano. He will be nursed back to health by a mysterious woman, Salome, living there. They will fall in love with each other. But when Mando invites her to come with him to the plains, Salome refuses, saying a curse prohibits her from leaving the forest. Salome holds a secret that will devastate Mando’s love for her. Mando relies on his devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia to lift the curse, making him realize just how inextricably linked are the virtues of love and faith.
courtesy of Jerrold Tarog
From one of my favorite indie film directors who has successfully crossed mainstream, Jerrold Tarog is bringing “Sana Dati (rough literal translation: Wish Before) to the festival. Lovi Poe, Benjamin Alves, Paulo Avelino and TJ Trinidad star in this one.
Andrea Gonzaga (Lovi Poe) has accepted her fate by agreeing to marry a man she does not love. But a few hours before her wedding, someone arrives to remind her of the true love she once had and lost. “Sana Dati” is a love story about bittersweet compromises and real-life decisions. It is the third part of Jerrold Tarog’s Camera Trilogy after Confessional and Mangatyanan.
Lastly for this group, there is “Quick Change” which is the second directorial effort of Eduardo Roy, Jr. who brought us the memorable “Bahay Bata” a couple of years back.
courtesy of B0nfire Productions
This movie is about the life of Dorina a middle-aged transsexual looking for his niche amidst the complexities of the world he is in. This is a story of suffering, acceptance and hope.
“Quick Change” casts newcomer Mimi Juareza in the role of Dorina. He is joined by Miggs Cuaderno and Junjun Quintana.
Cinemalaya 2013 (Philippine Independent Film Festival) will run from July 26 to August 4, 2013 with the main venue at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) plus simultaneous showings at select Ayala Mall cinemas. If you’re up to it, then better plan on buying tickets to the more anticipated movies (like Ekstra, Instant Mommy and The Diplomat Hotel) ahead of time so you don’t have to get stuck in long lines for the same.
Do watch out for it, and let’s keep on supporting the local indie filmmaking industry! 🙂
I’ve always followed Jeffrey Jeturian’s career as a Director (and also as an on-and-off beauty pageant aficionado). From his ‘Pila Balde‘ days to TV stints via ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya? and ‘Rosalka’, I was there watching his works. And now that he is officially part of Cinemalaya 2011‘s Directors’ Showcase category, I’ll definitely find time to watch his latest – “Bisperas” (Eve).
From the festival website, I quoted the movie’s plot details as follows:
The eve of Christmas, the Aguinaldo family’s residence is burglarized, causing its members to identify stolen items and uncover lingering sentiments they have hidden from each other. Amidst the tension brought about by the burglary, the Aguinaldo family realizes how treasured sentiments have been lost, relationships have evolved as they arrive from church at a house in shambles.
The ensemble acting should be a excellent watch and how the characters play up amidst a relatively unusual incident that happens on, of all nights, Christmas eve.
“Bisperas” stars Tirso Cruz III, Raquel Villavicencio, Julia Clarete, Edgar Allan Guzman, Jennifer Sevilla, Aryanna Santiago, Jen Donnaire and Kimmy Maclang. Jeffrey Jeturian directs from the screenplay of Paul Sta. Ana.
Do catch one of its’ screenings during Cinemalaya 2011 which commences July 15, Friday next week.
Hi! Norman here. When I'm not working, I spend most of my free time planning on daily blogs. If you will notice, I always make sure that a fresh topic comes out everyday - not an easy thing to do but it's all good. Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the visit!
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