Celebrity L.A. Scene

Ruffa Gutierrez has been in constant contact with me since she flew to Turkey with her new-found family. Not that she's bored and has nothing to do in Turkey where she is currently based. Numerous demands from her faithful fans to feature her, and compliments about her pics on my web site (www.picturetrail.com/olivercarnayphotos) makes a constant topic for both of us. Anyway, Ruffa is currently working on her own web site, where her fans can browse the latest news about her, and surely, all her latest pics will be posted as well.

This November, Ruffa is scheduled to fly home with Lorin for a two-week vacation since Ramadan (October 27-November 27) is ongoing in Turkey. Here's what I got from Ruffa:

Hi everyone!
Sorry if you haven't heard from me in a while. I've been so busy these past few days preparing for my trip to Manila this November. This Monday is the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan so since Turkey will be completely at a stand-still, Yilmaz allowed Lorin & me to fly back home for 2 weeks.

Life here in Turkey is great! Most of my days are spent getting back in shape & taking care of my two babies, Yilmaz & Lorin. Being a mom has changed me in so many ways. Before I had Lorin, when I thought about motherhood, I thought of breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, and diapers.

While those things are obviously a huge part of mothering, they are merely physical aspects. Lorin has forced me to pay attention to the simple joys of life I once ignored. Now I treasure the moments when she smiles at me or when she falls asleep in my arms after I nurse her. Being a mom also gave me a much greater appreciation of my own mom, who raised six children.

I keep thinking that if I'm so busy with one, how did she manage with six? I now understand all the sacrifices she made and how much she loved me as a child. Happy Birthday Mom!

Yilmaz is a whole different story! A completely new side of him emerged when Lorin was born. The strong, macho man has become a virtual marshmallow when he helps me change her wet diaper, gives her a nightly treat we call "daddy's massage", and sings to her "ORDA"-Lorin's favorite lullaby.

Life in Istanbul may not seem as exciting as how my life was a few years back but in totality, I'm happy. Everything has finally fallen into the right place. And that's what truly matters.

I miss you all!
From Turkey with love,
Ruffa x

Gina Alajar and Charles R. Uy Receive Recognition at 2nd Cinema Indio Festival

Meanwhile, one of ten most respected actresses in the Philippines (also one of the busiest television directors), Gina Alajar, together with Fil-Am video and filmmaker Charles R. Uy (who received several awards for his first short film "Waiting in the Wings", including the Directors Guild of America Student Academy Award in 1998 and the Silver Medal Award for Drama at the 24th Annual Student Academy Awards of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences) were honored last October 19, 2003 at the kick-off party of the 2nd edition of Cinema Indio Festival, held at Simon's Waterfront in San Pedro, California.

The festival started October 25th and will end November 4, 2003, with the Closing Night film "Dekada '70", which is this year's Philippine entry. (Director Chito Roño is expected to attend!)

Gina Alajar, who is currently busy directing tele-drama series for GMA 7, has three films included in the festival: "Wanted: Perfect Mother", for which she won Best Child Actress (1970); "Mother Ignacia", for which she shared the Best Performers Award with co-actors Sandy Andolong and Mona Lisa from the Young Critics Circle Award; and the critically-acclaimed film "Mano Po".

Charles R. Uy's short thesis film which garnered several awards (check out film clips of him receiving the awards handed out by Academy Award-winner Ed Harris at www.cru26.com) in New York and at the Academy, was also premiered during the kick-off party headed by Cinema Indio Film Festival founder and Chairman, Cora Pastrana.

The festival, which aims to explore great Filipino and Fil-Am themed films produced in the Philippines and United States, and to have better understanding of the cultural genre, focusing on the creativity, craftsmanship, and the sensibility of the world of Philippine cinema, also honors individual artists who have uplifted and made a mark with their achievements in the cinema industry.

Hosted by multi-talented actor/comedian (former Urian Best Actor Awardee - for "Manila By Night") Bernardo Bernardo and anchorwoman Lisa Moody, the event served as the kick-off party of the only grass-roots Fil-Am film festival in Los Angeles where some of the best loved classics and award-winning films in the history of Philippine movie filmmaking are being featured.

Venues of screenings will be held at Glendale Central Library Auditorium (222 Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205), Celebrity Centre International Theatre & Garden Pavilion (5930 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028), Hall of Liberty, Hollywood Hills (6300 Forest Lawn Dr., L.A., 90068), and at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre & Art Park (4800 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., CA 90027).

Some of the award-winning films that will be included in the festival are films from Nick de Ocampo (the Opening Night film "Beyond the Mainstream", his other works: "Mother Ignacia", "Memories of Old Manila", "The Sex Warriors & the Samurai", "Private Wars"), Laurice Guillen ("Tanging Yaman"), and Chito Roño ("Spirit Warriors" and "Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure", "Eskapo", and "Dekada '70" -- which will serve as the Closing Night Film, to be screened at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre on Hollywood Blvd.).

Others are films from Tikoy Aguiluz ("Tatarin"), Lino Brocka ("Wanted: Perfect Mother"), Maryo de los Reyes ("Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya"/ My Desire Is To Be Happy), Olivia Lamasan's "Sana Maulit Muli", and Joel Lamangan's "Mano Po", and Sari Raissa Lluch Dalena's award-winning short film "Church Dog" and the documentary "An Untold Triumph" from Director Noel Izon, narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips. (Note that all films are sub-titled except "Wanted: Perfect Mother")

(More pics at www.picturetrail.com/olivercarnayphotos. E-mail comments at carnay25@hotmail.com)

OLIVER CARNAY regularly writes for BALITA MEDIA, INC. ("Balita USA", "Weekend Balita" and "Go4Women Magazine", available online at http://www.balita.com/ and www.Go4Women.com), ASIAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE'S JOURNAL (circulated in northern and southern part of California), Philippine and other Asian Headline newspaper – circulated in Sacramento, San Francisco and its vicinities) also published in northern and southern parts of California. In San Diego, he writes for FAME Magazine and PHILIPPINES TODAY. In New York, he writes for PLANET PHILIPPINES, with an online version at http://www.carouselpinoy.com/. He is a also contributor for BUZZINE Magazine (www.buzzine.com), AUDREY Magazine (www.audreymagazine.com), an occasional correspondent for www.siklab.com, PARA TODOS Magazine, and other L.A. based publications. He is the Los Angeles correspondent of Global Pinoy Entertainment Corporation (GPEC) which publishes S Magazine (circulated in Manila, all over the United States and other parts of the world) and PINOY GAZETTE (published in Hong Kong, Japan, and its vicinities). He is an active member of the National Press Photography Association (N.P.P.A.), Press Photography Association of Greater Los Angeles (P.P.A.G.L.A.-see www.ppagla.org for member listings), and is under the directory list of the Motion Picture Association of America (M.P.A.A.) covering movie Premieres and other Hollywood events. More recent news and Photo Galleries of Hollywood and local Fil-Am events recently covered can be seen at his new web site http://www.hollywoodflip.com/. Besides being busy maintaining his web site and writing for domestic and international publications, Oliver Carnay manages Talents, is also a Publicist and an event organizer. Email him at carnay25@yahoo.com or at webmaster@HOLLYWOODFLIP.com

HOME