Even if we were not invited to the special preview of the monumental film “Moro,” a Centerstage Productions which stars Piolo Pascual, Baron Geisler and Laurice Guillen as the major cast members, its director, internationally-renowned filmmaker Brillante Ma. Mendoza called on entertainment writer Mell T. Navarro to get this columnist invited to his birthday.
While “Moro” was being streamed live at Netflix, Brillante’s natal day was beaming with colorful lights amid the rains.
Entertainment journalist Art Tapalla and I boarded Metro Manila Bus from San Pedro City to Mantrade in Makati City.
But I had to individually look for a yema (crème) cake birthday cake at Alvarez Bakeshop in the heart of San Pedro.
Yema cake is a concoction of baked flour and sweet crème with shredded cheese on top.
But the yema birthday cake was sold-out that Tuesday afternoon so this writer decided to appear in Mendoza’s shindig at his garden in Mandaluyong City sans b-day present.
It was only our — with Art — warm bodies that greeted the 2009 Palme d’Or Best Director in the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes for the film “Kinatay.”
Dante Mendoza (Brillante’s other name) was standing in one corner of his garden talking with fellow filmmaker Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, the newly installed Chairman of the Competition and Monitoring Head of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival of the Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
Noticeably, Brillante has physically slimmed down and we learned that he had been hospitalized for an illness he didn’t bother to explain.
That must be the reason why he sent me a message earlier last month that he wasn’t well which I mistook for financial unwellness. “Both,” he replied when I volunteered that I didn’t know the other context of his being unwell.
It had something to do with my request if he could place an ad to the UST Artlets ’75 souvenir program which is underway but she got just the same.
Dante’s birthday bash was indeed "The Party" ever.
Mendoza’s guests include Ina Alegre, Mayor of Pola, Oriental Mindoro, Baron Geisler, Cataleya Surio, Ruby Ruiz, Jun Nayra, Raion Sandoval, William Pascual, Ronald Carballo, Ricci Ang, Dexter Macaraeg, among others.
According to the director, he is currently recuperating from sickness and is ready to work again.
Happy Birthday, Dante!
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews