Corazon Aquino , Helena Benetiz , Cecilia Munoz Palma , Teodora Alonzo , Imelda Marcos, Soccoro Ramos , Melchora Tandang Sora Aquino and Ms Nora Aunor .
Ms Nora Aunor is one of the women who changed Philippine History. A number of film critics and movie industry players consider her as Philippine Cinema’s greatest thespian and major icon. She is the only movie actress to receive the Centennial Honor for the Arts awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1999. She’s also been ranked as the greatest actress of all time of Philippine Cinema. I think her real power is in breaking the mold and stereotype of the major actress as the fair skinned mestiza. And in the process, she showed the nation that strength and talent is not the exclusive turf of the traditionally beautiful.
A Note for MMFF 2016 Committee: by Joey Argawanon
NORA AUNOR SETS A BENCHMARK OF CRAFTMANSHIP, ARTISTRY AND EXCELLENCE,WITH 8 BEST ACTRESS AWARDS FOR METRO MANILA MANILA FILM FESTIVAL, THE ONLY ASIAN ACTRESS TO HAVE WON BEST ACTRESS IN 5 CONTINENTS AND A TOTAL OF LESS THAN 80 BEST ACTRESSIN LOCAL AWARD WINNING BODIES. WITH NEARLY 50 YEARS IN PHILIPPINE CINEMA, SHE IS STILL THE SUPERSTAR AND HAILED AS THE GRAND DAME OF ASIAN CINEMA. CAN ANYONE FILIPINO ACTOR DEAD OR ALIVE, SURPASS, EQUAL OR COME CLOSE TO HER ACHIEVEMENT FROM 20TH CENTURY, TO THIS MILLINIUM?Listen and listen very well to person concern",
Your political reputation affects how likely allies are to trust you,and what kind of deals they'll at " the negotiating table". There's also an emotional response in there, so those who are unfairly treated with prejudice bear a grudge. I bear the grudge on How the Film KABISERA was unfairly treated. I demand an explanation because I am a tax payer and paying movie goer.
And to Miss Nora Aunor, The greatness of a person is not how much wealth you acquire, it is your excellence, kindness, humility and integrity that has affected me four decades ago til this day, "positively" I am a proud Noranian For Life. Rember LA Aunor lives like a Phoenix, she will bounch back, higher, fiecer, better, when most will be caught unguarded that will leave them dumbfounded. Remember my words
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| Joey Argawanon with Beloved Mom |
Now for the Metro Manila Film Festival,The organizer had a rough ride when it sparked a conflict between those who criticize the major studios for churning out bad films and "dumbing down the Filipino movie audiences and those who criticize Indie Films that might be well -crafted but are flop at the tills.Yes, my take on this while we should not dumb the movie audience we should not also look down on them.I hate to say this but any government agency or personality has " NO BUSINESS", and should stay away on the affair relating to any film festival to get rid of the impression that "the evil claws of politicking" penetrated a once shining industry. YOU APPOINTED GOVERNMENT PERSONALITY have decency, STAY AWAY FROM CINEMA, ESPECIALLY YOUR INFERIOR QUALIFICATION WILL ONLY BESMIRCH THE INTELLIGINCE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN FILM MAKING. If you want to inflict change in Philippine Cinema, put people who has the passion, and qualification so that your mantra of NO MAINSTREAM, NO INDIE, BUT ONLY PHILIPPINE CINEMA AS ONE" WILL BE REALIZE.
I remember the Great National Artist for Film, Lino Brocka's, who did not wallow elitism and government interference in film making.He refused to separate himself from mainstream and commercial film making.He protested on the street against government interference in Cinema.He did not dumb down the audience neither he looked down at them He snubbed awards and award giving bodies for unfairly giving awards to undeserving. This is the same Director, who once said ,P....TANG INA, MAGALING TALAGA SI NORA AUNOR. SO LET ME BORROW HIS WORDS WITH MY MIDDLE FINGER POINTING AT THOSE PEOPLE I AM REFERRING TO "P...TANG INA, NA POLITIKA NA NAMAN SI NORA".
TO THE HATERS IF THEY GO LOW, WE GO HIGH, NEVER STOOP LOW, FOR WE CHOOSE AND WAGE OUR OWN BATTLE AT OUR OWN TERMS. STAY UNITED IN SUPPORT TO NORA AUNOR.
Hindi ka gumagawa ng pelikula para lang kumita, that is "greed" Film create values,because Cinema is Life "magnified", so it is empowering. Nora Aunor this year made, WHISTLE BLOWER, TUOS ,HINULID, PADRE de FAMILIA, and years before TAKLUB AND THY WOMB, Who among the local royal celebrities has that track record, films, that educate,inform, enlighten, the audience, and will leave the cinema asking question, thinking his\ her essence as A Filipino in relation to our Country at the present set up. MATAPANG pero hindi mapaghusga.So this MMFF may have achieve its purpose not differentiating indie with mainstream film but treat it the same " FILIPINO FILM",
IF THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION IS NOT OPEN MINDED COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, I DOUBT IF IT WILL BE SHOWN. THE FILM IS BOLD, BRAVE, AND RIVETING.WENT HOME AMBIGOUS OF MY FEELING, THAT I NEED TO GO to CHURH, IMMEDIATELY, KNOWING HE ALONE IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE, supreme than the LAW OF MEN. 
EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLING, CORRUPTION IN ALL LEVEL OF BUREAUCRACY, THE LOOP HOLES AND DELAYS IN JUDICIAL PROCESSES MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSS BUT THE CENTRAL THEME IS ON HOW FAMILY DEALS WITH TRIALS AND ADVERSITY.
TWO SCENES OF NORA AUNOR ILLICITED A ROUSING APPLAUSE FROM THE MOVIEGOERS! BUT IT WAS NOT ONLY AUNOR WHO DELIVERED SEAMLESS PERFORMANCE IT WAS AN ACTING ENSEMBLE, ON A FILM SO RELEVANT, TIMELY in Government issues, yet TIMELESS in term of THE ROLE OF FAMILY IN OUR SOCIETY.
I walk my talk, and there is more, Film maker should remain true to their principles and "never" compromise the need to maintain their integrity.I have nothing against mainstream cinema.Moviegoers have the right to escape from the harsh world of a 3rd World Country. But,that kind of choice has nothing to do with an ART FORM.Nora Aunor as an artist doesn't compromise.Such honesty is not appreciated by most people in today's generation.Instead it is mocked, twisted,and distorted and eventually lost in
translation. Because most of Filipino Actors particularly those so called Big Stars are usually wary to embark on artistic cinema as an expression of their artistry faithful to their profession as an artist.They play safe, and made themselves bread tripper and money machine.Looking back (Four decades past),I am sooooo proud to have chosen Miss Nora Aunor be my ultimate Idol, in Philippine Cinema and Entertainment Industry,She is every, Di'Auteur dream to work with.She is not a money machine that most Filipino actors are. AUNORS FILMS, from the late 70's to the present,(KABISERA),PASSES OUR CONSCIENCE IN THE WAY SHE DOES HER FILM THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO OUR FEELINGS DEEP DOWN INTO THE DARK ROOM OF OUR SOULS.CINEMA AS AN ART FORM IS THE VERY SOUL OF OUR GREAT NATION. "MABUHAY KA BB. NORA AUNOR, MABUHAY ANG KABISERA, MABUHAY ANG PELIKULANG PILIPINO!!
