Ruben V. Nepales

2 weeks ago | rappler.com | Ruben V. Nepales

CANNES, FRANCE – Ali, directed by Bangladesh’s Adnan Al Rajeev, written by the Philippines’ Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero, and produced by Kristine de Leon, won the special prize in the Short Films Competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. In the closing ceremony held Sunday evening, May 25, at the Grand Theatre Lumiere, Ali, which made history as Bangladesh’s first Cannes competition entry, bagged special honors in the tight short films race of the world’s most prestigious film festival.

2 weeks ago | rappler.com | Ruben V. Nepales

CANNES, France – With the critical success of Lav Diaz’s Magalhaes (Magellan) in the Cannes Film Festival, the producers are planning to invite Gael Garcia Bernal, who plays the titular role, to return to the Philippines for the film’s Manila premiere. Gael may fly back to the Philippines this year, Paul Soriano, one of the movie’s international producers, revealed right after Magellan’s rapturously applauded debut at the Debussy Theater. “The actor enjoyed his time in the Philippines.

3 weeks ago | rappler.com | Ruben V. Nepales

LOS ANGELES, USA – As Dolly de Leon’s much-awaited Nine Perfect Strangers (Season 2) premieres on Prime Video on May 22, the actress disclosed to Rappler that she is working on another international series. “I’m doing a series which I already filmed last March,” Dolly shared in a video interview. “I can’t tell you yet what it is because they have not made an announcement yet. But we’ve already started filming last March.

4 weeks ago | rappler.com | Ruben V. Nepales

LOS ANGELES, USA – Even though Sam Morelos is only 19, she has been a regular but refreshing presence at Filipino-American events in Southern California for quite some time now. So, it’s almost unexpected — but exciting — to read Sam being hailed by a critic as making a “major star-making turn.” Our dear Sam? That’s how The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee praised the Fil-Am in her first lead role in Hulu’s original movie, Summer of 69: “…Morelos is the real find.

1 month ago | rappler.com | Ruben V. Nepales

LOS ANGELES, USA – Not one but five talents of Filipino heritage earned nominations in the 78th Tony Awards — Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss, Conrad Ricamora, Clint Ramos, and Marco Paguia — as announced on May 1, Thursday, in  New York. It’s the first time in the history of the Tonys that as many as five Filipino-Americans bagged nods in a single year. Nicole, Darren, Marco, and Conrad were cited for the first time by the Tony Awards, the most prestigious honors in American theater.