AMIGO Premiers in Manila

Trinoma Mall, opposite SM North EDSA. Origin8 has organized a very nice reception around the beautiful show of Gino Gonzales' costumes for AMIGO.

Here is Joel doing an interview-one of many since we had a lot of press there-in front of a selection of the costumes. Each was "hero" costume, worn by one of the principles, and each came with a caption that named the actor and described the character. Very elegant and subtle, very Gino. Of course he and Grace weren't able to attend the opening of the exhibition because they had been up all night setting it up! Gino is designing the TV series "Amara" with Rodell Cruz as Production Designer. Thank you for a beautiful job, Gino.

Re-enactors from Buhay na  Kasaysayan attended in force and their presence added to the festive atmosphere. Everybody wanted a picture with them. Including Beth Day Romulo. Learn more about this wonderful group at www.pinoyhistory.proboards.com

We were happy to see Beth and our hostess Olivia Romulo and our pal Salito Malca from HIT Productions, here in the pink.

HIT is a top-notch sound studio and I know Salito and his business partner Dennis Cham are thrilled with the new sound mix on AMIGO.
Lots of last minute drama as Katski Flores from Origin8 flew in from Hong Kong with the newly subtitled print, just in time for DP Lee Meily to check it out projected in the cinema. LOUD AC, but Lee had the projectionist boost the sound, and we had no complaints. Whew!

 Yours truly looking hefty with Loy Arcenas, director of NINO (featuring Arthur Acuña). Loy is a good friend of my NY pal Jean Passanate and I hope she sees this photo!

Here are some new friends. From the right Fiona Malca looking glamourous in her new scarf from Legazpi Market, Ray Potter and his wife Joy Yamamoto whom we met at Fully Booked reading, Mrs. Isabel Caro Wilson, ex-Ambassador from the Philippines to Spain, and our new Consul General from the US in Manila, Michael Schimmel. I have already hit up Michael for help expediting Joel Torre's visa for his trip to the US in August. Thank you in advance, Con Gen Schimmel.

Two stars meet at last.
It was wonderful to see so many of the AMIGO cast and crew here. You  know who you are.

To the rest of you, we missed you. I hope you will rush to see AMIGO in the theaters when it opens July 6. For ongoing listings of the theaters where it is playing, go to amigomoviephil.com
AMIGO is small but important, TRANSFORMERS is big. Go see AMIGO first.