A Life in the Theater

Many things will be said about Mario O'Hara and his myriad contributions to Philippine theater and cinema. But in my memory, it will always be his humble and giving ways that will be etched forever. He notoriously took public transportation and walked to and from rehearsals in CCP,and was infamously averse to press gatherings and public functions, particularly the showbiz kind. I knew his brother Jerry before I met Mario, and by the time we were introduced in the late 80s, he had already made a name for himself as a writer, actor, and director in radio, theater, and film. His generosity as an artist and as a person was well known, and I have had several chances to see this first hand. In the late 80s, Tanghalang Pilipino was staging Ang Ginintuang Bayan, and Mario was playing one of the leading roles, along with Nonie Buencamino and Pen Medina, among others. Nonie's wife, Shamaine, was due to give birth anytime soon, and he had promised to be by...

Entertainment Tukso: A whodunit Rashomon STARBYTES By Butch Francisco Thursday, October 4, 2007 The truth told in different versions — as popularized by best foreign film winner Rashomon — is still alive and well in Philippine cinema. This device was previously used in Laurice Guillen’s Salome in 1981 and in Chito Roño’s Itanong Mo sa Buwan in 1988. Both films won Best Picture in the Gawad Urian. In Dennis Marasigan’s Tukso, which is currently showing in Robinsons Galleria’s IndieSine, the story is also told from various perspectives. Winner of Cinemalaya’s Best Screenplay award, the film gives the viewer the task of finding out who and how a barrio lass named Monica (Diana Malahay) is killed. Tukso is basically a whodunit Rashomon and we are presented with different suspects: Suspect No. 1 is Carlo (Sid Lucero), a fresh architecture graduate who is assigned to the province to design and supervise the construction of a local subdivision. He meets Monica and they become intimate in spi...

“TUKSO,” winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the 2007 CINEMALAYA Philippine Independent Film Festival, receieved a “B” grading from the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The fifteen members of the Board who viewed the film unanimously voted that “TUKSO” deserved a grade. Subsequently, eight (8) members voted to give it a “B” grade as against seven (7) members who gave it an “A”. The “B” grade entitles the film to a rebate on amusement taxes collected in certain cities where the film will be screened. “TUKSO” will have its theatrical screening on October 3-9, 2007 at the Indie Sine, Robinson’s Galleria Movieworld. SYNOPSIS: A young village lass is found dead. An investigator (ADEL) is assigned to look into the case and gets to learn more about the girl and the people whose lives were affected by her and her death: her father (BAL), a young architect (CARLO), a businessman (DAVID), her childhood friend (EMER) and a widow (FE). CAST: IRMA ADLA...

TUKSO, which won for myself and my co-writers Nikki Torres and Mara Paulina Marasigan the Best Screenplay Award in the 2007 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, will be screened at the Indie Sine at the Robinson's Movieworld Galleria from October 3 to 9, 2007. TUKSO is a mystery film with a twist. A young village lass is found dead. An investigator is assigned to the case, and the film presents the different perspectives of the people who know her. In the cast are award-winning film, television and theater actors led by RICKY DAVAO and IRMA ADLAWAN together with SHAMAINE BUENCAMINO, SOLIMAN CRUZ, SID LUCERO, PING MEDINA, and DIANA MALAHAY. RICKY plays David Solomon, a businessman whose subdivision project and personal life are affected by the girl’s mysterious death. IRMA plays the role of Fe, a widow who may have the key that can help unravel the mystery. SOLIMAN portrays the deceased girl's father; SHAMAINE is the investigator. PING is the girl's childhood fr...