Pararangalan sina Dolphy, Vice Ganda, Michael V, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Eugene Domingo, at tatlo pang icons ng Philippine Comedy sa closing ceremony ng 3rd Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) sa Setyembre 29, 2023.
Punong-abala sa month-long celebration ng PFIM ang Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) sa pangunguna ng Chairman at CEO na si Tirso Cruz III, at technical consultant na si Direk Joey Javier Reyes.
Sa mediacon nitong Agosto 17, Huwebes ng hapon, sa Relish restaurant, Sct. Limbaga St., Quezon City, kapwa nanindigan sina Chair Tirso at Direk Joey na dapat kilalaning National Artist ang yumaong Comedy King na si Dolphy.
Read: Dolphy: The People's National Artist
“Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Tawanan” ang tema ng 3rd PFIM.
Ang opening ceremony ay sa Setyembre 1 sa Shangri-la Plaza Cinema 1 sa Mandaluyong City, kung saan ipapalabas ang restored and remastered version ng Home Along da Riles da Movie (1993) ni Dolphy.
Sa Setyembre 5 ang Sine Halakhak open-air screening sa Luneta, sa Rizal Open Air Auditorium.
Libreng mapapanood dito ang mga pelikulang Ang Tanging Ina (2003) ni Ai-Ai delas Alas, at Here Comes The Bride (2010) nina Eugene Domingo at Angelica Panganiban.
VICE GANDA
Ano ang “K” nina Ai-Ai, Eugene, Vice, at Michael V para pagpugayan sa 3rd Philippine Film Industry Month?
“Bawat isa yan, may dahilan. Kay Vice Ganda — comedy bar, he brought to mainstream,” pagmamatuwid ni Direk Joey.
“Iba yung comedy niya, e. It’s comedy bar.
"In the same manner that Eugene Domingo is theater, na dinala niya.
“In the same manner na Ai-Ai is a… every woman si Ai-Ai, na dinala niya sa ano.
"Now with Vice Ganda, he brought ang comedy-bar entertainment to hosting into a performance.
“And if you watch Vice Ganda, Vice Ganda in every role is Vice Ganda, OK. At nagpo-portray siya ng comedy bar character.
“So I think proven by the fact that for years, hindi ba, he has been lording over the Metro Manila Film Fest and that he has such great popularity.
“And even up to now, even with all the controversies that he is, you know, being bashed for, it’s because of his comedy bar persona.
“And we know that comedy bar is a different animal in the Philippines compared to stand-up comedy across the world.”
Read: Vice Ganda recalls past doing GMA-7 shows: “Napakalaking achievement sa akin non dati.”
MICHAEL V
E, si Michael V na tinawag na laos ng isang socmed influencer?
“He’s a genius. He’s a genius! And we all agreed na, you know, he creates characters, he’s a songwriter,” papuri ng multi-awarded writer-director.
“He creates characters and yung comedy niya is social criticism. Hindi ba, yung comedy niya?
“A good example, yung kanta ni Morissette na 'Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw.' In-spoof niya, ginawa niyang 'Gusto Ko Nang Bumigay,' na galing sa Bubble Gang.
“That’s a statement of, you know, live streaming, hindi ba, and everything. In other words, it takes a genius to be able to do something like that.
“Na kahit natatawa ka, you know it’s a social criticism. OK yun, so he deserves it.
“Saka yung iba naman, talagang honoring them because they represent the contemporary comedians.”
Read: Michael V. on bidding farewell to some Bubble Gang stars: “It’s not easy, but it’s inevitable.”
EUGENE DOMINGO, AI-AI DELAS ALAS
E, ang ambag ni Eugene?
“Theater naman siya, OK. The discipline of theater, she’s a theater actress, OK,” sambit ni Direk Joey.
“At kitang-kita mo yun all the way to Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011), OK, all the way to Kimmy Dora (2009).
“The discipline of theater, dinala niya, OK, sa comedy which has affected so many people na a lot of theater people were also going into comedy.
“In the same manner kay Ai-Ai, di ba? Ai-Ai is from the streets, hindi ba? I remember Ai-Ai, nagsasayaw-sayaw yan sa ledge sa Subway bar sa Adriatico, para siyang Bette Midler, she’s a gay icon.
“Naalala ko yan, nagsi-Cyndi Lauper yan, may nahawakan siyang kuryente. Ha! Ha! Ha! Nakuryente ang bakla!
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Tawa kami nang tawa. Kasi gumaganun-ganun siya, di ba? Nakuryente ang bakla.
“Nagsu-shoot kami ng isang pelikula noon nung lumabas ang Tanging Ina, na super bumongga siya.”
Read: Eugene Domingo, di mapigil ang kilig habang ikinukuwento ang love life
Unang naidirek ni Direk Joey si Ai-Ai sa sitcom na 13, 14, 15 [1989]. The most recent one ay sa pelikulang Our Mighty Yaya [2017].
“So, mate-trace mo, makikita mo yung progression niya from a common comedian in the streets, OK, all of a sudden becoming a superstar because she embodies every woman,” lahad ni Direk Joey.
Si Ai Ai ba talaga ang Comedy Queen?
Napailing si Direk Joey, “I don’t think there’s anybody you can call a Comedy Queen. But they’re icons of Comedy, OK.
“Kasi sa akin, the real royalty of Comedy is only Dolphy.”
DOLPHY
Bakit nga ba hindi pa naidedeklarang National Artist ang Comedy King of Philippine Movies?
Read: Why Dolphy cannot be declared National Artist yet despite strong clamor
Napabuntong-hininga si Direk Joey, “OK, I think, three points iyan. Number, OK, there’s some people who take his personal life against him, in the same manner that Nora’s personal life was taken against her.
“Which I feel has got nothing to do with their art. You judge a person for their work, not for their personal lives, hindi ba?
“Number 2, they don’t take comedy seriously. OK, they think that comedy is not to be taken seriously.
“OK, ang award-winning is drama. But you know, it is doubly hard as a comedian than it is to be a dramatic actor.
“And then, thirdly, certain sectors react to Dolphy’s gay movies before, namely Facifica Falayfay [1969] and Fefita Fofonggay viuda de Falayfay [1973].
“Sinasabi nila, it came up with a very anti-gay kind of iconology, yeah. But then you know, you also forget that he did Ang Tatay Kong Nanay [1978] which humanized…
“He did Markova [2000], so you know. I mean, there are so many prejudiced against him. But I think that bottom line is that they don’t think that comedians are to be taken seriously — which is so wrong.
“And when you come to think of it, as much as Nora deserves to be a National Artist, so many others deserve to be National Artists for their contribution.
“The comedian is the last in line because people feel that you have no depth for cultural value. Na sa akin naman is a misinterpretation of culture.”
Sa pagpupugay ng Philippine Film Industry Month kay Dolphy, mano-notice kaya muli ng kinauukulan ang Comedy King at ang ambag nito sa Sining?
“I hope so because almost every year, pag umuupo kami sa panel, andodoon ang pangalan ni Dolphy,” pagsisiwalat ni Direk Joey.
“He reaches the Top 5, but then nalalaglag siya pirmi. The most recent one when Marilou Abaya was anointed, he was there!
“He was there. So the filmmaker has the advantage, e. Because, you know, kasi you have a body of works which is identified with you, OK.
“But with an actor, it’s more difficult because you’re identified with the role, not with, you know, your craft, OK.”