New series The Lost Recipe drops on GMA News TV
BEGINNING Jan. 18, GMA News TV’s drops its first locally produced daily primetime show, The Lost Recipe, a series headlined by Mikee Quintos and Kelvin Miranda. The latest GMA Public Affairs offering features the story of Harvey (Miranda), a failed chef who gets the chance of a lifetime when he manages to travel back in time to steal a famous recipe and make it his own. While chasing his dream to build a culinary empire for his family, he meets Apple (Quintos), an aspiring chef who gets to work in his company.
Actress Nova Villa receives Vatican award
ACTRESS Novelita Gallegos, better known by her screen name Nova Villa, has received the Vatican’s highest honor for a layperson, the Papal award. Ms. Villa said that everything she does as an actress over her five decade-long career is offered to God. “Yung ambisyon kong mag-artista became a mission, lahat ng ginagawa ko sa showbiz ay may kaakibat na misyon (My ambition to be an actress became a mission, all I do in showbiz has a corresponding mission),” Ms. Villa said in an interview with Radio Veritas. Novaliches Bishop Roberto Gaa said that “the papal award is a seal of service at church that comes with great responsibility; They are a shining example of how to live as a Christian.” Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Antonio Tobias nominated the actress for the papal award among six other individuals in June 2019. The actress was given the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish, Tandang Sora Quezon City on Jan. 14, in a ceremony led by Bishop Roberto Gaa with Bishop Tobias, Fr. Niño Etulle, the parish priest, and other priests of the San Isidro Vicariate.
New entertainment company LX2 looks for talents
LX2 Entertainment, an entertainment company based in New York that just opened its Manila branch led by Albert Andrada, is looking for young actors and singers. The auditions run from Jan. 18 to Feb. 14. Aspiring artists aged 18 and over must submit an online application, together with two recent unretouched full color photos (close-up and full body), CV/Portfolio, a self-introduction video, and a link to a performance video (a monologue or a capella song of the applicant’s choice) uploaded on YouTube with title “2021 LX2 Entertainment Auditions.” For complete details of the online auditions, visit www.lx2entertainment.com and for updates, follow LX2 Entertainment’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram @Lx2entertainment.
Zayn Malik scores another No.1 album in Phl
ZAYN Malik’s third studio release Nobody is Listening debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Philippines Top 100 albums chart a few hours after its release. Co-written by Malik, the project highlights his R&B influences and showcases deeply personal lyrics. Nobody is Listening sees Malik in complete creative control, from designing the album cover art to his sound. The album contains the previously released singles “Vibez” and “Better.” The latter single has accrued over 105 million streams across all platforms, and upon release the video received a half a million views in the first 10 minutes. Nobody is Listening is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music.
Fil-Aussie artist releases new song
IN 2020, Filipino-Australian artist Bryan Estepa released two new songs, continuing on from the success of his 2019 album Sometimes I Just Don’t Know. Now the Sydney-based Filipino songwriter reveals the second of his collaborative efforts with award-winning Australian songwriter Josh Pyke, the song “Trick of the Light.” It is a slice of indie guitar pop, singing about acceptance, letting go and allowing yourself to feel whatever it is that comes out while you’re treading new waters. Born in Cubao, Quezon City, Estepa and his family moved to Sydney, Australia in 1987. It was there, at the age of 15, that he began to pursue songwriting before starting his adult musical journey fronting indie pop band Swivel in the late-1990s pub scene. He recorded his inaugural CD with the band, which paved the way for his solo career. He released his debut EP, Start Again in 2003 and since then Estepa has gone on to release six critically acclaimed solo albums (All The Bells And Whistles, Sunday Best, Vessels, Heart Vs Mind, Every Little Thing, and Sometimes I Just Don’t Know). Bryan Estepa’s “Trick of the Light” is now available on all streaming and digital platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.
Yellow Rose, Quezon’s Game now on streaming platforms
TWO Filipino films which are festival favorites debuted on streaming platforms over the holiday season: Yellow Rose by Filipino-American director Diane Paragas and Quezon’s Game by British national Matthew Rosen who has been living in the Philippines since 1986. Yellow Rose is a story of a Filipina teen from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while having to decide between staying with her family or leaving the only home she has known. It recently became available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, Fandango Now, PlayStation and Microsoft Movies, and TV. It is also now available On Demand on Xfinity, DIRECTV and Verizon Fios TV. Its single, “Square Peg,” sung by Tony Award Nominee and the film’s lead, Eva Noblezada, is available on Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. The film has won 13 festival jury and audience awards, including the Special Jury Award — Best Narrative Feature at the Asian American International Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize — Best Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and the Best Feature Film Award and Audience Choice Award at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. It was among the Top 100 films of Rotten Tomatoes in 2020. Yellow Rose — a 2017 ABS-CBN Cinematografo Originals seed grant selection — became the first Filipino and Filipino-American film to be acquired by Sony Pictures for theatrical release in the US. Meanwhile, Quezon’s Game — produced by ABS-CBN Films in association with iWant and Kinetek — has won multiple awards all over the world, including 12 awards at the Cinema Worldfest Canada alone in 2018. It tackles a largely forgotten true story of Filipino President Manuel L. Quezon who contrived to rescue 1,200 imperiled Jews from the Holocaust at a time when most countries were turning Jewish refugees away. The film is now available via streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and On Demand on Xfinity, Cox and Verizon Fios TV. For more information on Yellow Rose, visit https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/yellowrose and on Quezon’s Game at https://www.quezonsgame.com/.
Japan Fiesta goes online
THE JAPAN Fiesta — an event that promotes the friendship between Japan and the Philippines — returns this year online. Japan Fiesta 2021 — New Year will be held from Jan. 18 to 24, from 9 to 10 p.m. The weeklong celebration will be streamed live via Facebook, and available on playback via YouTube (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JapanFiesta/ and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3AEcUefz34D9ECcMABgb4g ). The online event will feature Japanese culture, tourism, cuisine among others, and promote the best of Japan to Filipinos. Among the performers are Japanese drum group MICO, MNL48, Mona Gonzales, Zen monk and musician Yakushiji Kanho Kissaquo, HPN3, Kuya Sawa, Beverly, Junna Tsukii, Carlos Yulo, Japanese performance collective enra, Team Kramer, JaiGa, Fumiya and many more. Viewers get a chance to win gifts by participating in special games.