Sta. Fe? Where’s that?
That’s the common reaction of the members of the movie press invited to the gathering to introduce the movie, I Found My Heart in Sta. Fe, to the group.
Its stars, real-life couple Germany-born Will Devaughn and Filipino Roxanne Barcelo answered the movie press’ query.
“It’s in Bantayan Island, off the coast of Cebu,” the couple chimed, “It has a population of less than 30, 000 people.”
The movie’s producer, Bona Fajardo, said all of them were first timers in the island and, more so, in the town of Sta. Fe.
“Yet, we were able to get a feel for the life in the island,” Barcelo said. “The people were very welcoming.”
Devaughn echoed Barcelo’s sentiments adding, “Yes, they knew we were actors, or celebrities, but they didn’t make us feel we should be treating them with aloofness, and neither did we encourage them to treat us like celebrities.”
Real-life couples playing lovers in a movie almost always offer less exciting stories for members of the press. Barcelo and Devaughn said their team up could an interesting story.
The couple counts four years in their relationship. They met at an awards ceremony where Barcelo won.
She said it wasn’t a love-at-first-sight kind of story, but they became friends, long enough to realize that both of them want a more serious commitment.
Barcelo and Devaughn are appearing in a movie together. This the first time for the couple to be paired as a romantic couple.
I Found My Heart in Santa Fe follows the blossoming romance between Jennifer (Barcelo), a smart, hardworking and pretty islander whose recent heartache made her tougher with men, and Viktor (Devaughn), an adventurous rich businessman who will stop at nothing to win the fair maiden’s heart.
Bona Fajardo admitted that Barcelo and Devaughn made working on his third movie much easier.
“For me, the chemistry is already there—it’s natural for this real-life couple. We really didn’t need to work hard for them to have that magic onscreen,” Fajardo shared.
As for Barcelo and Devaughn, acting as lovers has its pros and cons.
“True, we don’t really need to undergo intimacy workshops to let go off the awkwardness that most reel pairs go through, but there are also challenges on set,” Devaughn divulged.
Barcelo elaborated and said, “Like any couple, we have our simple tampuhan like when Will didn’t wait for me on the set. But we’re both very professional and we carry on with our scenes even during those silly moments.”
The 32-year-old actress further noted how in some instances, their scenes allow them to work on their small disagreements.
“Another challenge I can think of is when we have to act like we’re mad toward each other. Sometimes we get carried away then we’d have to assure one another that was just a scene,” Barcelo added chuckling.
Besides working together for the first time, the couple takes pride in I Found My Heart in Sante Fe for not only are they the lead stars but they also serve as co-producers of the film.
“What that means is that our work does not end on the set, we talk to sponsors, we promote the film and go about other tasks that actors normally don’t worry about,” Devaughn said.
As such, when the press commented on how promising the rushes are, especially its innocent story and glossy and picturesque feel, the couple could hardly contain their happiness.
“We too fell in love with Santa Fe. Ang ganda talaga. It’s like paradise where you’ll really get to relax and not stress about the volume of tourists. As most of us know, that’s what’s happening in prime tourist spots nowadays,” Barcelo shared.
Both Fajardo and the celebrity couple hope that by showcasing Sante Fe, their audience will also fall in love with the paradise they called their own for almost two-weeks of shooting.
I Found My Heart in Santa Fe is the first film to be screened at Cine Lokal in select SM Cinemas beginning Sept. 15. The endeavor is also under the auspices of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
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Young dance sensations Julian Trono and Ella Cruz are being launched to full stardom via their debut movie as a love team, Fangirl | Fanboy, opening in cinemas nationwide on Sept. 6.
A Joyce Bernal production for Viva Films and N2 Productions, Fangirl | Fanboy does a very timely take on the K-pop fever under debuting film director Barry Gonzalez.
Julian’s character, Ollie Fernandez, is a one-hit boy wonder with a level of confidence that more often borders on conceit. He fanboys over Korean actress Soo Mi Young (played by Yam Concepcion), who plays Sandy/Android 5000 in the Koreanovela Program for Love.
Ella, meanwhile, is Aimee, Soo Mi Young’s dubber.
Ronnie Liang is Min Jun Park, the Korean actor who is paired with Soo Mi Young in Program for Love.
The film’s hilarious twists and romantic turns take shape when Ollie meets Aimee, who happens to be his biggest fan. Aimee agrees to help Ollie work on this acting skills and she succeeds as he achieves that elusive dream of stardom. In exchange, though, Aimee gets heartbroken due to complications in Ollie’s showbiz career.
Julian and Ella say Fangirl | Fanboy spells big pressure on them as a team. “Yung pressure na nararamdaman ko kapag sinasabi ni Direk na napanood na daw nila Boss Vic (del Rosario, Viva big boss) ‘yung movie, tapos sinasabi nila ‘yung feedback nila, kinakabahan talaga ako,” Cruz relates.
“Lagi ko tinatanong si Direk, totoo ba ito? Totoo bang matatapos na natin ‘yung movie? Totoo bang malapit na tayong ipalabas?” she goes on.
But, both stars and Direk Barry are confident they have given Fangirl | Fanboy their best. They could only hope that the dance duo’s followers and multitude of fans would have as much fun as they did while shooting the film and that they would embrace them as well as a couple on the big screen this time.
On talks that Trono and Cruz might be Viva’s next JaDine, the pair admits JaDine is one tough act to follow and that they are flattered with the idea. But for now, they would rather focus on their budding movie pairing, improve on their act and leave the rest to destiny.
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Korina Sanchez-Roxas is the newest ambassador of RDL’s plantcenta soap. Take note, it’s not “placenta” but “plantcenta.” The “t’’ in the name makes the big difference
None other than news anchor Korina Sanchez is the newest favorite endorser of RDL. Sanchez has sealed her first endorsement agreement with the RDL as she believes in the efficacy of the RDL beauty product.
“I don’t really endorse. This is the first endorsement that I’m going to do in my career. Right now I’m on leave from news. So, I asked permission from ABS-CBN if I could start endorsing because in all the years that I’ve been working as a journalist I don’t really endorse, I don’t really do that.”
“And I have to be very discerning about the brands that I endorse, and when this offer came along I had to use the product, and I do believe not only in the product, but in the long-standing reputation of RDL,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez also revealed how she maintains her skin young-looking despite being always on the go as a journalist all the time.
“Aside from using of course the plantcenta soap, I try to sleep eight hours a day. I have to moisturize which I never did before. That’s it! And I drink a lot of water.”
Meanwhile, the RDL company, which is the leading manufacturer of beauty products in the country, continuous to expand with the opening of a new venture in traveling industry.
With their endorsers, Isabelle Lovelie Duterte and actor Albert Martinez, the RAMS travel agency is now open for business to accommodate domestic and international ticketing, international and domestic tour packages, itinerary planning, and passport processing.
The RAMS Travel Agency is also offering Visa processing and Visa extension assistance, hotel bookings, resort tour packages, travel and accident insurance and other traveling-related requirements of its clients.
Model and upcoming teen showbiz personality Iven Lim is endorsing the RAMS Travel Agency especially for his personal use when traveling in and out of the country.
Aside from the office at DíLeonor Hotel, RAMS Travel Agency also has a satellite branch in Quezon City located at Grass Towers condominium beside SM North Edsa, LDL Building on Diversion Road, and DíLeonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park, Communal Davao City.