The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
When matinee idol Piolo Pascual walked into the room filled with 2022 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival hotshots, he was the dream boy who sent a thousand and one oohs and aahs among the crowd.
Piolo went to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on a rainy Saturday afternoon to join the final deliberation for the winners of the 18th Cinemalaya where he is one of the jury members in the main competition section of the festival.
Pascual not only impressed the discriminating taste of his fellow judges because of his smart and judicious choices, according to one of the jurors who requested anonymity, but more so, on his charming and kind rapport with the rest of the Cinemalaya bigwigs.
PJ (Piolo’s nickname) was the “kilig” factor in the room. According to fellow juror, illustrious Filipino filmmaker Jeffrey Jeturian, even their colleague, Japanese film authority and coordinator of the New Asian Currents Makiko Wakai went gaga over Piolo.
Everyone, said Jeffrey, was mesmerized by Pascual’s presence. “Everyone in the Cinemalaya deliberation (jurors, staff and CCP personnel) asked to have their photo taken individually with Piolo. Even Makiko, the Japanese juror started calling him Papa P. Look how kilig everyone was,” gushed Jeturian.
Other members of the jury panel were French director Frederic Auburtin, Chairman and President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UXS Inc. (Unitel/Straight Shooters) Maria Madonna Tarrayo, member.
According to the CCP website, Auburtin’s participation as a Jury Chair at the 18th Cinemalaya is part of the celebration of the 75th Philippine-France diplomatic relations.
The 2022 Cinemalaya awards night is scheduled on August 14, 2022 at 7 pm.