Starring: Charlie Dizon (as Jane), Paulo Avelino (as Paulo Avelino)
Screenplay & Direction: Antoinette Jadaone
Production Companies: Black Sheep Productions, Globe Studios, Project 8 Corner San Joaquin Projects, Epic Media, Crossword Productions
JANE: Number 1 fan n'yo po ako. Eight times ko pong pinanood ang I'm Drunk, I Love You tapos 'yong Goyo, three times ko pinanood kahit three hours po 'yon, di ako natulog. Lahat po ng pelikula n'yo ni Bea Alonzo, pinanood ko po, first day. Kasali po ako sa tatlong block screenings. Dalawa po do'n Lazy Boy, tapos 450 pesos po 'yon. Tapos papanoorin ko po ang If We Fall in Love, first day po 'yon kahit mag-absent po ako sa long test ko sa Trigonometry. Sobrang fan n'yo po ako.
PAULO AVELINO: Putangina. Putanginaaaa.
Laking “That's Entertainment” (1) ako. Kilala ko halos lahat ng first few batches at ang mga araw na kinabibilangan nila. Pati ang pag-shuffle sa ilang members sa ibang araw, alam ko rin. Pero loyal ako sa isang grupo lang: ang Wednesday Group. Dahil kay Romnick Sarmenta.
Photo Courtesy: Spot.ph
Si Romnick Sarmenta (2) ang una kong minahal sa showbiz. Lahat ng pelikula niya simula nang mahalin ko siya ay pinanood ko. Sinuportahan ko si Sheryl Cruz dahil sa kanya. Dahil kung sino ang mahal ng mahal ko, mahal ko na rin. (Pero dati 'yon! Iba na ngayon especially pag alam kong kakumpitensya ko! Charot!) Maging si Jennifer Sevilla (3) na third wheel sa kanilang dalawa kahit siya naman talaga ang unang kalabtim niya.
Naka-subscribe kami noon sa mga movie magazines. Tuwing umaga, excited akong magising dahil sa bagong magasin na ide-deliver sa bahay. Dahil sikat si Romnick Sarmenta, madalas siyang nasa cover o laman ng interviews.
I was particularly fond of Eyebugs Magazine. Ito ang counterpart ng teen magazines ng US dito sa atin. Featured palagi ang That's gang dahil nandoon lahat ng sikat na teen artista noon. Tapos may mala-slumbook (4) part na pinipirmahan ng artista para malaman natin kung ano ang favorite color nila, favorite drink (si Nora Aunor, NAWASA! [5]), shoe size, dick size sometimes (naalala ko na 7" ‘ata ang nilagay ni Brylle Mondejar! Or was it that Ryan Soler?!) [6], at kung ano-ano pang kakornihang tanong tulad ng What is crush na ang sagot madalas ay Crush is paghanga (Jusme! Kadire!!) and What is love na ang sagot madalas ay Love is blind (Gaga! But yeah, love is blind tulad ng paghanga dito sa Fan Girl.). Lagi ding may sagot na Too many to mention sa favorites.
Tangna! Di pa ako marunong magjabol noon but if I did, alam na! (Oops, TMI! Sarrreh not sarrreh!)
That poster was plastered on my wall. Katabi ng poster ni Sheryl (7). S'ympre para di nila isiping bakla ako. Na si Sheryl talaga ang gusto ko at di si Romnick Sarmenta. Heller! (Tingin ko I still have a picture of me na katabi ng posters na 'yon. Mahanap nga!)
Photo courtesy: Foto 2024 Romnick Sarmenta e Rico Yan (right)
Photo (left): Screencap from One Two Bato
(Kaloka though. After revisiting the film, di naman pala shirtless si Nicko sa movie! Well, walang shirt pero may dalawang buko sa utong! Na-false memory ako.)
(Si Coco Martin [11] na lang ang dumaan sa phase na 'yan recently though di siya naging matinee idol.)
Photo courtesy: Sheryl and Romnick
Up to this day, I have never seen Romnick Sarmenta in person. Mao-awkwardan siguro ako if it happens. (Though we're Facebook friends dahil may common friends kami.)
We all have our crazy faney moments. It is not necessarily about an artista. It can be about a story, an author, a game or anything na pinagbubuhusan natin ng atensyon at panahon. That is why the narrative of Fan Girl is so familiar to us especially sa bansa natin na sumasabay sa pagkawatak-watak ng pulo ang pagkawatak-watak ng fandoms.
But there is nothing wrong about being a fan of something or someone. Even going through great lengths to see them or achieve them is not bad. What is not good and unhealthy is not being critical about one's idol. 'Yong nakakahanap ka ng dahilan palagi para ipagtanggol ang kawalangyaan ng idolo mo. 'Yong aawayin mo ang lahat maging ang iyong pamilya o malalapit na kaibigan na di sang-ayon sa kabalastugan ng hinahangaan mo. 'Yong itatapon mo ang questionable principles mo at kakaunting dignidad na natitira para lang pagtakpan ang pagkukulang ng so-called hero mo. (12)
Hep hep hep! I'm not talking about you, DDS! (13) Kaya huwag kang maka-react-react diyan. ‘Wag masyadong apektado. Di sa 'yo umiikot ang mundo. Maraming die hards diyan. Ang Pinas ay di nahahati sa DDS o Dilawan (14) lamang. May Kapamilya (15) at Kapuso (16) din!!!
Mayro'n ding Noranian (17) at Vilmanian (18) na wala na 'atang pag-asa na magkasundo pa ever (19)! Ka-level ng Muslim at Kristiyano ang dibisyon. Hanggang ngayon, payabangan sila sa kani-kanilang social media groups. Mayroon ding Sharonian (20) at Maricelian (21). At sa mata ng Maricelian, di kapata-patawad si Sharon sa pagiging daot sa karera at awards ni Marya (22). Mayroong ding Judayian (23) (Jusme! Tama ba ang term? Patawarin n'yo ako kung mali at itama ang mortal sin na itu.) at Claudinian (24) na hanggang ngayon... Wait, wala akong alam sa rivalry nila. Enlighten me.
That's it. End of fandom sa Pinas. May sumunod pa bang superstars after them?! (25) Defend your answer! A4 size. 10 font size. Single-spaced. Cite your sources gadammit! Charoooot!
Fan Girl is comparable to two other Pinoy films about fans worshipping their idols: Bona (NV Productions [26], 1980) and Bituing Walang Ningning (Viva Films [27], 1985) though Fan Girl is much closer to Bona in nature.
Photo: Screencap from "Bona"
Sa Bona, naging sunud-sunuran si Nora Aunor bilang Bona sa bit player na si DDS Philip Salvador. (Bona was part of MMFF 1980 so reunion nila ang Isa Pang Bahaghari in 2020.) Ultimo tubig na gagamitin ni Ipe sa paliligo, siya ang nag-aasikaso. Tinalukuran niya ang pamilya niya, thinking she has Ipe by her side. Pinaubaya niya ang sarili kasi feeling niya, mahal na rin siya ni Ipe. Until she realized that he's not in love with her. At dakilang alalay lang ang tingin niya sa kanya. When she had enough, binuhos niya ang kumukulong tubig na panligo kay Ipe! Tanginaka, DDS ka, sabi niya! Charot, lang! Di niya sinabi 'yon. Dahil Ate Guy is Ate Guy! She need not say anything para iparating ang gusto niyang sabihin. Sa mga mata niya mababasa ang gusto niyang sabihin. At pag tiningnan mo ang mga mata niya, ang sabe nito, Tanginaka, DDS ka! Charoooot uli!
But one would wonder, bakit sa isang bit player nahumaling si Bona at di sa isang superstar? Dahil hindi naman sa kinang ng bituin nasilaw si Bona kundi sa kung ano ang nire-represent ni dakilang extra sa buhay niya. Bona wanted to be needed and appreciated. Ipe gave her that. No matter how fleeting it was. Charlie Dizon bilang Jane, on the other hand, as an impressionable teenager, wanted the attention of Paulo Avelino and to feel special among his throngs of fans.
Kahit di kagandahan ang boses ni idol, buy pa rin ng album niya! (Hoy! Ang gwapo ni Paulo sa album (29) cover kaya. Tingnan n'yo na lang ang cover. Huwag na pakinggan ang songs. Pero lab ko ang version niya ng “Lloydy” (30) sa I'm Drunk, I Love You na 3x ko lang pinanood. Di ako sing-OA ni Jane.)
Photo (left): Cover of Paulo Avelino's self-titled album
Kahit minumura na siyang madalas ni idol, wa care! Music to her ears. At kahit gahasain siya, oks lang! Kahit masakit, titiisin. May palaway naman, eh. Laway is life! Deep inside, he cares for her. Saya kaya! Laki ng uten ni Paulo, eh!
Paulo is not bad. He is a good person. Mabigat ang pinagdaraanan niya sa buhay. Nang mamatay ang nanay niya, he wasn't there. Nagtatrabaho siya. Di niya maiwan ang trabaho. That's dedication.
Nang makabuntis siya, he kept it a secret. To protect the woman and the child. S'ympre nga naman, sisirain ng showbiz ang buhay nila. Siya na lang. Huwag nang idamay ang iba. That's sacrifice.
Ang mga bagay na ito, ililihim din ni Jane para hindi masira ang pangalan ni Paulo. She would do anything but she won't do that. She won't do what? Do that. Do what?! Do that.
Sa song (31), di natin alam ang "that" (pero may theory na ang "that" daw ay anal sex. Won't do anal sex. At baket hinde, aber?!!) but sa film, ang that ay ang maging accessory sa pagkidnap sa anak ni Paulo. She won't do that.
Hindi ko alam kung paano nauwi sa kidnapan ang eksena pero given na Pinoy film ito, uso talaga ang kidnapan. Lalo na't nanggaling sila sa abandoned mansion. Basta may abandoned mansion, may kidnapang magaganap. Alam n'yo yan!
I am pretty sure na after nang nangyari, Jane will remain a fan. Kasi sa part 2, mabubuntis siya. Isasapubliko niya ang nangyari kay Kuya Boy (32) tapos ide-deny siya ni Paulo. Tapos si Paulo, sisikat nang bongga sa teleserye niyang “Promdi” na tatakbo ng 10 years sa ere at si Regine Velasquez ang kakanta ng theme song. (Tengene! Ang corny na ba? Hahaha! Pero pag nakuha n'yo ang references [33], certified Fan Girls kayo! O sa language ni Kuya Germs [34], Fan Gels.)
Si Sharon Cuneta naman bilang Dorina ay faney ng singer superstar na si Cherie Gil. Na nagpapanggap lang na aliw sa fans niya pero off camera, bwisit na bwisit siya sa kanila at ang kanilang pipitsuging Sampaguitang sinasabit sa leeg niya (35). Upon discovering how evil her idol was, Dorina takes her revenge: inagaw niya ang kasikatan ni idol. At nilampasan pa!
Photo: Screencap from "Bituing Walang Ningning"
Nang ma-achieve na niya ang kasikatan, gives back niya kay Cherie kasi mananatiling siya ang idol niya kahit pa masama ang ugali nito. At dahil masama nga ang ugali ni Cherie, accept niya ang what's rightfully hers! Isa lang ang nasa trono dapat. Besides, mas wagi si Sharon sa na-achieve niya: ang ex-boypren ng idol niya!
Parang 'yong kilalang fan daw ni Sharon na jinowa ang halos lahat ng ex niya: from the ex-husband to the ex-boyfiends! Baka nga pag naghiwalay sina Sharon at Kiko, a-achievin niya rin si Kiko! Charot! Bukod doon, she also competed with her. Naglabas ng albums kahit di naman singer kasabay ng release ng albums ng iniidolo niya. Art imitating life ba itech?! Kilala n'yo ba siyaaaaaa?!! (36)
Bona and Bituing Walang Ningning offer a different layer because actual Superstar (37) and Megastar (38) Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta, respectively, acted as fans, relating themselves to their tons of following. (Admittedly, before they entered the business, they, too, were fans. Nora was a fan of Amalia Fuentes then Susan Roces later on while Sharon was a fan of Vilma.)
Tulad nina Bona at Dorina, masaklap ang naging resulta nang paglapit ni Jane sa kanyang idolo. The things she discovered about him made her realize na hindi santo ang kanyang iniidolo: palamura, durugista, lasenggo, kabet, at higit sa lahat, mabaho ang utot! But that makes him human, di baaaaa? Tulad niya.
The stories they share together are enough para mas mapalapit siya sa kanya. But at what cost? Hanggang saan at hanggang kailan siya pipikit para hindi makita ang kagaguhan ng idol n’ya (at ng mga tao sa paligid niya)? Hanggang saan ang hangganan nang pwede niyang gawin para sa kanya para patunayang siya ang number 1 fan?
So, that is Fan Girl (39). Not a love story.
Kung gusto n'yo ng love story between a star and a fan, watch na lang kayo ng Notting Hill (40)-copycat na Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (41). Pero fan boy naman ang bida do'n. DDS din!
P.S. Shet! I just realized na I need to hide this post from Romnick Sarmenta ! Hindi pa ko ready umamin sa kanya! Hahaha! Though unlike Paulo in the film, mabuting tao naman si Romnick. So I was told by the people who know him. (Too good to a fault nga raw, at times.) Thus, di pa naman questionable ang choices ko. I think.
P.S. uli! Recenlty, nanalo si Romnick sa Urian ng Best Actor for About Us But Not About Us (2023). Congrats, Nicko!!! Dasurv!!!
Tapos si Charlie naman ay nanalo ng Best Actress for Third World Romance (2023).
-------------------------
1 "That’s Entertainment" was a youth-oriented show from the mid-‘80s hosted by German Moreno in GMA-7. It has built the successful careers of many of its stars including Lea Salonga, Manilyn Reynes, Lotlot de Leon, Billy Crawford, Ian Veneracion, Francis Magalona, Isko Moreno, and others.
2 Romnick Sarmenta was a teen heartthrob in the ‘80s who started as a child actor in the television program Gulong ng Palad. He starred in many romance films with loveteam Sheryl Cruz.
3 Before Sheryl, Romnick was paired with Jennifer Sevilla.
4 A slumbook was a notebook of general and personal questions passed by teenagers to friends and acquaintances to get to know each other. Questions ranged from “What is your height” to “Who is your first kiss?”
5 When asked about her favorite drink in a slumbook, Nora Aunor wrote NAWASA or the National Waterworks and Sewerage System Authority before it was called the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System or MWSS, the government agency that is in charge of water privatization in Metro Manila
6 Brylle Mondejar and Ryan Soler were both members of "That’s Entertainment"
7 Sheryl Cruz came from a showbiz family. Her parents are Ricky Belmonte and Rosemarie Sonora. Rosemarie is Susan Roces’ sister. Susan is the wife of Fernando Poe, Jr. Apart from being an artista, Sheryl also recorded a few albums. She is known for her song “Mr. Dreamboy.”
8 Refers to the 2NE1 song
9 Paulo Avelino was a product of “Starstruck,” a star-search reality show in GMA-7
10 Male dramatic actors would often venture into action films as part of their career pathing because action films were a hit until early 2000s.
11 Coco Martin started in independent productions before becoming a big star that he is now
12 It wasn’t coincidental that Fan Girl was produced during the Duterte Administration
13 DDS stands for Diehard Duterte Supporters
14 Dilawan stands for Aquino’s loyal supporters
15 Kapamilya stands for ABS-CBN’s loyal supporters
16 Kapuso stands for GMA-7’s loyal supporter
17 Noranian is what Nora Aunor’s fans fondly called themselves
18 Vilmanian is what Vilma Santos’s fans fondly called themselves
19 The rivalry between Nora and Vilma is one of the celebrated rivalries in Philippine show business
20 Sharonian is what Sharon Cuneta’s fans fondly called themselves
21 Maricelian is what Maricel Soriano’s fans fondly called themselves
22 The Box-Office Queen title from the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation was given to Sharon Cuneta several times. Some of Maricel Soriano’s fans did not agree with the results particularly in their 1984 films Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin? (Sharon’s) and Batang Quiapo (Maricel’s).
23 Judayian for Judy Ann Santos’s fans
24 Claudianian for Claudine Barretto’s fans
25 I argue that the queendom has ended with Sharon Cuneta and Maricel Soriano because after them, showbiz followers were divided into being Kapamilya or Kapuso. Thus, stars who came after them were not able to gain a huge following as compared to them.
26 NV Productions is owned by Nora Aunor
27 Viva Films was created for Sharon Cuneta so her second film after Dear Heart (Sining Silangan, 1981) could be produced. Her fame then became synonymous with Viva Films.
28 Refers to the fan of a superstar who was allegedly caught with drugs in an international airport
29 Paulo Avelino released a self-titled album in 2012
30 “Lloydy” was from the soundtrack of I’m Drunk, I Love You
31 Refers to the “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meatloaf
32 Refers to showbiz talk show host, Boy Abunda
33 Search for Coco Martin and Katherine Luna’s intriguing story
34 German Moreno’s showbiz nickname
35 A garland of sampaguita was used by fans as gifts to their celebrity idols
36 Refers to Kris Aquino, a Sharonian
37 “Superstar” was the title given to Nora Aunor by Rustom Quinton in 1971
38 “Megastar” was an original word coined by Ed de Leon for Sharon Cuneta in 1984
39 Fan Girl is available on Netflix
40 Notting Hill (1999) is about a famous celebrity who fell in love with an ordinary citizen starring Julia Roberts & Hugh Grant
41 Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw (2000) is about a fan who had a date with a famous celebrity starring Regine Velasquez & Robin Padilla
42 Romnick Sarmenta currently teaches at the Trinity University of Asia and acts every now and then in movies and teleseryes. He is active on Twitter, posting his thoughts against the previous and current administration.
Original post and conversation can be found at:
No comments:
Post a Comment