Cinema One Originals Film "Mater Dolorosa" Now Available on iTunes

Another milestone for Philippine cinema was recently achieved with the award-winning film “Mater Dolorosa,” which was first screened through Cinema One Originals, being made available online on the Apple iTunes store.

“Mater Dolorosa” tells the story of a woman who has taken over running her husband’s crime empire while trying to keep her family together. While this is happening, a new mayor steps in, bringing the need for change not only in her business—but in how her and her family must deal with ghosts from their past.

“Mater Dolorosa” stars Gina Alajar, Cogie Domingo, Alessandra de Rossi, Carlo Aquino, Felix Roco, Anita Linda, Rosanna Roces, Evelyn Vargas, Alwyn Uytinco, Mercedes Cabral, Jason Abalos and Phillip Salvador.

The film took home a number of awards, including the 2013 Gawad Urian Best Director for Adolf Alix, Jr., the 2013 Golden Screen Awards Best Actress award for Gina Alajar, and the 2013 Star Awards for Movies Best Supporting Actor for Carlo Aquino.

Who Will Win Protege The Final Battle?

The Final battle is at hand! After almost three months of training  assessments  performances, and rivers of tears of joy and grief will eventually come to its end when the reality show PROTEGE: The Battle for the Big Artista Break come to its finals.

And from the thousands of those who auditioned from all parts of the Philippines, it is now narrowed into the final six proteges that will have to show everything that they got and prove to the judges, their mentors, and the viewers from the country and all around the world that they are truly refined into the "diamond" stars that they earned the hard way competing with each other which they have also gone close to.

The Protege Top 6 are:

Showdown for survival between mentors and protégés this Sunday

This Sunday (September 16), the five celebrity mentors and their respective protégés join on stage and perform together for a showdown for survival!

North and Central Luzon mentor Ricky Davao and protégés Shelly Hipolito and Bryan Benedict star in an action sequence. Bryan plays the hero captured and tortured by his godfather Ricky while Shelly is Bryan's love interest. 

Mega Manila mentor Roderick Paulate plays a modern-day family man who copes with his dysfunctional relationship with a gay son played by Japs de Luna and a lesbian daughter played by Elle Ramirez.  

"Protege" bids goodbye to North & Central Luzon's Reese Tayag

For most of the proteges, this week's gala night is just one of a series of nerve-wracking, anxiety-ridden activities that they have to go through as the road to the big artista break gets narrower each week.  But for North and Central Luzon protege Reese Tayag, this week's elimination night is the end of her journey in the competition.  Reese was eliminated after scoring the lowest in an acting performance wherein all proteges were given the chance to act alongside the "Diamond Star" Maricel Soriano in five short films directed by Cannes Film Festival awardee Brillante Mendoza and written by Palanca awardee Floy Quintos.

Glenn, Mitch, Kelly, Mykel, Apple eliminated from Protege

In the words of protege judge Joey de Leon, Sunday's showdown of talents among the bottom 10 proteges of GMA-7's artista search "Protege: The Battle for the Big Artista Break" was "mentor anguish."

The Proteges who didn't make the cut

The bottom two proteges from each of the five protege teams were given their last chance to prove to their mentors that they deserve to retain their places in the competition. In the end, five proteges were saved, while the other five left the competition for good.

Japs de Luna (N. and C. Luzon), Zandra Summer (Visayas), Vien Alen King (Mega Manila), Arny Ross (South Luzon) and Ruru Madrid (Mindanao) have another reason to thank their mentors because they were the ones saved this week, while Glenn Roy (N. and C. Luzon), Mitch Capili (Visayas), Kelly D (Mega Manila), Mykel Ong (Southern Luzon) and Apple Vega (Mindanao) will have to face the bitter truth of being evicted from the competition.

Top 20 Proteges help man GMA's Telethon for flood victims

The Top 20 proteges of GMA's artista search Protege: The Battle for the Big Artista Break took time outside of their reclusive quarters to receive pledges of financial and material aid intended for residents displaced when several municipalities in Mega Manila and Luzon were inundated as a result of torrential rains in this northern Philippine region.

"Nakakatuwa pong makatanggap ng tawag mula sa ibang mga tao na gustong makatulong at gustong magbigay ng donations, lalung-lalo na po yung mga tumatawag mula pa sa abroad, nagbibigay po sila, concerned pa rin po talaga sila.  Iba talaga ang Pinoy. Astig!," shared Mykel Ong, a protege from Batangas.

Revelation of The Top 20 Proteges on its Gala Night

From thousands of young dreamers who auditioned nationwide for a stab at stardom, Protege narrows down the list to the coveted Top 20 aspirants who will compete in GMA's original artista search.

This supreme slate of artista aspirants, meticulously selected from 15 cities all around the country, is all set to showcase their talent and star power on the Protege arena and will compete for the judges' and the Filipinos' votes during the weekly performance nights.

Sharing his knowledge and insights with the proteges from Mindanao is drama and action film legend Phillip Salvador.  His four proteges are David John Llanas, Ruru Madrid, Apple Vega and Steffi Pacheco.

Acting as mentor for the proteges in the Visayas is multimedia icon Jolina Magdangal.  Her proteges include Bryan Benedict, Mikoy Morales, Mitch Capili and Zandra Summer.

Mentoring the proteges from Northern and Central Luzon is acclaimed actor and TV director Ricky Davao.  His four Proteges are Glenn Roy, Japs De Luna, Reese Tayag and Shelly Hipolito.

Protégé holds first live gala night this Sunday

The search for the next big Kapuso stars officially begins as Protégé makes its highly-anticipated and star-studded premiere on Philippine television this Sunday, August 5. The first live gala night happens after IBilib on GMA's Sunday Grande block.

After several months of its intensive nationwide hunt, Protégé will finally unveil the coveted TOP 20 aspirants who will go head-to-head in the weekly elimination nights and outdo each other in hopes of winning over the judges' and the viewers' votes.

Protege: The Battle for the Big Artista Break - Mentor Spotlight GINA ALAJAR

GMA's artista search Protege: The Battle for the Big Artista Break marks a milestone because after several weeks of scouring the Philippine for potential stars, the five mentors in the search - Roderick Paulate (Mega Manila), Gina Alajar (South Luzon), Jolina Magdangal (Visayas), Ricky Davao (Northern and Central Luzon), and Philip Salvador (Mindanao) - will finaly choose their four (for each mentor) proteges from among those who auditioned in designated auditions locations in the country and from and those who auditioned online via GMANetwork.com/Protege. 

Michael de Mesa gives ‘pointers’ to sons Goeff, Ryan

For the first time, veteran actor Michael de Mesa and son Geoff Eigenmann are going to work together in a television series.  Their upcoming project, entitled Kasalanan Ba Ang Ibigin Ka?, will air weekday afternoons beginning June 4 on GMA-7. 

During the story conference held early this week at the GMA Network Center, de Mesa was asked by reporters from which parent did Geoff get his acting skills: from him or from ex-wife Gina Alajar. 

“Siyempre sa akin,” he quips.  “Joke lang. Pareho naman.” 

Michael de Mesa has been in the industry for close to two decades now, starting his showbiz career at the age of 15.  Sure, he has gained not just popularity but also respect from everyone in the industry because of his professionalism.  Does he share his “trade secret” to his sons who are following in his footsteps? 

“Yes. Tuwing napapanood ko siya tapos ‘pag nagkikita at nagkakausap kami binibigyan ko naman siya ng pointers.” 

Hiram na Puso Pilot a Big Ratings Success

GMA's newest afternoon drama Hiram na Puso debuted with very high ratings in both Mega Manila and in the National Urban Philippines according to data from the more trusted television ratings provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement (TAM).

Hiram na Puso’s pilot episode, which aired on March 5, led in the national ratings, gaining a household rating of 14.9 pts. and an audience share of 40.6%, while its nearest competitor ABS-CBN’s Mundo Man ay Magunaw only gained 9.2 pts. and an audience share of 25.1%.  This is based on data provided by the Nielsen National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM). 

REEL DEAL: Valiente (2012)

in the 90's it has been a staple for Pinoys (and me when I was a wee boy) after watching Eat Bulaga, one of the most successful afternoon series, VALIENTE has also kept people glued to their screens. Now after 20 years, TV5 brings the series is back with casts from the original series and new ones who are also great actors and actresses from this generation.  A classic in Philippine TV that has been loved by millions of Filipinos bringing a very compelling story of love, deceit, revenge, and friendship now brought to life in the 21st Century.

After a successful run that spanned five years on two major networks, Valiente makes a grand comeback to capture once more the hearts of Filipinos who grew up watching the series as well as the new generation of viewers who would surely relate to the classic story two decades after.

Now airing on primetime for the first time and helmed by multi-awarded director Joel Lamangan, TV5’s Valiente recounts the epic tale of two families whose lives are intertwined by their desire to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs. The compelling story is given new life by a powerhouse cast of this generation’s most bankable actors, including Kapatid stars Oyo Sotto, Nadine Samonte, Niña Jose and JC De Vera.