Continuing a tradition set by the late Lily Monteverde, family heirs Dondon and Roselle Monteverde donated P1 million to the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (MOWELFUND) during an event aptly called Regal Legacy Sept. 21 at Valencia Events Place in Quezon City.

MOWELFUND is one of Mother Lily’s favorite beneficiaries to whom she donated regularly.

The donation coincided with the formal introduction of Ms. Roselle as the company’s new CEO-president and lawyer Keith Monteverde, Roselle’s son, as executive vice-president.

The event also marked the launch of Regal’s three new motion pictures, which were all greenlighted by the late film producer.

The films cut across various genres: Guilty Pleasure (romantic drama), My Future You (rom-com), and Untold (horror).

Ms. Roselle stressed that these new releases demonstrate Regal’s continued commitment to producing films that speak to a wide audience.Keith, on the other hand, stressed the beauty of watching movies at the cinema. He recalled that as a child, he enjoyed previewing Regal movies at the Valencia studios in the company of his Lola.“We have to push the industry forward,” he said.

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You can watch 50 classic Filipino movies for only 50 pesos per admission ticket.

Life-size murals along EDSA inspired by movies that made their mark at the MMFF.These are but some of the starry, starry offerings of  “Sinesigla sa Singkwenta,” a series of events celebrating the legacy of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year.

The omnibus mural that pays tribute to the festival’s rich history, was unveiled Sept. 19 on a wall of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) offices facing EDSA.

It features 16 actors and actresses who have impacted heavily on the annual December film fest throughout five decades starting in 1975. Among them, Nora Aunor, Vilma Santos, Fernando Poe, Jr., Dolphy, Vice Ganda, Vic Sotto, Eddie Garcia. The centerpiece mural was painted by AG Sano and Sim Tolentino of Art Atak.

At the media launch, National Artist Ricky Lee recalled that in the 1982 MMFF, he wrote three films, namely: Himala, Haplos, and Moral. Calling himself an MMFF baby, he has amassed a total of 60 trophies from the festival for best screenplay.

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PASSERBY:

Interesting that two former actors known for hefty, all-male roles are directing their first films.

Carlos Morales is the director and writer of sex-drama Wild Boys, with an all-star cast led by Aljur Abrenica and his brother, Vin Abrenica, about macho dancers.

On the other hand, Mike Magat directs romance-drama with a touch of suspense, Seven Days, starring himself and Catherine Yogi.