VIVA Films’ latest offering, the monumental biopic Felix Manalo, set two Guinness world records during its world premiere Sunday night at the Philippine Arena.
Two adjudicators from the Guiness World Records UK announced the event was successful in its attempt to bag not one but two world records.
The announcement was made on the same night after the screening of the film. Guinness World Records UK adjudicators Marco Frigatti and Victoria Tweedey confirmed the number of people who attended the screening at an office inside the arena during the three-hour screening of the film.
Members of Iglesia Ni Cristo burst into a loud applause upon hearing the announcement soon after the screen faded to black and lights went on. The plaques of certification were handed toViva executives Vic del Rosario and Vincent del Rosario.
The world records were for the largest audience for a premiere screening and largest audience for a film screening.
The official headcount was placed at 43,624.
The number beat the previous records held by The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which had a crowd of 10,000 when it premiered at the 02 Arena in London in June 2008 and Honor Flight, which had 28,442 attendees at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August 2012.
On hand to witness the rites were the evening’s hosts Richard Gutierrez and Isabelle Daza, Felix Manalo director Joel Lamangan, lead stars Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla and INC representatives, led by spokesperson Edwil Zabala.
Jampacked to the rafters, the film, which chronicles the life and times of Iglesia Ni Cristo founder and first executive minister Ka Felix Manalo, was viewed on a 40 by 22-meter, five-story screen and Dolby Atmos sound technology.
Frigatti and Tweedey made another startling announcement when they said that the Arena screen is a candidate for the world’s largest indoor screen for a film premiere/screening.
Dennis and Bela were joined in the audience by some of their co-stars, which included Gabby Concepcion, Jaclyn Jose, Gladys Reyes, Bobby Andrews, Andrea del Rosario and Ruru Madrid, among others.
Prior to the screening, Nadine Lustre and Basil Valdez performed for the thousands of Kapatid.
Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo recorded the movie theme for the music video, “Sugo ng Diyos sa mga Huling Araw,” arranged by seasoned musical director-songwriter Louie Ocampo.
Felix Manalo is now screening in over 300 theaters nationwide.
GMA Network’s TVPlus complaints not related to SkyCable disruption
The Kapuso network clarified that the letter sent by ABS-CBN to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) dated September 24, 2015 about GMA 7’s signal loss on ABS-CBN’s TVPlus boxes has nothing to do with GMA7’s recent complaints on signal disruption on SkyCable.
“Our recent complaints are about GMA’s signal loss during Eat Bulaga’s ‘Kalyeserye’ segment on SkyCable and not on the TVPlus boxes. These recent complaints on the TVPlus boxes did not come from us. We are assuring the cable-subscribed public that, as the NTC is aware of, GMA had long since provided three independent links (via fiber, satellite and analog GMA-7 reception) which are periodically maintained to ensure the reliable and clear delivery of GMA and GNTV programs to SkyCable’s headend,” clarified GMA Senior Vice President for Engineering Elvis B. Ancheta.
“We certainly hope that the attention of the viewing public will not be diverted from the more recent and pressing issue at hand, which is GMA’s signal disruption on SkyCable, and trust that the NTC will immediately resolve the issues we raised against SkyCable,” he added.
GMA has two pending complaints with the NTC dated Aug. 25, 2015 and Sept. 17, 2015 seeking immediate action regarding its signal loss on SkyCable either before or during the ‘Kalyeserye’ segment of Eat Bulaga. Both complaints are supported by viewer feedback on social media, email and through the hotline of GMA. The Network filed on October 1 (Thursday) with the NTC its third batch of complaints of the same nature supported by screenshots and video recordings of the signal discrepancies taken by the cable subscribers themselves.
“As far as ABS-CBN TVPlus boxes are concerned, we have submitted only one complaint with the NTC and that was in February this year, long before the Kalyeserye started on (sic) Eat Bulaga. Once again, we appeal to the NTC to investigate the complaints of inconvenienced SkyCable subscribers and to take the appropriate action against the service provider,” said GMA Vice President for Legal Affairs Lynn P. Delfin.
Hi-5 Philippines spreads happiness in schools
Followers of this generation’s edutainment program of choice, Hi-5 Philippines, are getting a chance to experience the exciting and fun-filled learning activities that the vibrant cast has to offer as it sets out on a nationwide school tour. Hi-5 members Gerard, Aira, Rissey, Alex and Fred are gracing school events with their trademark bopping performances of all-time favorite Hi-5 songs.
The Hi-5 Philippines nationwide school tour is a way for kids to get up-close and personal with the cast, as they bring their upbeat songs and creative dances for kids to see live. Aside from showcasing their musical prowess, the cast will also incorporate cool learning segments through workshops and games.
The Metro Manila leg of the school tour started in August at St. Paul College Pasig, wherein preschoolers were treated to a morning of singing, dancing and adventures, capping off their “Buwan ng Wika” celebration. The cast followed through by visiting the preschoolers in Miriam College, St. Mary’s Academy-Caloocan, Sienna College–Taytay, and Makati Hope Christian School, to name a few.
There are still a lot of opportunities to catch the cast on tour. They are scheduled to throw a Hi-5 party at Assumption College in Antipolo, Hope Christian High School, and Golden Acres Elementary School in October. After its Manila run, TV5 aims to bring the Hi-5 experience to every kid across the country by rolling the school tour to private and public schools in the provinces.
Don’t miss out on the Hi-5 magic and catch the ever-bright and engaging quintet by tuning in from Monday to Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and on Sundays at 9 a.m. only on TV5.
Countdown To Trends, Topics, Tantrums
Radio DJ/event host Sam YG pairs with E! personality Erin Lim as hosts of the celebrity-fuelled countdown show E! Philippines Top 5, premiering first and exclusively 9 p.m. on E! tonight.E! is NBC Universal International Networks’ pop culture powerhouse.
A fast-paced and intimate studio show with comedic edge, each sizzling episode will feature A-list celebrity guests and full of entertaining banter. Each week, E! Philippines Top 5 will focus on a theme and feature five specially selected clips.
From the hotties to the naughties, Sam and Erin will be counting down the best of the best to see who will take home the much-coveted Golden Coconut.
The Towering Inferno director dead at 89
John Guillermin, the British filmmaker who directed Dino De Laurentiis’ King Kong starring Jessica Lange and the disaster classic The Towering Inferno, has died.He was 89.
Guillermin, who also helmed the famed Agatha Christie whodunit Death on the Nile (1978), died Sunday of a heart attack at his home in Topanga, California, according to Mary, his wife.
Before guiding Irwin Allen’s The Towering Inferno (1974), an Academy Award nominee for best picture, Guillermin honed his disaster-film chops by helming Skyjacked (1972), starring Charlton Heston. And he followed his 1976 version of King Kong with King Kong Lives (1986), also produced by De Laurentiis.
Guillermin teamed with actor George Peppard on the highly regarded war film The Blue Max (1966) as well as on P.J. (1968) and House of Cards (1968). He also collaborated with Peter Sellers on Never Let Go (1960) and Waltz of the Toreadors (1962).
Guillermin directed the war films Hell, Heaven or Hoboken (1958) starring John Mills, Guns at Batasi (1964) with Richard Attenborough and David L. Wolper’s The Bridge at Remagen (1969), starring George Segal and Ben Gazzara.
His résumé also includes The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) and the sequel Shaft in Africa (1973), starring Richard Roundtree.
Born in London, Guillermin received his film training in France and served as a pilot during World War II. After working on documentaries and spending time in Hollywood, he returned to England and wrote, directed and produced the crime thriller Paper Gallows (1950).