WHY not? The singer is proving to all and sundry that she isn’t just a outstanding performer on stage but also an actor any serious critic should take notice of.
Zsa Zsa Padilla is happy to finally win a best actress award at the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival New Wave Category in December last year. The award was given to her for her performance as the dying lawyer in M, Mother’s Maiden Name.
Padilla in M, Mother’s Maiden Name
Quantum Films producer, Atty. Joji Alonso, who is also releasing M in selected SM and Ayala mall theaters today handed the trophy to the actress after the press conference for the film recently.
Atty. Alonso is also the producer of the filmfest entry mainstream hit, English Only, Please, which was expected to hit the P150M mark last weekend playing on extended run in several theaters.
In M, Zsa Zsa plays a single mom dying of cancer. The film also shows the disparity in how the rich and poor get medical treatments in hospitals today. Starring also in the film are Nico Antonio, Dennis Padilla, Sue Prado and Gloria Sevilla.
“I read Zig’s script at nagandahan ako sa role ko as Atty. Bella Monteclaro. Mataray siya at ang gaganda ng lines ko rito na quotable quotes. Maganda rin ang story about two moms, ako at si Gloria Sevilla. I discover I’m dying of a pancreatic cancer and siya naman she has daughter, Sue Prado, who’s dying of chronic liver disease.
“The film also comments on the disparity of health treatments between the rich and poor in our country. Maganda rin ang relationship ko rito with my son who’s gay, si Nico Antonio.
“Lahat ng friends kong nakapanood last December really liked it. Tawa raw sila nang tawa sa maraming scenes but in the end, napaiyak sila kasi reality situations ang ipinakikita,” says Zsa Zsa.
Zig Dulay, after directing M is now with GMA Network where he started as writer-assistant director for the romantic drama anthology, Wagas. He also wrote Sa Puso ni Doc which starred Dennis Trillo and co-directed it with Adolf Alix. He was given the chance to write and direct GMA’s special Christmas musical drama Himig ng Pasko starring Regine Velasquez.
After the film’s release on Jan. 21, M will compete for the Circulo Precolumbino awards at the 31st Bogota International Film Festival in Colombia in October. It is also in the exhibition selection of the Hawaii International Filmfest in November.
M, Mother’s Maiden Name was graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board.