MANILA FILMFEST STARS TO VISIT 'ADOPTED' DISTRICT
by Jerome Aning, Inquirere News Service, May 27, 2002

MOVIE stars appearing in the Manila Film Festival's six official entries and their fans may get up close and personal in the pre-festival activities that start this week.

Fans may now get to mingle and have fun with their movie idols, unlike in previous festivals when they only get to see the stars from a distance.

The stars of each of the film fest's six entries have "adopted" one of the city's six districts and will hold a "community day" there.

"We want this year's film fest to be more mass-oriented," Mayor Lito Atienza said. "That is why we decided that each entry will go to one district, and the stars will get to spend a day with their fans in their 'adopted' districts."

On June 7, Sharon Cuneta and Judy Ann Santos of "Magkapatid" will visit the Fabella Hospital and hold a medical outreach program in District 3.

On the same day, Jeffrey Quizon, Mylene Dizon and other stars of "Utang ni Tatang" will hold a free concert at Plaza Noli in Sampaloc, and distribute gifts to fathers and grandfathers in the audience.

In District 5, a mass wedding will be held at the San Andres Sports Complex on June 9 to be followed by a mini-concert. "I Think I'm in Love" stars Joyce Jimenez and Piolo Pascual and Manila Councilor Alejandro "Kim" Atienza will stand as principal sponsors at the mass wedding.

On the same day, "Super B Saves the Day" star Ruffa Mae Quinto will host a quiz bee in District 6, followed by a mardi gras and costume parade.

City Hall will also hold its own Flores de Mayo in Malate featuring the stars of the six film entries.

The producers of the entries will receive their incentives of P1 million each on June 4 during simple rites at the Bulwagang Antonio Villegas.

A motorcade with the stars will tour the city on June 10, while the film entries will have their simultaneous premiere night at the Robinson's Place and SM Manila the next day.

The six films will be shown in Manila theaters starting June 12. The awards night will be on June 22.