Celia Rodriguez, Nora Aunor: Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Awardee; Direk Maryo J. Delos Reyes: ULIRANG ALAGAD NG PELIKULA SA LIKOD NG KAMERA”
by Roldan Castro
This year, the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) and the Nora Aunor Foundation (NAF), in cooperation with Airtime Marketing, Inc., will honor the veteran multi-awarded actress, Ms. Celia Rodriguez, as recipient of the very special award- the Nora Aunor Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Award.
Born Maria Cecilia Rodriguez (on March 17, 1938), in Irosin, Sorsogon (Bicol Region, Philippines), Celia Rodriguez, as she came to be popularly known, is turning 77 years old 9 days after she would be named an ‘Ulirang Artista’ by the PMPC body.
Superstar and acknowledged People’s National Artist, Nora Aunor, was just too glad that “Mommy Celia”, as she has endeared herself, not only to ‘Ate Guy’, but to a lot of showbiz folks, young and old alike, will be this year’s recipient of the special award named after her.
“Mommy Celia has long been a friend and adviser to me, since wayback (in the early ’70s). Remember, she co-starred with me in my third film, as movie producer, ‘Super Gee’!,” Nora fondly recalled.
The 1973 Komiks-serial action trilogy, written by Zoila and directed by Armando Garces, had Celia Rodriguez playing a counterfeit money syndicate head, operating in a haunted house to give the episode a “horror” touch.
Nora and ‘Mommy Celia’s’ acting collaborations didn’t end with ‘Super Gee’. In succeeding decades, the two award-winning actresses found themselves assigned in roles significant enough for them to sink their teeth into, so to speak such as Palengke Queen (1982), directed by Freddie Sarol and Armand Reyes; Bulaklak Sa City Jail, written by Lualhati Bautista, directed by Mario O’Hara; and Naglalayag (2004), written by Irma V. Dimaranan, directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes.
The partnership, though not seen regularly through the years, proved successful and meaningful at best, as Nora and Mommy Celia have developed a kind of friendship that lasts, though they seldom see each other.
One could only recount the times both Mommy Celia and Nora had a more regular screen appearance, when the superstar-actress did her first TV drama series (teleserye) lead-starrer, Bituin, which was aired between November 2002 and May 2003, on ABS-CBN,
Nora Aunor was the lead female protagonist; the martir and api-apihan Laura Sandoval to the scheming Donya Virgina Gaston, a role that befitted Ms. Celia Rodriguez to this very day.
Incidentally, this year’s recipient of another special award from the PMPC Star Awards for Movies – Director Maryo J. delos Reyes, a “master filmmaker” of note, has done a number of memorable films, with Ms. Celia Rodriguez among the cast.
Apart from the Nora Aunor-Yul Servo May-December romance-drama, ‘Naglalayag’, Ms. Celia was seen in Maryo J’s rom-com, ‘Ang Boyfriend Kong Kano’ (1982) with Maricel Soriano and Dani Giovanni; ‘Bagets’ (1984), with Aga Muhlach, William Martinez, JC Bonnin, Raymond Lauchengco and now Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista; and the highly acclaimed ‘Magnifico’ (2003), adjudged one of the best films of the decade (2000’s) by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP).
Through the years, Maryo J. delos Reyes’ collaboration with actor, Celia Rodriguez, has been very fruitful and worthwhile, to say the least.
As Mommy Celia is now named, an “Ulirang Artista”, Direk Maryo J delos Reyes is equally deserving of the award title, “ULIRANG ALAGAD NG PELIKULA SA LIKOD NG KAMERA”.
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Roldan Castro
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