FCCS NEWSFLASH

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IMEE AS GABRIELA,
GOMA AS DIEGO SILANG

Manila, Sept. 20, 1997 -- Imee Marcos has finally agreed to be in the movies. The oldest daughter of the late President Ferdinand Marcos will star in Gabriela, a film about the brave Ilocana heroine who took over when her husband Diego Silang died fighting the Spanish colonialists.

Mario O'Hara will direct the movie based on a screenplay by Frank Rivera. The film will be entered in the December Metro Manila Film Festival, and is produced by One Act Films.

Imee wants Richard Gomez to play Diego Silang, and is willing to shoot around Richard's hectic schedule. Richard is flying to the South East Asia Games next month to compete in fencing, and is slated to proceed to star in a new action movie with director Joe Carreon.

"No problem," says Imee. "We are prepared to fit all our schedules around his availability."

Imee, who has had years of experience as producer or TV movies, starred in a made-for- TV movie early this year with sexpot Rossana Roces. Her affair with films began in the early 80s as secretary-general of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines. She also ably assisted her mother, First Lady Imelda Marcos, through several years of the glittering Manila International Film Festival.

Contacted for comment, Mrs. Imelda Marcos, now Leyte Congresswoman, was elated over her daughter's career move. "There's just too few meaningful movies about women in history, particularly Philippine history. It's about time."

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