Elizabeth Oropesa guest speaker at Udine, Italy film festival

Leaving today (April 21) for Udine, Italy is Elizabeth Oropesa (Elizabeth Oropesa Freeman in real life). The multi-awarded actress has been invited to be guest speaker at the international film festival there where her and Gloria Diaz’s film “Si Chedeng at si Apple” will be exhibited. She will speak at the event marking the 100 years of Philippine Cinema that is included in the Festival.

Elizabeth Oropesa

“I feel very much honored for having been invited to be guest speaker,” Oropesa said. She added she is also excited that her movie with Diaz will be screened at the Festival. In the past, they have worked together in several films starting with the much-acclaimed “Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa” which was Diaz’s launching vehicle to stardom. Oropesa played a supporting role in that film directed by the late Celso Ad. Castillo in 1974.

A former beauty queen (Miss Luzon). Oropesa was launched to stardom in 1975 via the movie “Mister Mo, Lover Ko” produced by Jesse Ejercito and directed by the late Ishmael Bernal, who she said was one of her favorite directors.

“Come to think of it, I will be talking about the directors of my past memorable films, most of them already died. Like Ishmael Bernal, Celso Ad. Castillo, Gil Portes, and Marilou Diaz-Abaya,” she said.

Recall that Elizabeth, who is one of the most awarded actresses we have, won Grand Slam Best Actress (six awards plus the German Moreno trophy) for her movie “Bulaklak ng Maynila,” directed by Joel Lamangan. Known to have introduced the “wet look” in Philippine movies, she also won FAMAS Best Actress award for “Lumapit, Lumayo and Umaga,” directed by Ishmael Bernal.

After this movie, Bernal directed La Oropesa again in “Nunal sa Tubig” (1997), considered one of the best films in the 90s.

Marilou Diaz Abaya directed La Oropesa in the 1998 movie “Sa Pusod ng Dagat,” while Gil Portes directed her in “Homecoming,” an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival in 2003.

Other notables that she made included “Alupihan sa Dagat,” “Aguila” with Fernando Poe, Jr., “Si Rafael at Raquel,” “Hide and Seek sa Makati, Manila” with Christopher de Leon; “Mother and Daughter” with Paraluman and Vic Vargas; “Katawang Lupa” with Eddie Garcia,” “Uhaw sa Dagat” with Gloria Diaz and Isabel Rivas; “Iking Boxer” with the late Chiquito; “Si Mahindin, si Maganda at si Mahinhin” with Alma Moreno and Dindo Fernando; and “Palabra de Honor” with Eddie Garcia.

All in all, Oropesa may have made about 150 films and TV shows.

Tags: Bulaklak ng Maynila, Elizabeth Oropesa, Elizabeth Oropesa Freeman, Elizabeth Oropesa guest speaker at Udine Italy film festival, Gloria Diaz, guest speaker, International Film Festival, Ishmael Bernal, La Oropesa, Manila Bulletin, Manila Bulletin Entertainment, Marilou Diaz-Abaya, mb.com.ph, Metro Manila Film Festival