Ayon kay Bessie, ang unforgettable experience niya as a producer ay ang pagdalo niya sa iba't ibang international film festivals to represent the movie.
"The most exciting part of being a producer would be the film festivals. Meeting international film personalities and talking 'film.' I have a lot to learn and I listen to everyone and take in their words of wisdom," kuwento pa niya.
A FULL LIFE. Pero kahit nga raw naging busy siya bilang film producer, hindi niya nakalimutan ang pagiging ina sa kanyang mga anak.
"Being able to do all this without missing important things in life, like waking up at 6:30 a.m. every day to take my daughter to the bus stop and cooking dinner.
"I still had the luxury of time to travel with my sweet gay friends, dancing samba and practicing Portuguese with my Brazilian friends. Finding time to do all these is truly a blessing from God!" bulalas niya.
Sa mga hindi nakakakilala kay Bessie Badilla, isa siya sa mga early supermodels ng Pilipinas noong late '70s and throughout the '80s. Mula sa kanyang pagiging isang Tondo girl, isa siya sa mga naunang Pinay models na naka-penetrate sa Paris. Nakilala si Bessie bilang Asian model ng Balenciaga sa fashion capital of the world.
During the '80s din ay pinasok ni Tita Bessie ang pag-aartista at nadiskubre ang kanyang pagiging "babaeng bakla" sa hit sitcom noon ng IBC-13 na E, Kasi Babae! kunsaan kasama niya sina Gloria Diaz, Janice Jurado, Debbie Miller, Tiya Pusit, Buboy Garovillo, and the late Johnny Delgado.
Noong ikasal si Bessie kay Bambi del Castillo during the '90s, tinalikuran niya ang showbiz at modeling para maging homemaker sa Stanford, Connecticut. Nagkaroon sila ng dalawang anak: Blanca (a graduating student in Massachusetts) and Ynez (who is now in high school at Sacred Heart Convent School).
Ang anak ni Bambi sa ex-wife nitong si Hilda Koronel na si Isabel ay itinuring nang tunay na ina si Bessie. Sa Vancouver, Canada na raw ito nakatira at nagtatrabaho.
Yes please, pass the word around. BAKAL BOYS need good people like you.
Salamat ng marami!
Bessie
You have great hopes, but it is very difficult to have mainstream Pinoy producers follow the direction of small Indie Film producers like me. They prefer commercial films because this is what makes money : I am very happy the film BAKAL BOYS have touched the hearts of many and opened their eyes on the children metal divers' issues. With their donations, screening fees and cash awards from international film festivals, we are able to help the young divers one child at a time.
Clearly, my involement in the local film industry is to GIVE BACK to my kababayan. I am happy I am able to provide work for a number of talented up and coming film makers of our country. Receiving all the awards and accolades are simply a bonus from telling a good story through the eyes of director Ralston Jover.
Salamat for your kind words!
Bessie
Blonde_Skinny_Bitch, stop blabbing. Trash your insane ideas.
Back to Ms. Bessie, more power to you!
dramatic and will show the message of the film! uh huh!
...i hear an Oscar entry for next year, already! ...finally your dream to rub elbows with Brangelina! uh huh!
...Slumdog millionaire got worldwide attention and made millions coz of the children in the movie! ...it's a pity some of the kids who acted in the film are still living in poverty! ...tsk tsk tsk Oh well
...get IFC films to distribute your films here in the Hollywood!
Sana nga panoorin ng mga politicians ang BAKAL BOYS, but I doubt if they will do anything about it. May kanya-kanyang agenda sila, ang helping the poorest of the poor in our country is not one of them.
We cannot depend on our politicians, talagang lahat tayong ordinaryong mamamayan ang pwedeng gumawa ng pag-babago. Gaya ni director Ralston Jover, tumutulong siya sa kapwa sa pag bigay ng mga napanalunan niya sa Cipputti Award sa Italy para sa mga Bakal Boys. Kahit pa-unti-unti at kahit na isang bata lang ang matulungan....may mapaparoonan tayo kung lahat tayo ay mag-iisip na tumulong. ONE CHILD at a TIME....KAYA NATIN!
Salamat,
Tita Bessie
Naku naman, bata pa rin ako nung pinapanood mo ako sa quot;Eh, Kasi, Babae.quot; Siyempre iba na ang itsura ko ngayon na 51 years old na ako! Hahahaha!
Lola mo,
Bessie
Wala akong balak mag-balik TV, masyadong marami ang ginagawa ko ngayon bilang isang ina sa akng mga anak at producer pa ng Bakal Boys.
Ingat,
Bessie
Sana mag dilang anghel ka! Sana nga mapanood ito ng mga kapwa Pilipinong nasa ibang bansa. Tiyak magugustuhan nila ang Bakal Boys.
Salamat,
Bessie
To cover the daily allowance for each child so we can keep them in the classrooms, director Ralston Jover and I have decided to give ALL screening fees from International Film Festivals and cash prizes from International Awards. A number of foreigners who were touched by the plight of the Bakal Boys have stressed their desire to give monetary donations toward the education of the boys. We are now in the middle of starting a Trust Fund for the boys where anyone can send in their donations which will be used for education, food and other needs of the boys and their families.
Thank you for your inquiry,
Bessie
Haha, I like your name....anyway, to answer your questions, first, as producer, I DO WANT to win in International Festivals especially to win in categories with cash prizes. I'll tell you why and the reason will answer your inquiry on scholarships for the 15 metal divers in the film.
My co-producer Albert Almendralejo through his alma mater San Beda College, was able to secure scholarships for the 15 metal divers. But providing education is not enough. Remember, the boys still have to earn a living to provide food for their families. To solve this issue, we need to give them money each day they attend school and completely avoid diving for scrap metal which is severely dangerous. It is not a lot, it only takes P30 for these young boys to quit diving for a day and be able to bring home money for food. Sad isn't it?
To cover the daily allowance for each child so we can keep them in the classrooms, director Ralston Jover and I have decided
Nakaklungkot talaga na sa ibang bansa pa nagwawagi ang mga pelikulang dapat ay tankilikin ng kapwa Pinoy.
Salamat muli,
Bessie
Pinapanood lang nila ay yaring Star Cinema.
Sana po tangkilikin ng mga matatalinong manonood. Sayang po ang pelikula at pagkakataon.
...those kids who acted in the film should be given lifetime scholarship for education coz without them the heart of the film wouldn't be possible, am I right
Bessie?
...political corruptions???
...how ironic, how much money the presidential candidates spends that could feed half of the poor population in Metro Manila in a year! ...the irony of it all! ha ha ha!