Boots Anson Roa With Michelle Vito In 'Dito Lang Ako', Sue Ramirez In 'Babaeng Allergic Sa Wifi', Nadine Lustre In 'Ulan' & Kris Aquino-Barbie Forteza In A New Movie For Unitel Films

BOOTS ANSON ROA plays Lola Nelia, the lead character in the new romantic-drama movie “Dito Lang Ako” that will be showing in theaters starting August 8. “Ako yung narrator ng movie so I’m there from beginning to end,” she says. “The story spans several decades, from the 1970s up to the present. My character is also played by Michelle Vito as the young Nelia and she’ll be torn between two men, Jon Lucas as Delfin and Akihiro Blanco as Victor. Si Jon talaga ang gusto niya but something will happen between them and they will meet again 40 years later, with me playing Lola Nelia and Freddie Webb as Lolo Delfin. ‘Dito Lang Ako’ ang title. kasi it shows that after 40 years, they can still tell each other ‘nandito lang ako’.”

Since the movie is about a love triangle, has she ever figured in a similar situation in real life? “Yes, during my college days in UP, my first boyfriend was a guy named Pete, but hindi si Pete Roa na naging husband kundi si Pete Roxas. Mahilig yata ako sa Pete R. But his folks, lalo na his mom, didn’t like me. Galing kasi ako sa broken family at sila naman, buena familia. He was told to break up with me but he talked to my best friend, Cecille Mitra, to pretend, for the sake of his mom, na ito ang girlfriend niya and not me. Ang nangyari, he didn’t stand up for me at sila ng best friend ko ang nagkatuluyan. But before they got married, nagkasakit siya, terminal illness, pero nagpakasal pa rin sila.”



The story is like a TV drama, right? “Yes, then I met Pete Roa and after 40 years, may sakit na noon si Pete and we just visited our grandchildren in the U.S., pauwi na kami rito at sa airport, while I was waiting for our luggage, may babaeng lumapit sa’kin. Sister pala siya ng late Pete Roxas, at itinuro sa’kin ang mom niya na naka-wheel chair na rin like Pete. So lumapit ako and the mom stood up, crying, and hugged me, saying sorry for what happened at ngayon lang daw siya nakahingi ng tawad sa’kin. Doon lang nagkaroon ng closure ang lahat. Para ngang teleserye, di ba? So nagyakap kami and after that they considered me a family friend na. Kaya nakaka-relate ako sa story ng ‘Dito Lang Ako’ and I’m sure even viewers would be able to relate with it kasi very heartwarming ang love story nina Nelia at Delfin na pinapakita rito.”

Boots remains active as head of Mowelfund which will celebrate its 45th anniversary in March. "We will give awards to those who continue to help the small people in the industry like Erap Estrada, Susan Roces, Manay Ichu Maceda, Boy Abunda, Kris Aquino and others na madaling lapitan. We'll also have a grand reunion with graduates of Mowelfund Institute na kilalang directors na ngayon, like Lav Diaz, Brillante Mendoza, Mark Meily, Mac Alejandre at iba pa."

She's busy with three other movies. She plays the grandma of Sue Ramirez in "Ang Babaeng Allergic sa Wifi", is about to start "Ulan" with Nadine Lustre for Viva, and a new movie with Kris Aquino and Barbie Forteza for Cignal and Unitel Films.

Meantime, also starring in “Dito Lang Ako” are Rey Abellana, DJ Durano, Garie Concepcion, James Deakin, Roadfill of Moymoy Palaboy and Senpai Kazu, directed by Roderick Lindayag and produced by Robertson Sy Tan of Blade Productions, the multi-media arm of Blade Asia Inc that introduced the concept of specialty car accessories retailing through Blade Auto Center. “Dito Lang Ako” is their first film venture and Robertson says that if it would click with local audiences, then they’ll be producing more movies in the future.