Stars mourn as director of top-grossing films dies of heart attack
MOVIE and television director Wenn V. Deramas passed away on Monday due to a massive heart attack which may have been triggered by the death of his younger sister, according to his manager. He was 49.
Doctors at Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City declared Deramas dead at 6:15 a.m. after he suffered a heart attack at 2 a.m. His sister, Myra Ann, had died just hours earlier in the same hospital due to complications from diabetes.
“This could have been a reaction ... to his sister’s passing. The doctors tried to revive her in front of Wenn,” June Rufino told the INQUIRER in a phone interview yesterday.
Deramas underwent an angioplasty following a stroke in November. “We talked often but he never mentioned feeling any physical pain,” Rufino said.
She recalled that at 4 a.m. yesterday, she received a call from Cory Vidanes, the chief operating officer of ABS-CBN where Deramas was a talent contract artist.
“She demanded that I go to the hospital immediately. He was being revived then,” Rufino said. In the hospital with Vidanes was Vice Ganda, a comedian who was also the director’s friend.
Rufino added that Deramas had gone to the hospital at 9 p.m. on Sunday to check on his sister who died shortly.
She said she was in contact with Deramas’ sisters in the United States who had autho- rized her to make arrangements for the director’s wake and burial. Deramas’ remains will lie at the Arlington Memorial in Quezon City while the interment details will be announced later.
“We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember,” Rufino said. “I will miss the times when he would crack jokes and tease me because I was always the last one to understand them. He was a loving and caring friend,” Rufino said.
Deramas first worked as a production assistant in the TV show “Tatak Pilipino” in 1990 before becoming a writer for “Teysi ng Tahanan” and an executive producer of “Calvento Files.” His film, “The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin” which starred Vice Ganda, was the highest-grossing Filipino film in 2011 after earning P300 million at the box-office. In 2012, he surpassed his record with the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Sisterakas” which earned P350 million.
Deramas also directed the successful “Tanging Ina” franchise that made comedienne AiAi delas Alas a household name. His last film was the action comedy “Beauty and the Bestie” starring Vice Ganda and Coco Martin.
Actress-TV host Kris Aquino, star of “Sisterakas,” posted this on Instagram account about Deramas: “He made being a creative, ratings and box-office genius in both television and film seem effortless and easy.”
“I’m in utter shock as I’ve just heard the sad news that director Wenn has passed on,” said Dawn Zulueta who worked with Deramas in the 2010 teleserye remake of “Mula sa Puso.” “I’ve grown so fond of him. I loved his wry sense of humor. He always made me laugh… Working with him always felt more like play. It was pure joy with Wenn.”
Comedian Michael V, who worked with Deramas on the TV programs “Ready, Get Set, Go!” and “Teysi ng Tahanan,” sent his condolences to the director’s family. “I will miss his infectious laugh,” he said.
Anne Curtis said the “saddening news” broke her heart. “Paalam ’Nay. I miss you and love you so much Direk Wenn.”
“Isang napakalungkot na araw. Sagad hanggang buto ang lungkot. Paalam Direk Wenn. Mahal na mahal kita (A very sad day. A very deep-seated sadness. Goodbye Director Wenn. I love you very much,” said Vice Ganda. This was followed by another post, a broken heart icon.
(E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph)