DIRECTOR Quentin Tarantino must like the barong given to him on his recent visit to the Philippines.

The innovative filmmaker wore the barong at the premiere of his film, “Death Proof,” in Dublin, Ireland. He paired the Philippines’ national shirt with black and white athletic pants, the unusual combo he came up with when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Cinemanila Film Festival from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang, as shown in this file photo.

Quentin’s pants were drenched when he was forced to ditch his flood-struck limo and ride a pedicab to Malacañang amid heavy rain. So he had to change into athletic pants before receiving the award from GMA.

The ensemble must be comfortable — and he must have enjoyed his stay in the Philippines so much (he is a walking encyclopedia of the films of such Pinoy directors as Cirio H. Santiago and Eddie Romero) that he decided to bring a touch of Pinas all the way to Ireland.

Editor’s note: File photo showing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Quentin Tarantino at the Malacañang Palace in Manila courtesy of Agence France-Presse/Malacañang-PCPO

IN OUR our travels, we often come across fantastic views, such as this one of the Toronto skyline on a gloriously sunny day early this month.

But unfortunately, we are always cooped up in a room, reduced to just staring longingly at the great outdoors. The upside is that we are usually interviewing stars or directors (this photo was taken from Windows, the top floor meeting room of the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto).

But even in the presence of interesting interview subjects like actresses Cate Blanchett and Jodie Foster and director and painter Julian Schnabel, sometimes we couldn’t help but steal a glance at the beautiful world beckoning us to go outside. However, our impulse to run out and explore the gleaming Toronto bay, for example, was always tempered by our, um, journalistic obligations. Duty always wins. Sigh.

Editor’s note: Photo by Ruben V. Nepales

AFTER many years of visiting the set of Hollywood movies, it was refreshing to see a Filipino director, Yam Laranas, at the helm, so to speak, of “The Echo,” now in production in Toronto.

It was also a novel experience for us to hear the cast and crew raving about the Philippines’ Chocnut and dried mangoes. Credit goes to Iza Calzado, who reprises her role in the American remake of Regal Entertainment’s horror thriller, “Sigaw.” She brought plenty of Chocnut and dried mangoes to share on the set.

Yam also did a good deed — he fought for Iza to get the role. Loud cheers of “Mabuhay!” to these two!

Editor’s note: Photo by Ruben V. Nepales

“HOW disappointed you guys must be to have to interview me after Woody Allen,” Colin Farrell told us as he sat down on a chair that was just vacated by his “Cassandra’s Dream” director, the legendary Woody Allen. The setting was a terrace in Venice’s Hotel Des Bains.

Colin was being modest in light of his director’s body of work. But the actor, chain-smoking Camels, wearing a hat and torn jeans, was and is always an interesting, colorful interview subject.

He admitted, “At first, I was very nervous working with Woody.” But in the film, the nervousness doesn’t show at all. He and Ewan McGregor boost the movie with their good chemistry as brothers.

Editor’s note: Photo by Ruben V. Nepales

OUR camera flash failed us in this photo of Brad Pitt at the Excelsior Hotel in Venice but we liked the dramatic result.

For once, the much-photographed and scrutinized actor looked enigmatic, mysterious.

Brad breezed into town for the screening of his competition entry, “The Assassination of Jesse James.”

Editor’s note: Photo by Ruben V. Nepales