Veteran director Fritz Ynfante dies at 84
Veteran director Fritz Ynfante has died. He was 84.
His mentees, singers Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera, announced the news of his passing on Facebook. A family member, Peachy Ynfante-Talanay, also confirmed his death to ABS-CBN News.
Fernandez shared a poster of Ynfante that read, "With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved Fritz Ynfante, who peacefully returned to his creator."
It stated that he was born on Aug. 4, 1940.
"We kindly ask all those whose lives were touched by Direk to join us in praying for the eternal repose of his soul. Details of his wake will be shared soon," it read.
The cause of his death wasn't specified.
In a heartfelt post, Nievera described Ynfante as "one of the industry’s best and most demanding directors."
"There was no compromise," he said. "It was his way or the super highway! He was a perfectionist to a fault, but that was only because he knew he could get the very best out of all those he directed, mentored and loved."
Nievera said Ynfante's choice of words, while "a language all his own," got the job done.
He recalled Ynfante giving him his "first pair of wings" as a host of the 1982 television variety show The Penthouse Live! with Fernandez.
"[He] was a true believer of the Pops and Martin team," Nievera said. "He always trusted us with his direction and his gazillion changes on every script."
Nievera noted how Ynfante's attention to detail was "second to none." He also recalled the director sparing "no one’s feelings when defending what he knew in his heart was right."
"All of these ingredients mixed with love and passion were the makings of a director I am blessed to say was instrumental with my career on television," he said.
Alluding to Fernandez, Nievera said Ynfante was one of the first directors to "turn the concert princess into the concert queen."
"Tito Fritz I will forever be grateful," he said. "I will miss you. Thank you for all you did not just for me, but for all of us whose careers you scolded and molded until each of our dreams came true. I love you!"
Aside from The Penthouse Live!, Ynfante also directed the television shows Keep On Dancing, a dance competition, and It's A Date, a dating game, according to a feature in The Philippine STAR.
In 2014, popular talents who made it through Ynfante held a tribute show for him called I’m Still Here Barbra and I: A Soiree for Direk Fritz Ynfante. The director is known for his admiration for the singer-actress Barbra Streisand, "that the local public already attached his name to the international diva with a deep sense of honor."
The show's guests included Fernandez, Nievera, Edu Manzano, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Arnel Ignacio, Ariel Rivera, Basil Valdez, Cocoy Laurel, Cesar Montano, Epi Quizon, Pilita Corrales, Richard Merck, Ryan Agoncillo, Geleen Eugenio, Powerdance Dancers, German Moreno, Dawn Zulueta, and Nanette Inventor.
Ynfante also trained beauty queens, even predicting the victory of Mutya Datul at the Miss Supranational held in Minsk, Belarus, in 2013.
For Miss Universe 2012, he helped train Filipino delegate Janine Tugonon, who ended as a runner-up in the global pageant.
Aside from being a mentor figure, Ynfante was also a visual artist. During the Holy Week observation in 2013, he created an exhibit showing “a new wave stations of the cross” adorned with Filipino culture touches, according to The STAR. It was peopled by unusual models, including a cancer survivor for a Virgin Mary.
Ynfante was also a character actor. According to IMDb, he appeared in Gumising Ka… Maruja, Mananayaw, José Rizal, Spirit Warriors, Dobol Trobol, and Enteng ng Ina Mo.
In a past interview, Ynfante described some of his traits as a person.
“I’ll take my style, integrity and originality," he said. "That’s what I am proud of.”
