ShareThisMANILA — “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” was named the Best Film with its lead star Eugene Domingo winning the Best Actress award and Best Direction award for Marlon Rivera in the New Breed Full Length Feature category of the 7th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition.
The same film also won Best Screenplay (Chris Martinez) and the Audience Choice Award for the New Breed category.
Eugene Dominggo
This was announced in the Cinemalaya Awards Night held Sunday evening at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater.
“Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” was cited by jurors for its being “a reflexive film that looks with a lot of bite at itself” while Eugene Domingo was cited “for her expert handling of a multi-faceted character, always with tongue-in-cheek attitude.”
“Bisperas” by Jeffrey Jeturian won Best Film in the Directors’ Showcase while “Walang Katapusang Kwarto” by Emerson Reyes won Best Film in the Short Feature category.
The Best Direction award went to Auraeus Solito for “Busong” in the Directors’ Showcase category and to Rommel “Milo” Tolentino for “Niño Bonito” in the Short Feature category.
Special Jury Prize went to “Niño” by Loy Arcenas in the New Breed category and to “Hanapbuhay” by Henry Frejas in the Short Feature category.
“Niño” was awarded the Special Jury Prize for the New Breed category for its being “a familiar story of decline and redemption, of secrets revealed and hope rekindled, done well with a lot of heart.”
“Hanapbuhay,” which won the Special Jury Prize for the Short Feature category, was cited “for its humorous treatment of an essentially good provider trying to make an unusual living.”
No Special Jury Prize was awarded in the Directors’ Showcase category.
In the New Breed Full Length Feature category, Edgar Allan Guzman won the award for Best Performance of an Actor in the New Breed category for his role as Intoy in “Ligo na U, Lapit na Me;” Shamaine Buencamino and Art Acuña won the awards for Best Supporting Actress and Actor for their roles in “Niño.”
“Amok” won Best Editing (Lawrence Fajardo) and Best Sound (Mike Idioma). “Niño” won Best Production Design (Laida Lim) and “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” won Best Original Music Score (Christine Muyco and Jema Pamintuan) and Best Cinematography (Arvin Viola).
In the Short Feature category, Best Film winner “Walang Katapusang Kwarto” by Emerson Reyes won also the awards for Best Screenplay for “its clever and funny conversation that reveals character and place with a revealing twist” and the Audience Choice.
Directors’ Showcase Best Film “Bisperas” scooped up a total of five awards. Raquel Villavicencio won Best Performance by an Actress for her role as the beleaguered mother.
“Bisperas” also was given the awards for Best Cinematography (Roberto Yñiguez), Best Performance of a Supporting Actress (Julia Clarete) and Best Production Design (Rodrigo Ricio).
Auraeus Solito’s “Busong” won awards for Best Sound and Best Original Music Score (Diwa de Leon).
Rafael “Bembol” Roco won the Best Actor Award for his performance in Adolfo Alix’s “Isda” in the Directors’ Showcase category. “Isda” was also given the award for Best Editing (Benjamin Tolentino).
Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in the Directors’ Showcase category went to Jaime Pebanco for his role in “Patikul” by Joel Lamangan. The same film was also awarded the Audience Choice award in the Directors’ Showcase category and a special Cinemalaya Kids Treats award.
There was no Special Jury Prize awarded in the Directors’ Showcase.
In the NETPAC Premieres category, the film “Boundary” by Benito Bautista won Best Film.
Cinemalaya, now on its seventh year, was held July 15 to 24 at the CCP and Greenbelt 3 Cinema. Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Film Development Council of the Philippines and Econolink Investments Inc.
It is an all-digital film festival that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.
Cinemalaya will move over to University of the Philippines-Diliman’s Cine Adarna on July 26 to August 5.