Winners at the 11th Golden Screen Awards

“Transit,” produced by Cinemalaya Foundation and TEN 17P headed by Paul Soriano, won nine trophies at the recently concluded 11th Golden Screen Awards given by the Entertainment Society last October 4 at Teatrino Greenhills.

The debut film of Hannah Espia, the only female director among the nominees, also won for the best director award. The 27-year-old filmmaker beat an elite field – Lav Diaz, Jeffrey Jeturian, Erik Matti and Jose Javier Reyes – which makes her a giant slayer. She said these directors inspired her to do well at her craft and is also looking forward to doing a mainstream movie.

Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and veteran actress Rustica Carpio won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role (Drama).

Vilma won for her role as a bit player in her Cinemalaya  movie “Ekstra” while the ageless Rustica won for her performance as Teresa, the devoted nanny who is facing an uncertain future in her twilight years.

Vilma, who was not  feeling well, was unable to attend the awards night although she was ably represented by her Vilmanians who came in full force. Her award was accepted on her behalf by “Ekstra” co-star Ruby Ruiz, who was nominated for best supporting actress.

Ms. Rustica was visibly surprised when her name was called as winner in the best actress race. She rose from her seat with a smile and hugged her lady companion.  The 84-year-old said she is more active now as an actress after she retired from teaching in the academe. She was the Dean of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines where she taught drama. She started her acting career in 1976 in the Ishmael  Bernal movie “Nunal Sa Tubig.” She also did a guest role in the new GMA series “Hiram na Alaala.”

Joel Torre won Best Performance by An Actor in a Lead Role (Drama) for his role as the assassin in the film “On The Job.” “It inspires me more to give my best because winning awards means you are doing a good job,” he said in the interview with John “Sweet” Lapus who hosted the event.

Jasmine Curtis Smith and Marc Justine Alvarez won the Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress and Actor respectively for the movie “Transit.” The award of Jasmine, who was vacationing in Australia, was accepted on her behalf by her manager Betchay Vidanes.

Marc Justine, the young son of Ping Medina in “Transit,” sang the Herbrew song he did in the movie live for the Teatrino audience through the prodding of Sweet, who joked the kid was already asleep when his name was called as the winner.

The complete list of winners are: Best Motion Picture- Drama – “Transit,”  Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy - “It Takes A Man and A Woman,” Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role (Drama) - Rustica Carpio (“Ano Ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?”) and Vilma Santos (“Ekstra”), Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Drama) - Joel Torre (“On the Job”), Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role (Musical or Comedy)  Sarah Geronimo (“It Takes A Man and A Woman”), Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Musical or Comedy) –John Lloyd Cruz (“It Takes A Man and A Woman”), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Drama, Musical or Comedy) – Angel Aquino (“Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita”) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Drama, Musical or Comedy) - Joey Paras (“Dance of the Steelbars”).

Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress - Jasmine Curtis- Smith (“Transit”), Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actor - Marc Justine Alvarez (“Transit”), Best Direction - Hannah Espia (“Transit”), Best Original Screenplay - Giancarlo Abrahan, Hannah Espia (“Transit”), Best Original Story - Erik Matti (“On the Job”), Best Cinematography -Lyle Sacris, Ber Cruz (“Transit”), Best Editing - Benjamin Gonzales Tolentino, Hannah Espia (“Transit”), Best Production Design - Tessa Tang (“Transit”), Best Sound Design - Albert Michael Idioma (“Ano Ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?”), Best Musical Score - Mon Espia (“Transit”), Best Original Song - “’Di Ako Titigil” from the movie “Burgos,” music by Lucien Letaba, arranged by Melvin Corpin and interpreted by Sharon Flordeliz and Best Visual/Special Effects - David Yu, Miguel Javier (“On the Job”).

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GMA-7 and his manager Perry Lansigan treated Dingdong Dantes to a stag party with the members of the press. This was held on the night of October 6 at  Cerchio Restaurant in Quezon City. It was a fun evening where Dingdong hosted several parlor games like Bring Me, Tell Me and a naughty version of Pinoy Henyo about grooms, wedding nights and other facts about the actor.

Dingdong has been hosting parties for the press since 2007. It was his way of showing appreciation for  the support that the press had been giving him all these years. “The press has always been important to me,” he said. “I told you that when we’ve set our wedding date, you will be the first one to know and we did that. I personally want to thank those who have been with me since I started my career and when I met my would-be wife. This is my last time to celebrate with you as a single man. The next time we will celebrate, I am already married. I hope I will see all of you at the wedding.”

Dingdong said that he and Marian are handling their wedding preparations personally, like talking to people they want to get as sponsors. He said he dropped by the set of Vic Sotto’s movie to personally ask Bossing to be one of their sponsors, and he readily said yes. “We really want to take care of all things needed for the wedding on our own. While there are some matters of the preparation that we are keeping to ourselves, those that we can share with the press, we will definitely share with all of you. We will reveal details one at a time but there will be a big reveal when we will disclose everything that you may want to know about our wedding.”

He said preparing for the wedding is giving him a different kind of high, not quite like the excitement being given by a new TV show or a movie. “It’s hard to describe the feeling. It is incomparable,” he said. Will he cry at his wedding? “I can’t say but when my two sisters got married, their grooms cried,” said Dingdong.

They are documenting their wedding preparations on video, saying it would be good material they can watch years from now. Dingdong says he and Marian have no honeymoon plans yet, but this early, many of their sponsors are offering to shoulder their honeymoon in various places around the globe. One thing is sure though, they are taking Marian’s dad on a trip here in the Philippines.

Yes, he is indeed building a house for her and Marian. “That’s the reason why I am working so hard because I only want to give the best for my wife,” said Dingdong. He agrees that after marriage, his popularity might be affected. He will still be working and he won’t prevent Marian from continuing with her career. “It would be a bonus if I can sustain my career after the marriage,” he says.