"Here Comes The Bride" tops Golden Screen nominations; Cebuano film "Ang Damgo Ni Eleuteria" garners 6 nods

CEBU, Philippines - The Entertainment Press Society (ENPRESS, Inc.) bares the nominees to the 8th Golden Screen Awards to be held on April 2, 2011 at Teatrino at the Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila.

The comedy film Here Comes The Bride garnered the most number of nominations with 15 including Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy, Best Director (Chris Martinez), and lead acting nominations for the performances of Angelica Panganiban, Eugene Domingo, Tuesday Vargas, Jaime Fabregas, and John Lapus. The comedy film was produced by Star Cinema and Quantum Films.

The big-budgeted musical film Emir, directed by Chito Roño and produced by Film Development Council of the Philippines, got 14 nominations, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy). It also got a best director nomination for Direk Chito.

If we are not mistaken, this is Direk Chito Roño’s first Golden Screen Awards nomination.

Getting the same number of nominations is Joel Lamangan’s compelling drama about the First Quarter Storm of the 70s, Sigwa. The film was a long-time dream project of the one-time Golden Screen Award best director awardee for his work Blue Moon in 2005.

The family drama Sa ‘Yo Lamang from Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions, on the other hand, picked up 11 nominations, including Best Motion Picture-Drama and Best Direction for Laurice Guillen.

The gay period film Muli, a love story that spans four decades, got a total of nine nominations, including Best Motion Picture (Drama) and a best director nomination for Adolf Alix, Jr.

Getting six nominations each are RPG Metanoia (AmbientMedia and Star Cinema ABS-CBN Films Productions), Ang Damgo Ni Eleuteria (Cinema One Originals and Panumduman Pictures), and Senior Year (Digitank Studio, Metric Films at Big Top Media).

RPG Metanoia was the 3rd Best Picture at the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival while Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria was one of winners at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival.

On the other hand, Senior Year competed at the Digital Film category at the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival.

We are expecting an interesting fight for the category Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role-Drama, which has the following nominees: Lorna Tolentino (Sa ‘Yo Lamang), Bea Alonzo (Sa ‘Yo Lamang), Dawn Zulueta (Sigwa), Donna Isadora Gimena (Ang Damgo Ni Eleuteria), Lovi Poe (Mayohan), and Meryl Soriano (Donor).

Of the six contenders, only Lorna has a Golden Screen Awards trophy to her name. She won in 2008 for the comedy film Katas ng Saudi.

Only four actors are contending for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role-Drama: Coco Martin (Noy), Fanny Serrano (Tarima), John Lloyd Cruz (Miss You Like Crazy), and Sid Lucero (Muli).

Coco is a two-time Golden Screen Awards winner – Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in 2008 for Jay and Best Performance by An Actor in Leading Role (Drama) in 2009 for Kinatay.

John Lloyd won the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Musical or Comedy) for One More Chance in 2007. He was likewise a Best Actor contender in 2009 for In My Life.

Sid, on the other hand, was winner of the Breakthrough Performance by an Actor in 2006 for Donsol.

Fanny’s nomination for Tarima is his first. And he’s definitely in good company.

A first in this year’s Golden Screen Awards is that three actors and an actress score double nominations in this year’s Golden Screen Awards. They are John Lloyd Cruz (Best Performance by a Leading Actor- Drama for Miss You Like Crazy and Best Performance by a Leading Actor-Musical or Comedy for his role in My Amnesia Girl), Sid Lucero (Best Performance by a Leading Actor-Drama in Muli and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor-Drama, Musical or Comedy for his role in Rosario), Coco Martin (Best Performance by a Leading Actor- Drama for Noy and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor-Drama, Musical or Comedy for his role in Sa ‘Yo Lamang) and Eugene Domingo (Best Performance by a Leading Actress-Musical or Comedy for her performance in Here Comes the Bride and Best Performance by a Supporting Actress-Drama, Musical or Comedy for her role inAng Tanging Ina, Last Na ‘To).

Former Lino Brocka protegé and drama actor Phillip Salvador is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Gawad Lino Brocka Lifetime Achievement Awards. Past winners include Dolphy (2003), Mona Lisa (2004), Mario O’Hara (2005), Gina Alajar (2006), Christopher de Leon (2007), Anita Linda (2008), and Vilma Santos (2009).

The other nominees are as follows:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role-Musical or Comedy: Ai Ai de las Alas (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na ‘To), Angelica Panganiban (Here Comes The Bride), Eugene Domingo (Here Comes The Bride), Toni Gonzaga (My Amnesia Girl), and Tuesday Vargas (Here Comes The Bride).

 Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role-Musical or Comedy:Jaime Fabregas (Here Comes The Bride), John Lapus (Here Comes The Bride) and John Lloyd Cruz (My Amnesia Girl).

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role-Drama, Musical or Comedy:

Cherry Pie Picache (Noy), Daday Melgar (Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria), Dulce (Emir), Eugene Domingo (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na ‘To), Gloria Romero (Tarima), Julia Clarete (Emir), and Zsa Zsa Padilla (Sigwa).

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role-Drama, Musical or Comedy: Allen Dizon (Sigwa), Coco Martin (Sa ‘Yo Lamañg), Dolphy (Rosario), Kenneth Ocampo (Muli), Nico Antonio (Magkakapatid), Sid Lucero (Rosario), and Tirso Cruz III (Sigwa).

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: Andi Eigenmann (Mamarazzi), Carla Abellana (SRR12:Funeraria), Frencheska Farr (Emir), and Maxx Eigenmann (Romeo and Juliet).

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: Gregg Tecson (Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria), Martin del Rosario (Dagim), Rocky Salumbides (Tarima), Samuel Quintana (Dagim), and Tom Rodriguez (Here Comes The Bride).