Nora Aunor, Eddie Garcia reap top acting nods at 7th Asian Film Awards + Sarah, John Lloyd reunite in “It Takes A Man And A Woman”

Superstar Nora Aunor and veteran actor-director Eddie Garcia, won big at the 7th Asian Film Awards (AFA), held at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong Monday night.

Nora won the best actress trophy for Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s “Thy Womb” which also won for her the best actress award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards held in Brisbane, Australia in November.

Eddie garnered the best actor for Jun Robles Lana’s “Bwakaw”—the same role which earlier won him best actor at the Asia Pacific Film Festival held in Macau in December. The actor-director also won people’s choice favorite actor for the same film.

Nora topped the field which included South Korea’s Cho Min-soo (“Pieta”), Afghanistan’s Golshifteh Farahani (“The Patience Stone”), Taiwan’s Gwei Lun-Mei (“GF*BF*”) and China’s Hao Lei (“Mystery”).

The People’s Choice favorite actress was Min-soo of South Korea.

Other best actor nominees were Taiwan’s Joseph Chang (“GF*BF*”), Hong Kong’s Tony Leung Ka-fai (“Cold War”), China’s Liu Ye (“The Last Supper”) and South Korea’s (“Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time”).

This is not the first time that Pinoy actors won trophies from AFA. Last year, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino won best supporting actress for Loy Arcenas’ “Nino” while Eugene Domingo won the People’s Choice favorite actress for Marlon Rivera’s “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.”

The people’s choice favorite actor and actress categories were decided by an online poll among Netizens.

Aside from Ate Guy and Manoy Eddie, also attending the AFA as a presenter was Eugene.

Nora, regarded by many as the greatest Filipina actress, reaffirms her world-class caliber by winning her third international award as Best Actress for her performance in “Thy Womb.” She earlier won the Bisato d’Oro (Golden Eel) prize at the 69th Venice International Film Festival and at the 6th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Australia.

For his part, Manoy Eddie makes history at the Asian Film Awards. In his entry posted at his Facebook account, Jun Lana, the writer and director of “Bwakaw” said: “A double win for his terrific portrayal of a grumpy gay old man in my film Bwakaw. No other actor has achieved such honor in the history of AFA. Congratulations, Tito Eddie. Last year when we made Bwakaw, all I really wanted was for you to win best actor at Cinemalaya. And then you went on to win another trophy at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, aside from earning so much critical acclaim from international film festivals. Now this?! You are a true living legend. I am excited and honored to be working with you again in “Barber’s Tales.”

Congratulations to Ate Guy and Manoy Eddie for making our country proud! This should make them the frontrunners in the forthcoming awards season, notwithstanding their loss at the Star Awards.

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The much awaited big screen reunion of box-office royalties Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz is all set on March 30 (Saturday) via the third installment of their hit romantic-comedy movie series “It Takes A Man And A Woman.”

Under the direction of Cathy Garcia-Molina, who also directed the first two films of the franchise, “It Takes A Man And A Woman” shares the lives of Laida Magtalas (Sarah) and Miggy Montenegro (John Lloyd) four years after their break-up.

From ‘a very special love’ that both ‘changed their lives,’ Laida and Miggy will start to deal with their new selves in the same old company where their feelings started to blossom. The ex-sweethearts were transformed by the deeper emotional journeys that they both went through—from the simple and obedient executive assistant, the film reveals the braver, fiercer and career-oriented Laida; while the naughty bachelor Miggy will be seen now on a new phase in his life.

“It Takes A Man And A Woman” is the third installment of the hit film series co-produced by Star Cinema and Viva Films that is considered as the most successful Filipino franchise of its time.

Aside from Sarah, John Lloyd and Rowell, also part of “It Takes A Man And A Woman” are Joross Gamboa, Gio Alvarez, Matet De Leon, Al Tantay, Irma Adlawan, Guji Lorenzana, and Dante Rivero. The film also introduces model-host Isabelle Daza, who will play the character of Belle, the socialite girlfriend of Miggy.

Don’t miss the return of the most successful romantic-comedy movie series “It Takes A Man And A Woman” which will be shown on theaters nationwide on March 30, 2013.