Urian repeaters

(First of two parts)

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino is staging the 28th Gawad Urian this Saturday, June 4 at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo. The event will be aired on Channel 9 on the same day starting at 9 p.m.

For the fourth time, the Urian Awards show will be produced for television by Antonio Tuviera’s APT Entertainment. Malou Choa-Fagar is supervising the production – with Poochie Rivera directing the show and Noel Ferrer writing the script. (Ruel Bayani is directing the VTR clips).

As of presstime, nobody knows yet who the winners will be. They could be first-time winners or repeaters. (If ever, Judy Ann Santos, Claudine Barreto, Cesar Montano, Jomari Yllana, Ronnie Lazaro, Pen Medina and Yul Servo will be listed as first-time winners, while Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos will be classified as repeaters many times over).

Unlike in the FAMAS, the Urian doesn’t have a Hall of Fame and outstanding film practitioners just keep winning and winning for as long as they are deserving of the award. Let’s check below who among our film industry members have won repeatedly in the Gawad Urian.

In the Manunuri honor roll, Ramon Reyes has the most number of Urian trophies – 10 in all (for best sound). He is also part of Manunuri history – having been the first winner (in collaboration with his father, Luis Reyes, and Sebastian Sayson) in the Best Sound category for Itim in 1976.

The following year, he and his father won again for Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising. But on his own, he won for the following films: Kakabakaba Ka Ba? 1980), Kisapmata (1981), Oro, Plata, Mata (1982), Sister Stella L. (1984), Saan Ka Man Naroroon (1993), Eskapo (1995), Mumbaki (1996) and Milagros (1997). Ramon Reyes is again in the running this year for his work in Pa-siyam.

In the best editing category, Jess Navarro scores the highest with eight Urian trophies: Batch ’81 (1982), Broken Marriage (1983), Sister Stella L. (1984), Hinugot sa Langit (1985), Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (1991), Narito ang Puso Ko (1992), Milagros (1997) and Deathrow (2000 – in collaboration with Kelly Cruz). On Saturday during the awards night, Jess Navarro will be given the Natatanging Gawad Urian – not necessarily just for winning eight trophies, but for his outstanding contribution to the field of editing, which is a very important ingredient of filmmaking.

For best music, Jaime Fabregas tops the race with four awards: Scorpio Nights (1985), My Other Woman (1990), Sa Kabila ng Lahat (1991), Narito ang Puso Ko (1992). Actually, Fabregas has four Urian trophies – if we will count the Best Supporting Actor award he won in 1998 for Jose Rizal.

Jaime Fabregas’ runners-up in this category are Lorrie Ilustre and Nonong Buencamino with three trophies each. On Saturday, however, Nonong Buencamino may just make the score even with Fabregas because he is in the running again for Panaghoy sa Suba.

In the best production design category, not one person clearly dominates this field because some of the best moved on to directing films: Peque Gallaga, Mel Chionglo and Don Escudero. The one with the most number of Urian trophies in this category – Cesar Hernando, who won thrice – also dabbles in short filmmaking and you can bet that the production design in all his projects are accurate, correct and creative.

For best cinematography, Romy Vitug was the second winner in this category (for Mga Bilanggong Birhen in 1997), but he didn’t win again until 1990 (for Kapag Langit ang Humatol). From hereon, however, he won year after year: Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (1991), Ikaw Pa Lang ang Minahal (1992) and Saan Ka Man Naroroon (1993). He won his sixth Urian trophy in 1996 for Bakit May Kahapon Pa?

This Saturday, Ely Cruz, the first Urian winner (for Itim – in collaboration with Rody Lacap), will try to catch up in the race for the most number of Urian best cinematography awards since this respected veteran film practitioner is once again in the race for his work in Panaghoy sa Suba. (To be concluded)