Repeat victories for previous winners

It was a colorful 34th Gawad Urian night that saw old faces and new faces and — as I always love to joke about — new faces on old faces.

Seriously, the Urian awards staged by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino held last Tuesday evening at the grand ballroom of the Marriott Hotel saw a repeat victory of former winners.

Crowned best director was Remton Siega Zuasola, whose previous work To Siomai With Love — only last year — won best short film in the Urian. This time he bagged the plum award for best direction for his innovative movie Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria, which was also voted best picture.

Done in Cebuano, Ang Damgo is shot in one long, single take from beginning till the end. It is the story of a girl from a poor family in Olango island in Cebu being sent as a mail-order bride to Germany.

Awarded best actor was Sid Lucero for his performance as a gay owner of a Baguio inn in the movie Muli. The film shows him age from the period he was an anti-Marcos activist before martial law to the present time.

From left: Remton Siega Zuasola, Best Director for Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria; director Brillante Mendoza, Pelikula ng Dekada awardee; Cherry Pie Picache, Aktres ng Dekada awardee; Coco Martin, Aktor ng Dekada awardee; and Jose ‘Pete’ Lacaba, Lifetime Achievement awardee

This is his second Urian best actor trophy. In 2007, he tied with Jason Abalos (in Endo) for the film Selda. His was one of the most moving acceptance speeches as he thanked his parents Bing Pimentel and Mark Gil who won his first Urian (for Palipat-lipat, Papalit-palit) when Sid was born. Father and son now have two Urian acting trophies each (Mark won again for Rotonda) in 2006.

Winning the Manunuri nod for best supporting actress (for Presa) was Rosanna Roces, who is no stranger to Urian. In 2001, she tied with Assunta de Rossi (in Hubog) for playing a con artist in La Vida Rosa. She shared her victory with co-star Anita Linda in her thank you speech.

Best production design winner Rodell Cruz (for Amigo) had also previously won in the same category twice (sharing credits with Don Escudero) for Oro, Plata, Mata (1982) and Misteryo sa Tuwa (1984).

In the best actress category, the name of the winner hardly rings a bell to the movie-going public. She is Fe GingGing Hyde, who produced and starred in the movie Sheika, which is about her travails as a victim of the turmoil in the south.

For best supporting actor, declared winner was Joem Bascon for playing the invalid older brother of Coco Martin in the movie Noy.

Below are the other winners in the 34th Gawad Urian:

Arnel Mardoquio — Best Screenplay (Sheika)

Christian Linaban — Best Cinematography (Damgo)

Willie Apa, Jr. and Arthur Ian Garcia — Best Editing (Sheika)

Jerrold Tarog — Best Music (Damgo)

Dempster Samarista — Best Sound (Limbunan)

From left: Best Actor Sid Lucero; Best Supporting Actress Rosanna Roces; Best Supporting Actor Joem Bascon; and Aktress ng Dekada awardee Gina Pareño

Kano: An American and his Dream by Monster Jimenez — Best Documentary

Wag Kang Titingin by Pam Miras — Best Short Film ­

Presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines and mounted by Cinema One, the 34th Gawad Urian also saw the crowning of the 10 best films of the past decade: Babae sa Breakwater by Mario O’Hara, Batang West Side and Ebolusyon ng Pamilyang Pilipino by Lav Diaz, Kinatay, Lola and Serbis by Brillante Mendoza, Kubrador and Tuhog by Jeffrey Jeturian, Magnifico by Maryo J. de los Reyes and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. 

Best performers of the decade awards were also presented to Cherry Pie Picache, Gina Pareño and Coco Martin and their selection was not necessarily based on the number of Urian wins, but on the kind of impact and dent they created on the big screen from 2001 till 2010.

The Manunuri also gave the Natatanging Gawad Urian to Jose “Pete” Lacaba for his outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema as screenwriter.

The awards presentation of the Gawad Urian will be telecast over Cinema One on Sunday, May 22 at 10 p.m.