How the voting went

(Second of three parts)

This is a continuation of my three-part series on how the members of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino selected the winners in the recent 34th Gawad Urian.

Best Supporting Actress

When Presa was entered in a separate category in last December’s Metro Manila Film Festival where it was voted Best Indie Movie, I already sensed that in the annual awards the acting races would be dominated by the female talents from this Adolf Alix Jr. picture about life in the women’s correctional institute.

During the Manunuri nominations, the members decided to put everyone in the supporting categories — the way it was done during the Oscars when Nashville was entered in the 1975 Academy Awards contest.

Since it would be difficult to distinguish the lead players from those in secondary roles — and there are so many of them, all giving remarkable performances ­— the solution was to categorize them all as supporting.

If you ask me, all the talents there — Ina Feleo, Perla Bautista and even Alessandra de Rossi in a very brief role — deserve to be nominated. But there were also equally brilliant acting pieces delivered by actresses from other films in the running.

It was sad that the Presa talents had to compete with each other because the Manunuri had to set a limit as to the number of nominees. (Compared to other award-giving bodies, we were already generous.)

The Presa survivors turned out to be Anita Linda, Liza Lorena and Rosanna Roces. But these women still had to pummel it out with the outstanding performances of female talents from other distinguished films.

There was Zsa Zsa Padilla (Sigwa) as a female rebel in the underground movement. Zsa Zsa is no stranger to the Urian. She won Best Actress in 1997 for Batang PX. I was impressed with her performance in this Joel Lamangan film.

Other Manunuri members though felt that the way her role is written borders on the stereotype and that’s a no-no with the local critics’ group.

In time, the race for Best Supporting Actress was narrowed down between Rosanna Roces and Rio Locsin for Amigo.

It would have felt delicious to see Rio finally win an acting award. After being the muse of both Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, I consider it a crime among the award-giving bodies not to have given Rio a single acting trophy (unless she has one hidden in her home that I do not know about). Too bad for her, while she is impressive in Amigo (she does everything correctly — facial emotion, voice inflection, etc.), it is basically a non-role as wife to Joel Torre.

In the Supporting Actress competition, she was close second to Rosanna, who as aide to Anita Linda (playing a former big star now incarcerated for doing drugs) in Presa hardly calls attention to herself. She does not look like she’s begging for an award and so the Manunuri gave it to her. That is another secret to winning an Urian. Don’t ask for it. The group will take notice and hand it to you.

Best Supporting Actor

In the beginning my bet — and actual choice — in this category was Tirso Cruz III in Sigwa where he plays a powerful Malacanang functionary, who used to be an anti-Marcos activist in his youth during the First Quarter Storm. Even if he is a personal friend I am very fond of, he repels me as he goes through his role as the little President in the movie. His character is not exactly evil, but it is cold.

I am personally impressed with the way the character of Cruz is written in Sigwa and his effective interpretation of the role. I saw that person among many of the former Cabinet members of President Cory Aquino — those supposedly pro-poor and yet relished power when it was given to them.

Unfortunately for Tirso, some Manunuri members saw his portrayal of the part as being a wee bit of a caricature. While I may not have seen that little flaw, the others did and this is where the importance of thorough discussion comes in.

By the time the selection of the winner in this category came in, Tirso was already very close second to Joem Bascon, who eventually won Best Supporting Actor as the invalid brother of Coco Martin in Noy.

Between Cruz’ and Bascon’s performances — both of which I’d like to point out are worthy of an award — it is Joem’s portrayal of his character that shows less effort, again an important factor to consider if you are working on a film and want to bring home an Urian.  

(To be concluded)