Vilma leads NCCA’s 54 Ani honorees

Only a week after the VX3 tribute hosted by ABS-CBN/Star Cinema and the UP Film Institute (she’s UP’s first Gawad Plaridel awardee), highlighted by the screening of her three digitally-restored films (Anak, Kapag Langit Ang Umusig and Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?), Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos led the 7th Ani Ng Dangal’s 54 honorees of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in ceremonies held last Thursday night at the Old Senate Session Hall of the National Museum of the Philippines.

“The honor is special to me because it’s given not by an award-giving body but by the NCCA,” said Vilma who was honored for winning Best Actress at the 2014 Dhaka International Film Festival for her performance as a bit player in the Jeffrey Jeturian-directed indie film Ekstra. “It’s not an ordinary recognition so it’s a big honor for any artist.”

Vilma led the 21 honorees in Cinema (the others were in Broadcast Arts, Literary Arts, Music and Visual Arts), including (in alphabetical order) Mark Justin Aguillon (Best Short Actor for Traffic Light [Semaporo], International Film Festival Manhattan [IFFM]), TNT (Always On The Run, a short film by Roberto Reyes Ang, IFFM), Miggs Cuaderno (Quick Change, 20th Cheries Cheris IFF in France), Jake Cuenca (Best Feature Actor for Mulat, IFFM), Lav Diaz (Best Film for Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon, Locarno IFF), Allen Dizon (Best Actor for  Magkakabaung, 9th Harlem IFF and 3rd Hanoi IFF), Liza Diño (Best Actress for In Nomine Matris, IFFM), In Nomine Matris (Best Feature, Director, IFFM), Kamkam (Best Film, Joel Lamangan, 9th Harlem IFF)…

…Jun Robles Lana (Best Director for Barber’s Tales, Tokyo IFF), Siege Ledesma (for Shift, Grand Prix, Tokyo IFF), Carlo Obispo (for Purok 7), Hazel Tapales Orencio (Best Actress, Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon, Locarno IFF), Francis Xavier Pasion and Angeli Bayani (director and actress both for Bwaya, Tokyo IFF), Astray (by Nerissa Picadizo, Best Indie Producer [Indie], IFFM), Ronnie Quizon and Mikhael Red (Best Actor, Best Director for Rekorder, Barcelona IFF), Eduardo Roy Jr. (Best Director for Quick Change, Denmark IFF), Sandy Talag (Best Actress, Lilet Never Happened) and Diane Ventura (Best Director, Mulat, IFFM).

Organized by the NCCA led by its chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and OIC-executive director Adelina Suemith, the Ani Ng Dangal (harvest of honors) recognizes artists, cultural workers and works that have earned international awards and accolades during the past year. The trophies, clippings and ephemera will be featured at the Ani Ng Dangal exhibit at the SM North until Feb. 20, SM Megamall Feb. 21 to 27 and at the Rizal Park Feb. 28.

Is it the National Artist honor for Vilma next?

“It’s hard to expect,” said Vilma. “Ang pagiging National Artist ay hindi basta-basta. Maybe there are other artists na dapat mas mauna sa akin for their contribution to the industry.”

Poem for lovers

Yes, there is a Saint Valentine.  

That reminder comes from election lawyer Romy Macalintal.

“Wikipedia tells us that he is ‘widely recognized in the third century whose special day is commemorated on Feb. 14 and associated since the High Middle Ages with a tradition of courtly love. While his name was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969 as ‘so little is known of him’,” Romy informed us in this month of love and lovers,  “the Roman Catholic Church continues to recognize him as a saint, listing him as such in the Feb. 14 entry in the Roman Martyrology, (exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Catholic Church) and authorizing liturgical veneration of him on Feb. 14 in any place where that day is not devoted to some other obligatory celebration.”

For Romy, love should be celebrated not just on Feb. 14 but throughout the 365 days of every year. Over the weekend on his radio program The Law of the Heart is Love (over DWBR, 104.3FM, at 8 p.m.), Romy read love poems, one of them printed below. 

Saint Valentine

by James J. Metcalfe

St. Valentine is honored, as a priest and martyr true

Who gave his heart and soul to God, when Christendom was new.

He suffered under Claudius, when he would not deny

Our Jesus Christ, The Son of God, who rules the earth and sky.

His name has no connection, with that Roman holiday

When lovers told their sentiments, and gave their hearts away.

And yet he could very well could be, the patron saint to those

Who wander through the flowered field, where deep affection grows.

For as he loved his Lord and God, so we should love each other

And we should sacrifice ourselves, and live for one another.

Prayer: We honor you St. Valentine, who died a martyr’s death

We want to be like you on earth, with every deed and breath

Help us to keep our wedded vows, whatever life may bring

And in our love for God, to be prepared for anything.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)