MANILA, Philippines — Award-winning actresses Vilma Santos-Recto and Dolly de Leon are among the talented individuals that will be recognized at the upcoming Film Development Council of the Philippines' (FDCP) Parangal ng Sining 2023.
In English "Honor of the Arts," the Parangal ng Sining gives homage to Filipino filmmakers, artists, and institutions who "continue to achieve and strive for excellence, leading to acclaim in international film festivals."
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Vilma will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award as will filmmaker Nick Deocampo, producer Mother Lily Monteverde, and the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
The FDCP is recognizing the "Star for All Seasons" for "transcending stardom into becoming a symbol of resilence and professionalism" as a public figure — both as an entertainer and as a former politician.
Mother Lily is best known as the mind behind Regal Entertainment, Inc. and her conferral is for "giving life-changing opportunities to young directors and writers to find their voices in mainstream movies."
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Apart from creating films, Nick is also a film professor, archivist, and historian, dedicating his life to the scholarship of Philippine cinema; his research led to further discoveries about the local film industry, and was pivotal in the restoration of a number of Filipino films initially thought to be lost.
Cinemalaya is one of the most popular film festivals in the country as it provides a platform for independent filmmakers to reach a wider audience.
Dolly will be receiving from the FDCP its Annual Achievement Award along with fellow actor Soliman Cruz and filmmaker Martika Escobar.
The actress received global attention for her scene-stealing role of Abigail in the Palme d'Or 2022 winning film "Triangle of Sadness" which led to her becoming the first Filipino actress to receive nominations at the Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards.
Dolly has long been present in the local entertainment industry for decades, thus the FDCP's recognition to her is for "representing the Filipino as an artist standing side by side with cinema titans delivering a world-class performance."
Related: Dolly de Leon to star in new Hollywood film with John Cena, Awkwafina
A similar long-time household name in the Philippines in the small screen and theater stage is Soliman, who played a lead role for the first time in the Romanian film "To The North" alongside Bart Guingona where they both received major applause for their performances.
The feature directorial debut of Mihai Mincan won the Premio Bisato D’Oro at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival, as such Soliman is recognized for "being the embodiment of the consummate actor of both film and stage."
Martika became the first-ever Filipino director to win at the Sundance Film Festival, the United States' biggest independent film festival, with her film "Leonor Will Never Die" starring Sheila Francisco; 2022 was also the Philippines' first time competing at Sundance in 16 years.
"Leonor Will Never Die" went to screen at other high-profile international film festivals like Toronto, Berlin, and Karlovy Vary, and was even nominated at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards.
As such Martika is recognized for "representing the new generation of Filipina filmmakers that have broken ground globally," particularly for weaving into her film original works that are native to Filipino culture but universal in theme.
The FDCP's Parangal ng Sining 2023 will take place in Seda Vertis North on April 23.
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