MANILA, Philippines — For the first time in the 20-year history of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, the Best Actress award was shared between two individuals.
Marian Rivera of "Balota" and Gabby Padilla of "Kono Basho" were announced as Best Actress joint winners during the 2024 Cinemalaya closing ceremony held in Ayala Malls Manila Bay tonight.
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The surprise win brought back memories of Cinemalaya 2012 when the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards were presented instead as Best Ensemble to "Mga Mumunting Lihim" stars Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado, Janice de Belen, and Agot Isidro.
During the 2016 edition of Cinemalaya, the Best Supporting Actress award was shared between Lollie Mara for "Ang Bagong Pamilya ni Ponching" and Elizabeth Oropesa for "I America."
The Best Feature Film award this year went to "Tumandok," about an Ati community in Iloilo struggling to reclaim their ancestral land, which for years have been under threat of being taken.
"Tumandok" also won four other awards: the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award, Best Original Score, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Felipe Ganancial, an elder member of the film's all-Ati non-professional acting ensemble from Sitio Kabarangkalan in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo
Related: Cinemalaya 2024 entry 'Tumandok' shifts focus to Ati community in Iloilo
Padilla's win added to the three other awards of "Kono Basho," namely Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Director for Jaime Pacena II in his feature directorial debut.
Young actor Enzo Osorio won Best Actor for "The Hearing," visibly in tears when he accepted his Balanghai trophy, while Sue Prado won Best Supporting Actress for "Kantil."
"An Errand," starring Sid Lucero, won Best Sound and Best Editing. "Gulay Lang, Manong," starring Cedrick Juan, won the Audience Choice Award, while the sole competing documentary, "Alipato at Muog," won the Special Jury Prize.
In the short film categories, "Cross My Heart and Hope to Die" won the top prize and Best Director for filmmaker Sam Manacsa.
The only other short film with multiple awards was Sonny Calvento's "Primetime Mother," starring Meryll Soriano, for Best Screenplay and the Audience Choice Award.
The NETPAC award went to "Abogbaybay" and the Special Jury Prize went to "Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh)."
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