2016: Phl films shine in int’l filmfests

(First of two parts)

It’s unprecedented, a record!

Louie Ignacio, Mel Chionglo, Diane Ventura, John Paul Su

In 2016, Filipino filmmakers conquered Cannes, Venice and Berlin, three of the world’s five important international film festivals.

• Jaclyn Jose won the country’s first Best Actress Award from the Cannes for her performance in Brillante Mendoza’s Ma’Rosa as a drug dealer disguised as a slum sari-sari store owner. Taklub (Trap), another film by Mendoza, won Le prix Chandrika Charma at the 8th International Film Festival of Fishermen of the World in France.
• Lav Diaz also scored a “first” for the country with Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) which won Best Film in Venice, starring Charo Santos-Concio as a woman wrongly imprisoned in a story inspired by the Leo Tolstoy short story God Sees The Truth But Waits.
• Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery), written and also directed by Diaz, bagged the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize, Competition International Jury Section at the 66th International Filmfestspiele in Berlin.

• Here are the other Filipino filmmakers who won awards in various international film festivals in 2016 (compiled by Funfare contributor Celso de Guzman Caparas):

• Child Haus directed by Louie Ignacio — Best Film Badal Rahman Award at the Children’s Film Section, 14th Dhaka International Film Festival, Bangladesh. 
• Imbisibol, directed by Lawrence Fajardo — NETPAC Award at the 22nd Le Festival international des cinémas d’Asie (22nd Vesoul International Film Festival for Asian Cinema), France.
• Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon (When the Waves are Gone), written and directed by Lav Diaz — Paris Coproduction Village Award at the 14th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum, secured a $10,000 budget.
• Laut, directed by Louie Ignacio — Special Mention of the Jury at the Directors’ Week Section, 36th Oporto International Film Festival (Fantasporto), Portugal; Special Jury Prize, ASEAN Skies Section at the 3rd World Premieres Film Festival, Manila; and Honorable Mention, Best Feature Film at the 2nd All Lights India International Film Festival.
• Iadya Mo Kami (Deliver Us), directed by Mel Chionglo — Silver Remi Award, Spiritual Section at the 49th WorldFest International Independent Film Festival, Texas, USA. Chionglo received the Special Jury Prize for Contribution to Philippine Cinema at the 3rd World Premieres Film Festival, Manila.
• Sa ‘Di Pagparam (Lingering), written and directed by Ezra Borlagdatan — Gold Remi, Historical at the 49th WorldFest International Independent Film Festival, Texas, USA. 
• Tandem, directed by King Palisoc — Silver Remi, Suspense/Thriller at the 49th WorldFest International Independent Film Festival, Texas, USA. 
• Huramentado (Oath to Die), written and directed by Noriel Jarito — one of the eight Best Film awardees at the 1st 4-Chances Film Festival, Germany.
• Ang Araw Bago ang Wakas (The Day Before The End), a 16-minute film written and directed by Lav Diaz — Principal Prize at the 62nd International Short Film Festival, Germany, with 4,000 euros cash prize; and Best Feature at the 14th Tabor Film Festival, Croatia.
• Happy New Year, a 15-minute documentary film directed by Joseph Israel Laban — Melhor Filme (Best Film) at the III Festival de Finos Filmes, Brazil.
• Toto, written (with Donald Martin) and directed by John Paul Su — Best Foreign Film at the 19th LA Comedy Festival Los Angeles, California; and Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the 39th Asian American International Film Festival, New York City. 
• Mulat (Awaken), written and directed by Diane Ventura — Best Narrative Feature at the World Cinema Festival, Brazil.
• Maratabat (Pride and Honor), written and directed by Arlyn dela Cruz — Best International Film Award at The 5th People’s Film Festival, Harlem; and Award of Merit for Feature Film at the 7th IndieFEST Film Awards, La Jolla, California, USA.
• Hamog, written and directed by Ralston Jover — Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award at the 19th Shanghai International Film Festival; and Russian Film Critics’ Jury for Best Film Award at the Main Competition of the 38th Moscow International Film Festival, Russia.
• Nativity, written and directed by Ian Loreños; and Never the Bright Lights, written and directed by Dodo Dayao — two of the 16 film projects selected for the “It Project” at the 9th Network of Asian Fantastic Films, South Korea.
• Daughters of the Three Tailed Banner, directed by Gutierrez Mangansakan II — Grand Jury Prize and Best Artistic Contribution, Main Competition at the 3rd World Premieres Film Festival, Manila.
• Tomodachi, directed by Joel Lamangan — Best Foreign Language Feature Film and Best Original Score for Emerzon Quintillan Texon and Jacky Woo (also the executive producer) at the 5th Madrid International Film Festival, Spain.
• Walang Take Two (No Take Two), directed by Carlo Jay Ortega Cuevas —  Golden World Awards for International Film at the 4th World Film Awards, Jakarta, Indonesia; Best Film and Best Cinematography for Giancarlo Escamillas at the 5th Madrid International Film Festival, Spain; and Best Ensemble Acting at the 7th International Film Festival Manhattan, New York City, USA. 
• I Love You, Thank You, written and directed by Charliebebs Gohetia — Menção Honorosa do Festival (Honorable Mention) at the III Rio Festival de Gênero & Sexualidade no Cinema (3rd Rio Festival of Gender and Sexuality in Cinema), Brazil.
• Pamilya Ordinaryo (Ordinary People), directed by Eduardo Roy Jr. — Premio del Pubblico BNL People’s Choice Award at the 13th Venice Days, Italy; and Student Jury Prize at the 17th Tokyo FILMeX, Japan.
• Imago, a 15-minute short film written and directed by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez — Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival, Canada, with $10,000 cash prize.
• Paraiso, directed by Nash Ang — Special Festival Prize at the 15th Pyongyang International Film Festival, North Korea; and Mass Media Jury Award at the 15th Baikal International Festival of Documentary and Popular-Science Films, Russia.
• 1st Sem, directed by Dexter Hemedez and Allan Michael Ibañez — Best Debut Director’s Film at the 2nd All Lights India International Film Festival, Hyderabad, India.

(To be concluded)

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