MANILA, Philippines — The short film "An Sadit Na Planeta" bagged most awards at the 17th Cinemalaya Film Festival virtual awards ceremony yesterday, including Audience Choice, Special Jury Prize and NetPac Jury Award.
The Mystica-starrer "Kids On Fire," on the other hand, took home two awards, Best Screenplay and Best Direction.
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The two films bagged most of the awards. Myra Aquino's inspired biopic "Beauty Queen" was named Best Short Film.
Winners of the Best Short Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Special Jury Prize were awarded with Balanghai trophies and cash prizes.
This year, Cinemalaya's main competition featured 13 short films out of the more than 200 submitted entries. The films were streamed on ktx. They will also be made available in bundles via Vimeo starting 6 p.m. on August 19.
"An Sadit na Planeta" (The Little Planet) follows the adventure of a young man as he explores a little planet.
This is Rebeta's first official entry although he has been submitting entries at the Cinemalaya for three years.
Kyle Nieva's imagination went on hyperdrive when he wrote "Kids On Fire," a story about a boy who joins a religious camp and discovers his role in the prophesied return of God.
When asked if he is ready to make a full-length feature after winning, Nieva said he would like to continue making shorts.
Set in Pampanga during World War II, Myra Aquino's "Beauty Queen" tells the true story of Remedios Gomez also known as Kumander Liwayway who was a young beauty queen whose father was killed. She joined the resistance army and rose in the ranks to eventually become a commander.
For the character-driven Aquino, she found it hard to write the story of Kumander Liwayway because she was often seen as a hero. The challenge was how to "rehumanize her and bring her down back to earth."
The other short film finalists include "Ang Mga Nawawalng Pag-asa at Panlasa" (The Lost Hopes and Flavors), "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi," "Ate O.G.," "Crossing," "Kawatan Sa Salog" (A Toy in the River), "Looking for Rafflesias and Other Fleeting Things," "Maski Papano" (I Mask Go On), "Namnama En Lolang" (Grandmother's Hope), "Out of Body," and "The Dust In Your Place."
Stream all these films on ktx and Vimeo until September 5.