The 29th Gawad Urian reels off tonight

Tonight at 6, the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino is staging the 29th Gawad Urian at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater of the Ateneo de Manila University in Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

Producing the awards show for the fourth time is Antonio Tuviera’s APT Entertainment – with Malou Choa-Fagar in-charge of production and Poochie Rivera directing the program. The telecast, however, is tomorrow at 10:30 p.m. on RPN-9.

Hosting the awards proceedings are Pia Guanio, Janno Gibbs and Ogie Alcasid. Among those tapped to render musical numbers are no less than Gary Valenciano and Megastar Sharon Cuneta.

To help present the awards, the Manunuri and APT invited a long list of respected names (young and established) from the entertainment industry: Cesar Montano, Sunshine Cruz, Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Ara Mina, Polo Ravales, Kuh Ledesma, Donita Rose, Izza Calzado, Wendell Ramos, Alessandra de Rossi, Jeremy Marquez, Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista, Paolo Contis, Isabel Oli, Pauleen Luna, Alfred Vargas, LJ Reyes, Yasmien Kurdi, Janna Roxas and Chuck Alley.

This year’s recipient of the Natatanging Gawad Urian is the revered Eddie Garcia for his contributions (as actor and director) to the Philippine movie industry.

Winners of tonight’s Gawad Urian should really feel victorious because the fight is tough since the Manunuri members are pitting mainstream cinema with those of the so-called indie films (mostly released commercially in digital form).

Of course, much of the interest is focused on the Best Actress category (the title of which is currently held by Judy Ann Santos) – this country being a matriarchal society. Let’s therefore take a closer look once more at the nominees for Best Actress:

Irma Adlawan (Sa North Diversion Road) – I don’t know where she got all the energy that she displayed in this movie. And the memory work. Maybe it helped that she had done it before on theater (it was like Broadway moving to Hollywood). But that was still a difficult task. This is actually her third Urian nomination. The first was for Best Actress in Tuhog in 2001 and, later, for Best Supporting Actress in 2003. The question is: Will she finally bring home the trophy tonight?

Claudine Barretto (Nasaan Ka Man) – Claudine has developed as an actress through the years and has earned a couple of acting trophies from various award-giving bodies. This is her third Urian Best Actress nomination (after Kailangan Kita and Milan). Is she going to be lucky tonight?

Ana Capri (A la Verde, A la Pobre) – Another perennial Urian nominee. There was a time when she even had a double nomination (Best Actress for Pila-Balde and Best Supporting Actress for Sa Paraiso ni Efren). In A la Verde, she plays multiple characters. And this already won for her the Best Actress trophy in last year’s Cinemalaya. Is she going to have a "repeat performance" tonight at the Urian?

Jaclyn Jose (Sarung Banggi) – This is a very controversial/sensitive role – as an aging prostitute who (without her knowing it) has a one-night stand with a teenage son she gave away as a baby. Jaclyn has in her collection two Urian Best Actress trophies (Takaw-Tukso and Itanong Mo sa Buwan) – plus two more for Best Supporting Actress (Macho Dancer and The Flor Contemplacion Story). Is she going to bring home her fifth Urian trophy tonight?

Jaycee Parker (Ilusyon) – The camera just loves her in this movie and is luminous. The biggest acting surprise of the year, she has a chance to bring home an Urian Best Actress Award and this is not unlikely because other sexy stars had done that in the past in the Urian.

Amalyn Bangsi-il (Ang Daan Patungong Kalimugtong) – A child who must be around 10, this is her first film. Unknown, untried and untested, but turned out to have great acting skills, she is the Rebecca Lusterio of the north. If she wins tonight, this is not going to be the first time that a child is bringing home an Urian acting trophy. Serena Dalrymple has done that in 1998 for Bata-Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa (Best Supporting Actress) and, later, Jiro Manio for Magnifico (Best Actor) in 2003.