Urian: How the voting went

(Conclusion)

A lot of film enthusiasts believe that the Best Picture prize should also come with the award for Best Direction. I don’t think this is necessarily so. There are some promising materials, for instance, that are ruined by uninspired direction.

My belief is that for as long as the Best Picture winner gets at least either Best Screenplay or Direction, then we’re okay. If it manages to annex both, then all the better. But I’m fine for as long as the Best Picture has at least one leg (again, either direction or picture) to stand on.

In the 32nd Gawad Urian held the other Saturday at the CCP, the Best Picture winner, Serbis, also snagged the Best Direction award (for Brillante Mendoza), but failed to get the trophy for Best Screenplay (which went to Jay’s Francis Xavier Pasion).

Allow me to share with you what happened during the deliberations for the major categories: Screenplay, direction and picture.

In all the years of the Manunuri existence, we don’t just cast ballots to determine the winner. The merits of each and every entry are discussed thoroughly. (And how I wish they would do the same in the Metro Manila Film Festival.)

Halfway through the night, when we realized that Jay wasn’t going to win Best Picture (we could already tell during the discussions), its supporters made sure the film got at least one of the major prizes. And so we insisted on giving it the Best Screenplay trophy and the rest agreed.

Francis’ Jay richly deserves the Best Screenplay award. Its material is very relevant: An exposé on public affairs programs — some of which admittedly have become so exploitative it’s about time this ill practice on television is exposed. With the help of editing, which was also rewarded with an Urian (for Pasion, Kats Serrano and Chuck Gutierrez), the screenplay becomes so tight and cohesive that scenes can go forward or in flashback and yet the viewer doesn’t get confused.

Jay may not have won Best Direction and Picture, but at least it brought home the Best Screenplay award, which is a major achievement because the script is the most important aspect in a film. It’s the blueprint and the very framework of any motion picture.

For Best Direction, I would have preferred Richard Somes to win for Yanggaw, which is done in all Ilonggo. The story of a poor couple in Negros island whose only daughter turns into a flesh-eating beast at night, the premise is basically unreal (although supposedly a lot of people in remote places, especially in the provinces believe this is still possible). But under Somes’ direction, the film becomes engaging and the viewer gets involved with the story and its characters.

He carefully guides his cinematographers, Hermann Claraval and Lyle Sacris with the lighting to create more tension and does the same with the other technical elements and all that makes Yanggaw succeed as a very effective horror/family drama. Somes obviously excels at establishing the mood called for by a particular scene because each one in his film elicits the right reaction from the viewer. This to me is the mark of a good director. Too bad he didn’t win Best Director because the award went to Mendoza. But both Somes and Pasion gave a good fight in this very important category. It was basically the three of them who figured prominently in this race.

For Best Picture, I was torn between Jay and Yanggaw. I liked Jay because of the social relevance its message is trying to bring across — what with media being so powerful and influential in this age. It serves as an eye-opener especially for those who believe everything television tells us.

Yanggaw I admire simply for its filmic value. Initially, I thought I was impressed with it only because I didn’t expect much from the movie — Richard Somes being a new director. But I watched it again and I can honestly say that not only can it stand a second viewing I liked it even better the second time around.

During that final round in the Manunuri voting, I told myself I’d be happy if either Jay or Yanggaw won. But that didn’t happen. It was Serbis that took home the Best Picture prize — again, only after a tough wrestling with both Jay and Yanggaw.

Obviously, I’m not a big fan of Serbis. However, I don’t think Mendoza will kill me for saying that. After all, I’ve supported all his films — from Kaleldo, Foster Child and all the way to Tirador (I have yet to see Kinatay and Lola). Admittedly, Mendoza is already among the most important filmmakers in Philippine cinema today after all the honors he has brought to the country via these international film festivals.

Maybe it is the journalist in me that made me root for Jay. More than half of the Manunuri, however, come from academe and they saw Serbis from a different perspective.

During the deliberations, the other Manunuri members pointed out carefully its artistic merits and it was only then that I realized its cinematic value. Now, I admire it for its texture, Mendoza’s creativity (I always knew he had it) and especially the performances (particularly of Gina Pareño and even Jaclyn Jose).

Serbis may not be Mendoza’s best work (it’s still Foster Child and Tirador for me), but as declared by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, it is the year’s best.