33rd Gawad Urian: Night of the veterans

Veteran performers Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio, the two lead stars of Brillante Mendoza’s Lola, tied for Best Actress in last Thursday night’s 33rd Gawad Urian of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, which was staged at the Cine Adarna in the University of the Philippines campus.

Lou Veloso went home with the Best Actor trophy for playing an ex-convict who — shortly upon his release from prison — became a victim of circumstances in the road movie Colorum.

Voted Best Picture was Kinatay, which also won for Mendoza the Best Director prize. Last year, Mendoza was hailed Best Director at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for the same movie. He is the first director to win the Urian three years in a row. In 2008, he also won an Urian for his direction of Serbis — and the year before that, for Tirador. Mendoza also received the Best Production Design trophy for Lola.

Named Best Supporting Actor was Soliman Cruz for Himpapawid, while the Best Supporting Actress award went to Marissa Sue Prado — for the same movie. A theater actress from UP Los Baños, Himpapawid is Marissa’s second film.

In the case of Linda Casimiro, she won Best Screenplay (for Lola) and that was the very first script she wrote for the big screen.

Below are the other winners in the 33rd Gawad Urian:

Best Cinematography: Raymond Red — Himpapawid

Best Editing: Orlean Tan, Ralph Crisostomo and Miko Araneta — Engkwentro

Best Music: Francis de Veyra — The Arrival

Best Sound: Albert Michael Idioma — Kinatay

Best Short Film: To Siomai With Love by Remton Siega Zuazola

With funding from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the Gawad Urian featured musical numbers performed by Mark Bautista, Gloc 9 and Cookie Chua.

Christian Bautista also serenaded on stage Golden Girls Anita Linda, Rustica Carpio and Armida Siguion-Reyna after they all had given their acceptance speeches. Most touching, however, was the musical tribute given by Rachel Alejandro to Armida, whose contributions to the film industry as an actress, producer and industry leader were recognized by the critics’ group who gave her the Natatanging Gawad Urian that evening. Rachel was a regular performer in Aawitan Kita, the award-winning TV show Armida produced for three decades. Ms. Siguion-Reyna’s big moment on stage was made even more meaningful with the presence of Ricky Davao and Jackielou Blanco, the stars of Misis Mo, Misis Ko, a movie Armida produced for Viva Films in 1988. Another presenter in that category was Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, who was Armida’s immediate successor as MTRCB chief.

Among the presenters in the Gawad Urian last Thursday were Coco Martin, Iza Calzado, John Regala, Felix Roco, Alessandra de Rossi, Jason Abalos, Precious Lara Quigaman, Marco Alcaraz, Dimples Romana, Jeffrey Quizon, Ketchup Eusebio and Cinema One head Ronald Arguelles.

Former Urian winner Piolo Pascual also graced the occasion and presented the Best Picture award along with Manunuri head, Dr. Roland Tolentino and Lally Suzara (representing FDCP chairman Rolando Atienza).

 Sam Milby also lent his presence by handing the trophies to Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio and served as escort to the two Best Actress winners on stage.

The night’s scene-stealer was Eugene Domingo, who poked fun at herself for losing in previous Urian awards races (she was this close to winning Best Supporting Actress in 2007 for Foster Child).

The 33rd Gawad Urian was hosted by Gelli de Belen and this writer. Telecast is on May 6, 9:30 p.m. on Cinema One.

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino is currently composed of Dr. Roland Tolentino (chair), Dr. Gigi Alfonso, Mario Hernando, national artist Bienvenido Lumbera, Dr. Miguel Rapatan, Benilda Santos, Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, Tito Valiente, Lito Zulueta and this writer.