GMAAC stars shine in Cinemalaya

MANILA, Philippines - GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) talents received praises in the recently-concluded 2010 Cinemalaya Film Festival.

LJ Reyes, currently in the US awaiting the birth of her first baby, got the surprise of her life after being adjudged Best Supporting Actress in her role in The Leaving by Ian-Dean Lorenos.

LJ, sending her message from New York where she is on vacation, said she couldn’t believe the news. She is beside herself with joy because she never expected it. “When I did that film, I only know that I had to give it my best like all the other roles that I tackled. But to expect this kind of accolade, I never did. That’s why I consider this a blessing beyond compare. This baby is really my lucky charm,” she said.

LJ plays a typical conservative wife in the movie, who finds out about her husband’s cheating amidst her discontent in the relationship. What happens after that provides the movie’s clincher that probably brought LJ’s excellent acting to fore.

Aside from LJ, critics also noticed Dominic Roco in Rekrut and Marvin Agustin and Ayen Laurel in Sigwa.

Sigwa, directed by Joel Lamangan, is one of the five movies in the Director’s Showcase category that features works of veterans who already produced multiple mainstream films. Lamangan applauds Marvin’s handling of his role as a young activist and Ayen’s quiet portrayal of the daughter who provided the conflict in the lives of the characters of Dawn Zulueta and Gina Alajar.

“Marvin is (such) an outstanding performer, with strong characterization (that he was able to flesh out a kind of persona that is so real and convincing),” says the director.

In this film which brings back memories of the Marcos regime’s First Quarter Storm, Marvin plays a youth activist radically loud about the social reality of his times. He played an activist in Dekada 70 but says the challenge for Sigwa is different. “Here, I am very vocal about my way of thinking and talagang laban at sugod ako dito. There’s much emotional requirement attached to the role and it feels great because it’s one of my dream roles.”

For his part, Dominic has been getting his share of praises for a job well done in Rekrut. Director Danny Anonuevo lauds Dominic’s performance in Rekrut which, like Sigwa, is based on a historical tragedy (in the turbulent ‘60s) known as Jabiddah Massacre. Rekrut is one of the full-lengths in the New Breed category.

“We’re very happy with his performance and we’re blessed to have Dom on the movie. He’s very cooperative, wala siyang reklamo,” says the director who also picked Joem Bascon and Maxene Magalona for his cast of good-looking, young talents.

Dominic is the son of Bembol Roco and twin brother of Felix Roco, which reflects the source of the depth he is showing as an actor.

In Rekrut, he plays one of the Muslim recruits for the Jabiddah unit which underwent special training that ended in a high-profile crime unsolved to this day.