Eddie Garcia, Ai Ai delas Alas win top awards at Cinemalaya 2018

MANILA, Philippines — There is no doubt that veteran actor Eddie Garcia will always do a good job in whatever role he takes. 

For his realistic portrayal of an old, retired soldier who showed the real horrors of Martial Law in “ML,” the 14th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival’s jurors named him the Best Actor, citing his “his wickedly frightening portrayal — himself embodying the horrors of a dark past.” 

This is Garcia's third Balanghai trophy. He received the same awards for his roles in the past Cinemalaya’s entries “ICU Bed 7” and “Bwakaw.”

The coveted Best Actress award went to veteran actress Ai Ai delas Alas. She was cited for her very realistic portrayal of a hateful woman trying to retain a modicum of humanity in “School Service.”

Her co-star Therese Malvar bagged the Best Performance by a Supporting Actress for “her very gritty portrayal in one film of a young woman of the streets.” Malvar also received the same award for “her very sensitive depiction in another of a daughter with a troubled relationship with her mom” in “Distance,” another full-length entry. This is a historic win - the first time that the Best Supporting Actress award was given to one actress for two films.

Ketchup Eusebio won the Best Performance by a Supporting Actor. He impressed the jury with his effective portrayal of a loving son in “Mamang,” a film about a mother's struggle against senility to be with her son.

This year's Cinemalaya has seen strong performances by child actors who have received distinction for a number of full-length entries. Special Jury Citation for Outstanding Performance was given to child actors Miel Espinosa (“Pan de Salawal”), JM Salvado (“Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma” and “Pan de Salawal”), and Ken Ken Nuyda (“Liway and School Service”).

Overall winner

This year, “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon” came out victorious with many awards. 

During the awards night held in August 12 at the CCP's Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater), the film about an old unmarried couple who breaks the monotony of their daily lives when the woman’s estranged husband reaches out to her to seek reconciliation and forgiveness, was named Best Film “for its general technical excellence;” “powerful ensemble acting by some of the most august names in Philippine cinema;” and for its “sensitive depiction of decline and decrepitude.”

Carlo Catu’s film also won the prizes for Best Production Design for Marielle Hizon; Best Cinematography for Neil Daza; and Best Screenplay for John Carlo Pacala. The film starred veteran actors Dante Rivero, Menggie Cobarrubias, and Perla Bautista.

With a poignant take on old age and dying, screenwriter John Carlo Pacala brought to the front row a sector that is often relegated to the margins of society; while production designer Marielle Hizon, through her inspired art direction, effectively complements characterization and evokes the wages of old age.

Cinematographer Neil Daza, who won the same award for 2014 Cinemalaya entry “Buwaya,” effectively employed photographic resources to depict the decline of years and the waste of relationships.

Carlo Francisco Manatad's “Jodilerks De La Cruz, Employee of the Month,” a short film about a gas attendant who is on her last day of duty, bagged the Best Film in the Short Film Category. Starring actress Angeli Bayani, who won the Best Actress plum last year for “Bagahe,” the short feature was cited for its vigorous satire on Philippines’ current problems.

Best Director awards went to Che Espiritu (“Pan de Salawal”) and Xeph Suarez (“Si Astri Maka si Tambulah”). Espiritu won the award for her impressive use of cinematic resources to evoke in a very convincing manner a world of utter enchantment. Xeph Suarez, meanwhile, brought to life the conflict between tradition and sexual identity with his effective direction.

Both directors also received the Special Jury Prizes for their respective films. “Pan de Salawal (The Sweet Taste of Salted Bread and Undies)” was recognized by the jury for its vibrancy and vigor, its sense of wonder and poignant humor, and its effective conjuring of a suffering world where miracles are possible.

“Si Astri Maka si Tambulah,” meanwhile, has been acknowledged for its sensitive take on the clash between steadfast tradition and sexual liberation.

Technical achievements

With its compelling story of a young boy in a small community facing an environmental disaster, young director Christian Candelaria won the Best Screenplay for his film “Sa Saiyang Isla.” The short film won the top prize in the Short Feature category of the Ika-29 Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula At Video.

Wild Sound won the Best Sound for its dynamic sound design that conjoins dialogue and music, sounds and silence that altogether powerfully evoke an environment otherwise driven by conflict and bloodshed in “Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma.”

Best Original Musical Score went to Len Calvo for her clever adaptation of folk music that enhances the audience’s belief in an enchanted world in Pan de Salawal.

With his deft montage of images to conjure horrors of authoritarian rule in Benedict Mique's “ML,” editor Mikael Pestano received his second Cinemalaya Best Editing award. He received his first Balanghai trophy for Best Editing for the film “Tulad ng Dati.”

The Audience Choice award recipients were “Kiko” by Jojo Driz for the Short Feature category, and “Liway” by Kip Oebanda for the Full-Length category. 

Vertical shorts winners

This year, Cinemalaya welcomed the Novateur Coffee Concepts Inc. as its new partner. Together, they launched the Nespresso Cinemalaya Vertical Shorts Competition, which aims to create an avenue where Filipinos’ talent for storytelling can be celebrated and shared with everyone.

This initiative into the creative arts aims to bring together talented directors, cinematographers and storytellers and challenge them to share compelling narratives in three minutes.

“Globally, Nespresso supports culinary and film. We believe storytelling is part of our DNA. We do have the Nespresso Talents, a global campaign for filmmakers in Europe and USA. We thought we have to honor our DNA and should come up with similar campaign in the Philippines. It is natural to have Cinemalaya as our partner,” said Novateur Coffee Concepts Inc. Marketing Manager Mia Silva. 

During the Cinemalaya Awards Night, Nespresso awarded first prize to “SLN” by Brian Spencer Reyes, with “Braveheart” by Kevin Tuason and “Ako – To Take Responsibility” by Jonel Revistual taking home the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The winning entries were selected among the 12 finalists, shortlisted by the a board of jury composed of playwright-director Chris D. Martinez, Unitel Productions Inc and StraightShooters Media CEO/president Madonna Tarrayo, and Novateur Coffee Concepts Inc. Managing Director Patrick Pesengco. The competition received more than 30 entries.

Other finalists included: Gian Arre’s “Itay,” Ira Lastrilla’s “Kasama,” Arjanmar Rebeta’s “Love Others as Your Selfie,” Ruby Baldevarona’s “Ratsky,” James Golla’s “The Door,” Juan Parohing’s “Pedro Pasahero,” Benny Pioquinto’s “Takipsilim,” Christan Tan’s “Kapit Lang,” and Michael Sy Yu’s “Yakap.”

The first-place winner will receive P50,000 in cash. The second and third place winners will be given P30,000 and P20,000, respectively. All winners will also take home state-of-the-art Nespresso machines and coffee capsule packages.

Established in 2005, Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The all-digital film festival and competition aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.