Erap, Charo, Laurice, Lav lead FDCP’s 2025 Parangal ng Sining honorees
Former President and action star Joseph Ejercito Estrada, veteran actress and ABS-CBN executive Charo Santos-Concio, director and actress Laurice Guillen, and acclaimed filmmaker Lav Diaz are this year’s recipients of the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) Parangal ng Sining Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awarding ceremony is set for April 11 at Seda Vertis North, Quezon City, with Iza Calzado as host.
The 2025 theme is “Ang Mga Higante ng Kasaysayan ng Ating Pelikula: Tradisyon at Ebolusyon,” which “honors the evolution of Filipino cinema, celebrating both the legends who paved the way and the innovators pushing its boundaries today.”
Now on its third year, the annual event recognizes the “lifetime achievements of film giants, important stake holders, personalities who have helped shape and at the same time, determine the present state of the Philippine cinema and the directions that it could still undertake,” FDCP chairman and chief executive officer Jose “Joey” Javier Reyes said at a presscon.
Reyes cited Estrada who founded the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (Mowelfund) and co-founded the very first Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), 50 years ago.
He also lauded Santos-Concio’s “major contribution in shaping popular culture not only as an actress and producer, but also as a moving force in Star Cinema, in ABS-CBN” as well as Guillen who’s “one of the great Filipino actresses on stage, television and screen” and a co-founder of Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
“Why Lav? I don’t think that requires any further qualification. Lav Diaz who succeeded in provoking Meryl Streep to say your movie (‘Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis’) rearranged the molecules of my mind,” added Reyes.
The FDCP will likewise confer the Annual Achievement Award to “Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing),” directed by Carl Joseph Papa, which the bagged Best Animated Film award at the 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards; “Sunshine,” helmed by Antoinette Jadaone, which won the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation 14plus section at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale); and Judy Ann Santos, who was named Best Actress at the 45th Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal for her performance in the horror film “Espantaho.”
The awards night will also feature performances of Rachel Alejandro, together with Arman Ferrer, Nicole Asensio, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Cooky Chua and Nyoy Volante.
A series of tribute screenings will be held at Ayala Malls Vertis North on April 10 and 12, showcasing the iconic works of the honorees. The featured films include “Itim” (1976), directed by Mike De Leon, starring Santos-Concio; “Tanging Yaman” (2000), directed by Guillen; “Ang Babaeng Humayo” (2016), directed by Diaz; and “Sa Kuko ng Agila” (1989), directed by Augusto Buenaventura, starring Estrada.
Aside from the honorees discussed at the presscon, Reyes also announced the FDCP’s plans for the second quarter. These include the launching FDCP’s new YouTube channel, “Behind the Reel,” which will feature insights from renowned filmmakers, actors, writers, producers and other key industry professionals; the screenings of Brazilian drama “I’m Still Here” and Australian animation “Memoir of a Snail” under the A Curation of World Cinema program (April); screenings of award-winning films, including, “Iti Mapupukaw” for I-nanimate: Animation Film Festival (April); Pamanang Pelikula in May which will feature restored Filipino classic, including, National Artist for Film Nora Aunor-led drama “Merika,” directed by Gil Portes; Curation of Asian Cinema in June, featuring the restored “Jaguar,” directed by Lino Brocka, and other Asian cinema masterpieces; Pelikulaya in June, which is a celebration of queer cinema in solidarity with Pride Month.
The FDCP will likewise mount Film Education and Development programs with Sine Kabataan Pitching Lab & Showcase (April 23 to 25); DOSTxFDCP Indie Siyensiya Workshop (April 24 to 25); PAS SEA Workshop (April 26 to May 4) and FLY Post Lab (May 25 to 30).
The events will continue with Additional Workshops and Programs: Meisner Acting Crash Course (May) in Bacolod; FSG Screenwriting Workshop (June-July); Student Film Assistance Program (April-June) and Philippine Film Industry Roadmap (July) in collaboration with Olsberg SPI, FDCP.
The international collaborations were also announced, including the Far East Film Festival (April 24 to May 2); Cannes Film Festival (May); and Annecy International Animation Film Festival (June).
Meanwhile, Reyes, who previously served as the head of the competition and monitoring committee of Cinemalaya, dispelled rumors surrounding the Cinemalaya film festival. He clarified that the 2025 edition of the Cinemalaya filmfest will push through and will continue in the coming years.
“I’m not qualified to say anything but ito na lang ang masasabi ko, tuloy ang Cinemalaya this Oct. 3. I will say this now, tuloy din ang Cinemalaya 2026. May pagkakaiba lang na magaganap pero tuloy yan.”
“Being part of the FDCP, I’m answering personally, we will not let Cinemalaya die because from Cinemalaya came Dan Villegas, Antoinette Jadaone, all the important new directors. We cannot let it possibly die because of the whims of individuals,” he added.
The 2025 Cinemalaya Film Festival will run from Oct. 3 to 12, instead of its annual staging in August. “Impossible nilang matapos ng August. May dalawa na alam ko na tapos na (filming). Na-late yung release ng tranches. So nahirapan sila. So, it’s fitting (that it’s happening in) October but I think they will resume it in August,” Reyes commented.
He added the screenings might be held at the Shangri-la Plaza cinemas. “Nakaka-touch na andaming naniwala sa kahalagahan ng Cinemalaya. A lot of people recognized its importance for it to die a natural death.”
“Cinemalaya was one of the painful things I had to give up when I became chairman of FDCP,” stated Reyes.
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