GMA honors filmmaker, 3 painters, leads Cinemanila awarding

President Arroyo conferred last night the Presidential Medal of Merit to legendary filmmaker Manuel Conde (posthumous) and to three renowned painters — Federico Alcuaz, Oscar Zalameda and Mauro Malang Santos.

Also yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo led the giving of awards to winners of the 8th Cinemanila International Film Festival.

Maricel Soriano, who failed to attend the event at Malacañang, won the best actress award for the film "Numbalikdiwa" while Archie Adamos was named best actor for the movie "Raket ni Nanay."

Conde, or Manuel Urbano in real life, started as an actor in 1935 and then became a director. His 1952 movie "Genghis Khan" was the first Filipino film to be acclaimed in an international film festival in Venice, Italy.

His "Juan Tamad Goes to Congress," scripted by Jess Banguis, is considered the best Filipino satire ever filmed.

Some of his acclaimed films were "Ibong Adarna," "Ikaw Kasi," "Handang Matodas" and "Molave."

Alcuaz is known for his tapestries, abstract paintings, and other works such as portraits, nudes, still-lifes and landscapes.

Zalameda’s famous works include "After the Rain," a representational work showing two women at the center, backs shown to the viewers as if about to cross a rain-soaked street; "Still Life," which shows his experiment with cubism; and "Sailboats," where he used bold colors to transform the sails of boats and the blue sea into an abstract pattern.

Malang, on the other hand, was first known as a cartoonist before he turned to painting. He created the country’s first English comic strip "Kosme, the Cop Retired."

In 1955, he set up Bughouse, the only gallery specializing in cartoons with artists Larry Alcala, Hugo Yonzon and Elmer Agustan.

Some of Malang’s critically acclaimed works were "Barrio Fiesta," "Street Fight," "Traffic," "The Yellow Sky," "Quarter Moon" and "Gate to Intramuros."

Meanwhile, other winners in the Cinemanila International Film Festival were: "Hopia Express" by Janus Victoria for best short film; "Paper Dolls" by Tomer Hermann of Israel, best documentary.

The Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema went to Jon Steffan Ballesteros for his film "The Ballad of Mimiong’s Miñon"; the Jury Prize to Khavn dela Cruz for his "Squatter Punk"; the best director award to Brillante Mendoza for his "Manoro," which also won best picture.

The Audience Favorite Awards went to "Numbalikdiwa" by Bobby Bonifacio Jr. and "Anino ng Setyembre" by Briccio Santos.

In the International Competition, "Kubrador" by Jeffrey Jeturian of the Philippines won the Lino Brocka Award for Best Picture; while "Everlasting Regret" by Stanley Kwan of Hong Kong won the Jury Prize or second best picture. Best actress was Lee Yeong-Ae of South Korean for "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" while listed for best actor was Alexei Chadov (still being verified as of press time) for the Russian film "9th Company."

Aruna Vasudev of India and Philip Cheah of Singapore were given the Lifetime Achievement Award for the Promotion of Asian Cinema. — With Ferdie Lapuz