THE FILM Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) celebrated the triumphs of Filipino films and filmmakers abroad during its second Film Ambassadors’ Night on Feb. 9 at the Sampaguita Gardens in Quezon City.
The awards ceremony is meant to show the council’s “appreciation for their passion and hard work,” Mary Liza Diño-Seguerra, chairperson and CEO of the FDCP was quoted as saying in a press release.
“In 2017 alone, more than 80 films including their actors and those involved in their production have won in various international festivals,” Ms. Diño-Seguerra said during the awards night.
The night saw actors Allen Dizon and Angelie Sanoy recognized as “A-Listers,” or those who won in top international film festivals. Mr. Dizon and Ms. Sanoy were named the Best Actor and Actress respectively at the 33rd Warsaw International Film Festival in Poland for their work in Bomba (2017), Ralston Jover’s film about a hearing-impaired laborer.
Also named A-Listers were Bianca Balbuena who received the Producer of the Year Award given by the Asia-Pacific Screen Awards International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF) at the 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards held in Australia.
Also named an A-Lister was Pailalim (2017), a film by Daniel R. Palacio about a gravedigger trying to save her sick daughter, which won the Fedora Award at the 65th San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain; and Pauwi Na (2016) by Paolo Villaluna, about family travelling a great distance using pedicabs. The film won the Golden Goblet Award at the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival in China.
The night’s top awards, the Camera Obscura Artistic Excellence Award which recognizes “[those] who defied the norms, broke records and introduced modern breakthroughs in filmmaking,” were given to Saving Sally (2016) by Avid Liongoren for “its international recognition as a original full length Filipino animation film;” Kita Kita (2017) by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo for “setting a new box-office record as the highest grossing, independently produced film in the Philippines” having earned more than P300 million during a three-week run, passing 2015’s Heneral Luna which earned P257 million; and producer Ferdinand Lapuz for “reintroducing Philippine cinema to the global scene, paving the way for numerous films to be recognized in various prestigious international film festivals.”
Mr. Lapuz produced films such as Bomba (2017), Die Beautiful (2016), and Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016), among others.
Below is the complete list of winners at the FDCP Ambassadors’ Night:
A-LISTERS
• Allen Dizon
• Angelie Sanoy
• Bianca Balbuena
• Pailalim (2017) by Daniel Palacio
• Pauwi Na (2016) by Paolo Villaluna
CAMERA OBSCURA
• Saving Sally (2016) by Avid Liongoren
• Kita Kita (2017) by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
• Ferdinand Lapuz
FULL-LENGTH FILMS
• Area (2016) by Louie Ignacio
• Laut (2016)by Louie Ignacio
• Singing in Graveyards (2016) by Bradley Liew
• Baboy Halas (2016)by Bagane Fiola
• Ignacio de Loyola (2016)by Paolo Dy
• Tale of the Lost Boys (2017) by Joselito Altarejos
• Women of the Weeping River (2016) by Sheron R. Dayoc
• Patay na si Hesus (2016) by Victor Kaiba Villanueva
• 2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten (2016) by Petersen Vargas
• 1st Sem (2016) by Allan Michael Ibanez and Dexter Paglinawan Hemedez
• Ang Babaeng Humayo (2016) by Lav Diaz
• Birdshot (2016) by Mikhail Red
• Dagsin (2016) by Atom Magadia
• Imbisibol (2015) by Lawrence Fajardo
• Paglipay (2016) by Zig Dulay
• Huramentado (2016) by Noriel Jarito
• Pitong Kabang Palay (2016) by Maricel Cabrera-Cariaga
• Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016) by Eduardo Roy, Jr.
• Baka Bukas (2016) by Samantha Lee
• Across the Crescent Moon (2017) by Baby Nebrida
• Sikreto sa Dilim (2017) by Mike Magat
• Matangtubig (2015) by Jet Leyco
DIRECTORS
• Louie Ignacio
• Mikhail Red
• Raymund Ribay Gutierrez
• Sheron Dayoc
• Sari Dalena and Kiri Dalena
• Fritz Silorio
• Lav Diaz
• Brillante Mendoza
ACTORS
• Gabby Concepcion
• Christopher de Leon
• Christopher de Leon, Matteo Guidicelli, Dina Bonnevie, Sandy Andolong, Gabby Concepcion and Joem Bascon for their work in Across a Crescent Moon (2017) by Baby Nebrida
• Arnold Reyes
• Mary Joy Apostol
• Carlos Morales
• Leon Miguel
• Laila Ulao
• Anna Luna
• Hasmin Killip
• Ronwaldo Martin
• Tommy Abuel
• Ana Capri
• Ai Ai delas Alas
• Iza Calzado
• Lotlot de Leon
• Angel Locsin
• Ricky Davao
• Charo Santos- Concio
FILM DOCUMENTARY
• Sunday Beauty Queen (2016) by Baby Ruth Villarama
• Two Way Jesus (2017) by Jet Leyco
TV DOCUMENTARY
• Warmer (2017) by Atom Araullo
• Front Row: Bata sa Bintana (2016) by JC Rubio
• Reel Time: Maling Akala (2016) by Jayson Bernard Santos
• Reporter’s Notebook: Pasan-pasang Pangarap (2016) by Ian Simbulan
SHORT FILMS
• Imago (2016) by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez
• Fatima Marie Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25 (2016) by Carlo Francisco Manatad
• Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month (2017) by Carlo Francisco Manatad
• Do I have Boobs Now? (2017) by Joella Cabalu and Milena Salazar
• Contestant #4 (2016) by Jared Joven and Kaj Palanca
• Diliman (2017) by TJ Collanto
• Supot (2016) by Phil Giordano
• Maria (2017) by JP Habac
• Pipo (2015) by Richard Legaspi
CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE IN FILM
• Greg Rodriguez III for Ang Araw sa Likod Mo (2017)
• Lawrence Fajardo for Imbisibol (2015)
• Herlyn Gail Alegre and John Paul Bedia for Imbisibol (2015)
• Che Espiritu for Fatima Marie Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25 (2016)
• Jona Ballaran for Dagsin (2016)
• Inshallah Montero for Papa’s Shadow (2016) — Zsarlene B. Chua
