Poe top-bills Indie Bravo! tribute Thursday night

MANILA, Philippines–Sen. Grace Poe leads the guest speakers in Thursday night’s Indie Bravo! tribute to independent filmmakers, along with Briccio Santos, chair of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP); Eugenio Villareal, chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB); and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Indie Bravo! is the Inquirer’s annual gathering of Filipino cinema artists who won international awards for their works in the past 12 months. There are 29 honorees this year, 10 actors and 19 directors.

Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares. FACEBOOK PHOTO

On top of the list are Lav Diaz, who won the Golden Leopard at the top-tier Locarno (Switzerland) International Film Festival; and Brillante Ma. Mendoza, declared a Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government early this year for his body of work.

Now in its fifth year, Indie Bravo! allows independent filmmakers (those who make movies outside of the major film production system) to touch base with industry leaders, relevant government agencies and other stakeholders.

Past editions of the tribute led to significant reforms and innovations that benefited the whole movie industry. The MTRCB lowered its review fees for indie movies, for instance, and currently has an independent filmmaker as board member.

The FDCP mounted a series of film festivals around the country featuring indie productions, and launched its own international indie film festival in October.

Indie Bravo! night is held at the Inquirer office as part of the news organization’s annual anniversary celebrations.

This year, the tribute night likewise serves as culmination of the monthlong Indie Bravo! Film Festival, ongoing until Friday at Fully Booked High Street, copresentor, in Bonifacio Global City.

Poe has been a staunch supporter of the Inquirer Indie Bravo! since it started in 2010, when she was still MTRCB chair. Like her, Santos has consistently supported Indie Bravo! activities, notably a four-city (Davao, Iloilo, Baguio and Zamboanga) festival of short films and documentaries..

Bautista spearheaded two big projects for the movie industry recently—the QC international festival of independent films and QC International Pink Film Festival, which featured movies about the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) sector.

Also speaking in Thursday night’s gathering are Noel Cabangon, president of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (Filscap), and producer-director Emmanuel de la Cruz, founding chair of the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative.

Aside from Diaz and Mendoza, the honorees who will receive glass trophies and Guyito stuffed toys are: actors Vilma Santos, Ronnie Quizon, Jake Cuenca, Allen Dizon, Emilio Garcia, Hazel Orencio, Sandy Talag, Liza Diño and Sid Lucero; and filmmakers Maryo J. de los Reyes, Joel Lamangan, Paul Soriano, Baby Ruth Villarama, Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo, Siege Ledesma, Jewel Maranan, Adjani Arumpac, Joseph Israel Laban, Eduardo Roy Jr., Jun Robles Lana, Carlo Obispo, Mikhail Red, Alvin Yapan, Will Fredo, Nerissa Picadizo and Jason Paul Laxamana.