“Apocalypse Child,” a full-length film starring actor Sid Lucero, emerged as big winner in the the third edition of the QCinema Film Festival after bagging the Circle Competition Best Picture award.
The film’s director Mario Cornejo also won the Best Director award, while Annicka Dolonius brought home the Best Supporting Actress trophy.
Apocalypse Child was commended for its “nuanced characterizations in an apparently simple story of friendship, loyalty, and desire that unravels the fractured nature of identity and delves in how truth can sometimes be the contorted lies people tell about themselves.”
READ: Qcinema showcases local and int’l films
Its editor Lawrence Ang also received the Artistic Achievement award for having an “undeniable skill in making the film float, glide, and dance on waves in a frequently-overlooked aspect of filmmaking, often dismissed as technical expertise rather than as art. He was further commended for his ‘undeniable skill buoyed by a depth of feeling, a sure command of the rules for efficient storytelling, bending to the rhythms of idiosyncrasy and empathy.”
Veteran stars Lou Veloso and Tessie Tomas were named Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, for their performances in “Water Lemon,” a film about an aging mother and her brilliant son with Asperger Syndrome. Liit Reyes won the award for Best Screenplay for the said film.
Other winners include Mihk Vergara’s “Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo” (Audience Choice and Gender Sensitivity), Prime Cruz’s “Sleepless” (NETPAC Jury Prize for Best Picture), and Sheryn Dayoc’s “Crescent Rising” (NETPAC Jury Prize for Best Documentary).
In her opening remarks, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte recalled how the festival started only as a dream, and expressed gratitude to filmmakers for involving the city in “creating new cinematic gems.”
“As you know, we only started three years ago with three films. Last year, we had only one film with a couple of shorts. But this year, we were able to fund eight full length feature films from a total of 168 entries. And that is quite an achievement for a fledgling film commission like ours. But I think it all begins with a dream. It has always been the dream and vision of the leadership of the city that Quezon City becomes the art and culture capital of the Philippines. And when you have a dream, you can make anything happen,” Belmonte said.
“I owe it to the filmmakers who showed confidence in our city. And for believing in us that we are here for your benefit,” she added.
Qcinema will run until Oct. 31 at TriNoma, Gateway Mall, and Robinsons Galleria. YG