John Lloyd Cruz nominated twice for best actor in 2016 Gawad Urian

John Lloyd Cruz shaves his head in a scene from “Honor Thy Father.”

John Lloyd Cruz continues to surprise his audience. The actor is nominated for best actor twice, for “Honor Thy Father” and “A Second Chance,” in this year’s Gawad Urian, slated for June 21.

“The acting that was called for from Cruz in the two films were very different,” said Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino president Dr. Grace Jose Alfonso. “Whether being nominated in two films would give him a better chance at winning the award or not, I don’t know. I am only one vote. This selection is really based on merits.”

Cruz will be up against John Arcilla for “Heneral Luna,” Ricky Davao for “Dayang Asu,” Jericho Rosales for “Walang Forever,” Dennis Trillo for “Felix Manalo,” Sid Lucero for “Apocalypse Child,” Jun Jun Quintana for “Water Lemon,” Luis Alandy for “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” Francisco Guinto for “ARI: My Life With a King” and Lou Veloso for “Da Dog Show.”

Alfonso said it was not unusual for the Manunuri to nominate an actor twice in the same category. In fact, Angel Aquino was nominated only recently, in 2014, for best supporting actress both for “Porno” and “Ang Huling Cha-cha ni Anita.” She bagged the Urian trophy for the latter.

This year’s winners will be announced on June 21 in a ceremony to be held at the Kia Theater in Quezon City.

Alfonso said all the nominees for best picture “reveal new insights of what is currently happening in society. There is not one film on the list that was created to simply make the audience laugh or cry. They were all made to make their viewers think.”

The nominees for best picture are “Heneral Luna,” “Takblub,” “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” “Honor Thy Father,” “Imbisibol,” “ARI: My Life With a King,” “Bambanti” and “Da Dog Show.”

During the media gathering at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City, Alfonso said most of the nominated films “talk about the lives of ordinary people.” She pointed out that “budget was not really the issue. It’s all about having a good story.”

Nominees for best direction are Carlo Enciso Catu for “Ari My Life With a King,” Mario Cornejo for “Apocalypse Child,” Zig Madamba Dulay for “Bambanti,” Lawrence Fajardo for “Imbisibol,” Ralston Jover for “Da Dog Show,” Jun Lana for “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” Erik Matti for “Honor Thy Father,” Brillante Mendoza for “Taklub,” Kidlat Tahimik for “Balikbayan #1: Memories of Overdevelopment Redux III,” Jerrold Tarog for “Heneral Luna.”

The nominees for best actress are the following: Nora Aunor (“Taklub”), Annicka Dolonius (“Apocalypse Child”), LJ Reyes (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”), Angeli Bayani (“Iisa”), Alessandra de Rossi (“Bambati”), Ces Quesada (“Imbisibol”), Jennylyn Mercado (“Walang Forever”) and Mercedes Cabral (“Da Dog Show”)

Julio Diaz, who was cited for his work in “Taklub,” will be competing for the best supporting actor trophy against costar Lou Veloso (“Taklub”), Tirso Cruz III (“Honor Thy Father”), JM de Guzman (“Imbisibol”), Bernardo Bernardo (“Imbisibol”), Micko Laurente (“Bambanti”) RK Bagatsing (“Apocalypse Child”) and Alion Ibanez (“Da Dog Show”).

Competing for the best supporting actress trophy are Rio Locsin (“Iisa”), Anna Abad Santos (“Apocalypse Child”), Gwen Zamora (“Apocalypse Child”), Mylene Dizon (“Heneral Luna”), Tessie Tomas (“Water Lemon”), Liza Dinio (“Toto”) and Cecil Yumol (“ARI: My Life With a King”).

This year’s Natatanging Gawad Urian recipient is cinematographer Romy Vitug.

The nominees of the technical awards are the following:

For best cinematography are Carlo Mendoza (“Da Dog Show”); Pong Ignacio (“Heneral Luna”); Odyssey Flores (“Taklub”); Carlo Mendoza (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”); Ber Cruz (“Honor Thy Father”); Ike Avellana (“Apocalypse Child”); Joseph delos Reyes and Ma. Solita Garcia (“Bambati”); and Rody Lacap (“Felix Manalo).

For best screenplay are Ralston Jover (“Da Dog Show”); Henry Francia, E.A. Rocha and Jerrold Tarog (“Heneral Luna”); Honeylyn Joy Alipio (“Taklub”); Jun Lana (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”); Michiko Yamamoto (“Honor Thy Father”); Herlyn Gail Alegre and John Paul Bedia (“Imbisibol”); Robby Tantingco (“ARI: My Life With a King”); Lilit Reyes (“Water Lemon”); Bor Ocampo (“Dayang Asu”); and Zig Dulay (“Bambati”).

For best production design are Deans Habal (“Da Dog Show”); Gian Gianan (“Bambati”); Ben Payumo (“Water Lemon”); Ericsson Navarro (Honor Thy Father”); Joel Bilbao, Edgar Martin Littaua and Danny Red (“Felix Manalo”); Harley Alcasid (“Bukod Kang Pinagpala”); and Lawrence Fajardo and Roland Inocencio (“Imbisibol”).

For best editing are Kats Serraon (“Da Dog Show”); Jerrold Tarog (“Heneral Luna”); Diego Marx Dobles (“Taklub); Lawrence Ang (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”); Jay Halili (“Honor Thy Father”); Lawrence Fajardo (“Imbisibol”); and Carlo Francisco Manatad (“ARI: My Life With a King”).

for best music are Alessandra de Rosi (“Water Lemon”); Jerrold Tarog (“Heneral Luna”); Diwa de Leon (“Taklub”); Erwin Romulo (“Honor Thy Father”); and Jake Abella (“ARI: My Life With a King”).

for best sound are Miko Quizon (“Heneral Luna”); Paulito Homillano, Andrew Milallos, Dennis Payumo, Addiss Tabong (“Taklub”); Albert Michael Idioma (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”); Mikko Quizon (“Honor Thy Father”); Stephen Lopez and Sheka Ong (“Dayang Asu”); Albert Michael Idioma (“Felix Manalo”); Gilbert Obispo (“ARI: My Life With a King”); and Mark Locsin (“Da Dog Show”).

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