Inquirer Indie Bravo! toasts an a-list year for PH films

“Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis”

It was filmmaker Paul Soriano who pointed out this fact, a rare achievement for the Philippines on the global stage.

Soriano told the Inquirer that, this year, the Philippines has won a major prize in the world’s top three A-list film festivals: Berlin, Cannes and Venice.

Soriano is the producer of Lav Diaz’s “Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis,” which bagged the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize at the 66th Berlinale last February.

He noted that the country also scored big at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, with the best actress citation of Jaclyn Jose for Brillante Ma Mendoza’s “Ma’ Rosa” last May.

The country’s winning streak was capped off by the Golden Lion victory of Diaz’s “Ang Babaeng Humayo” at Venice, the world’s oldest film fest (which had its 73rd edition last September), he said.

Not even heavy-hitters like the United States, France and the United Kingdom could claim this astounding triple whammy. But the Philippines did it!

As a bonus, Filipinos also topped other A-list festivals this year.

Ralston Jover’s “Hamog” won the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Shanghai fest in June. A few weeks later, “Hamog” star, Therese Malvar, won best actress at the Moscow fest last July.

In another A-list Asian fest, Tokyo, the country brought home three trophies: Audience Choice for Jun Robles Lana’s “Die Beautiful” and best actor for Paolo Ballesteros for the same film, plus best film for Mikhail Red in the Asian Future section for his sophomore outing, “Birdshot.”

Clearly, 2016 is the winningest year for Philippine cinema.

And to celebrate this significant accomplishment, Inquirer is once again honoring these achievers at the 7th Inquirer Indie Bravo! Awards, to be held tomorrow night at the paper’s Makati office.

To mark Inquirer’s 31st anniversary, we are feting 31 international award winners.

To further highlight the dynamism of Philippine cinema, this year’s honor roll includes veterans and newcomers, repeat winners and first-timers.

Newbie actors Malvar, Micko Laurente (“Bambanti”), Hasmine Killip (“Pamilya Ordinaryo”) and Barbie Forteza (“Laut”) will join Indie Bravo! regulars, Allen Dizon (“Iadya Mo Kami”) and Sid Lucero (“Toto”), on the roster.

Returning honorees are led by Mendoza (“Taklub” and “Ma’ Rosa”), Eduardo Roy Jr. (“Pamilya Ordinaryo”), Lawrence Fajardo (“Imbisibol”) and Louie Ignacio (“Area,” “Laut” and “Child Haus”).

Seasoned directors Elwood Perez (“Esoterika: Maynila”), Joel Lamangan (“Tomodachi”) and Mel Chionglo (“Iadya Mo Kami”) will be saluted, along with young turks Dexter Hemedez and Allan Ibañez (“1st Sem”), Charliebebs Gohetia (“I Love You. Thank You.”) and John Paul Su (“Toto”).

Actress Lotlot de Leon (“1st Sem”) is getting her first Indie Bravo! trophy and Guyito—prizes that mom Nora Aunor has clinched twice so far.

Awardees are not limited to feature film directors, documentarians (Sheron Dayoc for “The Crescent Rising” and Joseph Israel Laban for “Happy New Year”) and short filmmakers (Raymund Ribay Gutierrez for “Imago” and Carlo Francisco Manatad for “Sandra”) are also in Indie Bravo’s distinguished lineup.

Apart from directors and actors, two cinematographers made it on this year’s list: Neil Daza (“1st Sem”) and Marco Felipe Villas Lopez (“The Sister”).

For the first time, a member of the Inquirer family, Radyo Inquirer news director and filmmaker Arlyn dela Cruz (“Maratabat”), is an honoree.

Like last year, indie artists kept winning abroad even after the cut-off—namely, directors Mario Cornejo (“Apocalypse Child”), Khavn dela Cruz (“Alipato”) and Bradley Liew (“Singing in Graveyards”) and actress Sue Prado (“The Sister”).

That only means we need to start prepping for next year’s Inquirer Indie Bravo! Awards, pronto.

Jaclyn Jose in “Ma’ Rosa”

Ronnie Liang in “Esoterika Maynila”

Paolo Ballesteros in “Die Beautiful”

Barbie Forteza in “Laut”

Therese Malvar in “Hamog”

“The Crescent Rising”

Charo Santos in “Ang Babaeng Humayo” Baby K. Jimenez

Mary Joy Apostol in “Birdshot”

Ai-Ai delas Alas in “Area”

Sid Lucero in “Toto”

Hasmine Killip and Ronwaldo Martin in “Pamilya Ordinaryo”