Indie spirit rules in Cinemanila awards

REGIBEN Romano, Lino Brocka grand prize winner in the Digital Lokal section, for “Sakay sa Hangin”

The Cinemanila International Film Festival, now on its lucky 13th year, capped a hectic week of screenings with a laid-back awards ceremony on Thursday night at the Bonifacio High Street Activity Center in Taguig.

Filipino filmmakers Lav Diaz and Mes de Guzman led the honor roll, along with other independent cinema luminaries from all over the world.

Apart from indie stalwarts, industry newcomers were also given the chance to shine at the awards night.

In the short film category, Carlo Obispo’s “123” won the Best Short and Ishmael Bernal prizes. The jury commended “123” for its “poetry, social conscience and courage to pull the rug from under our feet.”

Special mention went to “Saranghae My Tutor” by Victor Villanueva.

In the Digital Lokal derby, De Guzman won Best Director and Best Film for “Sa Kanto ng Ulap at Lupa.”

First-time digital filmmaker Regiben Romana clinched the Lino Brocka grand jury prize for “Sakay sa Hangin.”

Romana told the Inquirer that the award was special because every Filipino filmmaker looks up to Brocka. “As a cinematographer, I almost worked with Lino for a TV commercial. We already had meetings and were all set. But he died (in a car crash) before we could work together.”

ITALO Spinneli, Lino Brocka grand prize winner in the International competition, for “Gangor”

STARS of “Boundary” (from left), Raymond Bagatsing, Edwin Nombre and Ronnie Lazaro, applaud their film’s triumph (above).

Romana dedicated his trophy to artist Waway Linsahay Saway and the indigenous tribe Talaandig of Mount Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Mindanao. “This film took three years to make,” he said.

There were two winners in the special mention prize, Southeast Asian Films category: “Boundary” by Benito Bautista, another debuting Filipino director, shared the honor with “The Mirror Never Lies” by Indonesia’s Kamila Andini.

Bautista described the honor as “inspiring.”

The Best Film in the SEA section went to “Golden Slumbers” by Cambodia’s Davy Chou.

Pinoy indie icon Lav Diaz figured prominently in the International section. His six-hour film “Siglo ng Pagluluwal,” which premiered at the Venice fest last September, won the Cinemanila grand jury prize. The jury hailed Diaz’s film as “an intimate and epic meditation on Filipino society … uncompromising.”

Diaz was unable to attend the ceremony as he was shooting his next film in the Bicol region. De Guzman, who attended the fest’s opening, was already back home in Nueva Vizcaya when the fest ended.

TIKOY Aguiluz hands Nora Aunor’s lifetime achievement award to Suzette Ranillo, the actress’ friend

Other winners in the international section are: Best Director, Turkey’s Nuri Bilge Ceylan for “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia”; Best Actor,

Romania’s George Pistereanu for “If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle”; Best Actress, South Korea’s Jeong-hie Yun for “Poetry,” and Lino Brocka grand prize, Italy’s Italo Spinelli for “Gangor.”

All in all, festival founding director Tikoy Aguiluz was pleased with this year’s Cinemanila.

“We hope to make a permanent home in Taguig, especially since new moviehouses are going to be built in the city,” Aguiluz said.

E-mail [email protected]

PHOTOS BY ESTAN GABIGAN, CINEMANILA