‘Saving Sally’ wins in Seoul

Enzo Marcos (left) and Rhian Ramos in “Saving Sally”

This time, the honor comes with monetary incentive.

Avid Liongoren’s “Saving Sally” won the Jury’s Special Award at the 21st Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival (Sicaf), held recently in South Korea.

Liongoren happily reports that the award includes a cash prize. “Usually when you win…

it’s just a certificate, a handshake and laurels you can’t even use for cooking [adobo].” For the Sicaf triumph, however, “we will receive monies, an actual prize. Hurray!”

Liongoren tells the Inquirer that the victory is indeed a cause for celebration: “Nakakaaliw. Pang-shawarma party din!” The total reward is one million won (roughly P45,000). “I am a millionaire in Korea! It’s not huge, but it’s unexpected… [making it] sweeter.”

The filmmaker explains that competition was stiff in the fest. “It’s significant because the other entries were malulupit [fierce]. [To think,] ang low-fi ng banat namin.”

“Even if the other films were more refined, the jurors saw something special with what we did,” he explains. “Early on, when we were making the movie, we knew that we couldn’t compete on the Pixar level. So, we went the other direction, to avoid comparisons.”

Liongoren remarks that it’s heartening that accomplished animators have found his movie beautiful and award-worthy. “Nakakatuwa!”

An entry in last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, “Saving Sally” combines live action and computer animation and topbills Rhian Ramos, Enzo Marcos and TJ Trinidad.

Liongoren’s film previously won top awards at the Fantasporto fest in Portugal, the Brussels Fantastic Fest in Belgium, and the Los Angeles Asia-Pacific and Bentonville fests in the United States.

Established in 1995, the Sicaf supports “great possibilities in combining new technology with cartoon and animation.”

This year’s theme is “Adventure with Sicaf,” promoting the event as “an experience-oriented and communicative festival.”