‘Birdshot’ star wins in Vietnam

Mary Joy Apostol in “Birdshot”

Mary Joy Apostol, the young lead star of Mikhail Red’s acclaimed film, “Birdshot,” won best actress at the Asean Film Awards in Vietnam recently. Apostol told the Inquirer that she’s “overjoyed.” “I didn’t expect that I’d win there. I feel super blessed,” she told the Inquirer.

In “Birdshot,” she plays Maya, a farmer’s daughter who accidentally kills the endangered Philippine eagle and gets caught in a complex conspiracy involving corrupt cops.

“I am dedicating this trophy to many people,” she remarked. “First of all, I’m thankful to God … and my family for always being there to support me in all my endeavors. I am also grateful to my friends and, of course, to Direk Mik and Ate Pam [producer Pamela Reyes] for entrusting the role of Maya to me, for believing that I could do the part.”’

Reyes, in turn, praised Apostol’s “natural talent and humility.” The inaugural Asean Film Awards was an auxiliary event held in Da Nang, during the 20th Vietnam Film Festival last Nov. 29.

“Birdshot” is the country’s entry in the best foreign language film category of next year’s Academy Awards. —BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.