PH producer awarded in Busan

Bianca Balbuena in Busan

Filipino producer Bianca Balbuena bagged the AFCNet Producer of the Year award at the Busan International Film Festival.

The honor was handed out at the AFCNet Global Network Party, which was cohosted by the Producers Guild of Korea.

AFCNet, or the Asian Film Commissions Network, is “an organization of professional film commissions in the Asian region that aims to build a strong network among film commissions.”

Most recently, Balbuena produced Lav Diaz’s “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw,” Bradley Liew’s “Singing in Graveyards” and Victor Kaiba Villanueva’s “Patay na si Hesus.”

In her speech, Balbuena recalled that the past few months have been extremely tough, “juggling different projects, living in a conflicted country [while having] a new life form growing inside of me.”

Right time

Balbuena, who is four months pregnant, remarked: “This award came at the right time, and I will always be reminded of how magical it is to be able to wake up every day and make films.”

She dedicated this latest recognition to her husband, Liew, and their coming child, and to “all filmmakers from different parts of the world struggling to find their voice.”

Last year, Balbuena won the FIAPF award for outstanding achievement in film, given by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations during the 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.—BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.