‘Sila-Sila,’ ‘Metamorphosis’ win big at Cinema One Originals Festival 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Giancarlo Abrahan’s “Sila-Sila” and J. E. Tiglao’s “Metamorphosis” dominated the 2019 Cinema One Originals Festival awards night Friday at the Dolphy Theater in Quezon City.

“Sila-sila” was hailed as Best Picture in this year’s festival and also bagged the Audience Choice Awards.

Photo from Sila-Sila’s official Facebook page

The film also won Best Screenplay and Topper Fabregas won the Best Supporting Actor Award.

“The film is really about connections, kung paano ka nakakabuo ng relasyon. Hindi lang doon sa mga minamahal mo kundi doon sa mga kaibigan mo,” Abrahan said as he and the cast accepted the Best Picture award on stage.

(The film is really about connections, how you create relations. Not only to those who you love but also to your friends.)

“Sila-sila” tells the story of a man whose breakups tend to be messy finds himself navigating feelings he had thought long gone.

Abrahan dedicated the film’s win to the LGBT community and reminded them that “we are seen.”

“But most importantly, I dedicate this award to the entire spectrum of the LGBT community,” Abrahan said.

“Napakasaya ko noong nabasa ko yung isang tweet, sabi doon sa isang tweet, ‘Wow, I feel seen.’ So andito kami lahat ngayon nakatayo sa harap niyo. Baklang direktor, baklang manunulat, baklang mga aktor. We are seen,” he added.

(I was so happy when I read a tweet which read ‘Wow I feel seen.’ So now we are here standing in front of you, a gay director, a gay writer, gay actors. We are seen.)

Another film which dominated the awards night was Tiglao’s “Metamorphosis” which is said to be the first Filipino film centered on intersex individuals or those who have two genitals.

Photo from Metamorphosis’ official Facebook page

“Metamorphosis” bagged Best Sound, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress for Iana Bernardez, Best Actor for Gold Azeron and Best Director for Tiglao.

The said film was initially X-rated by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board but was reclassified as R-16 in its second review.

Here is the full list of winners of this year’s Cinema One Originals Festival:

• Audience Choice Award – Sila-Sila
• Best Sound – Immanuel Verona and Vince Banta, Metamorphosis
• Best Musical Score – Kevin Dayrit, O; Emerzon Texon, Lucid
• Best Editing – Benjamin Tolentino, Lucid
• Best Production Design – Eero Yves Francisco, Utopia
• Best Cinematography – Tey Clamor, Metamorphosis; Carlos Mauricio, Tia Madre
• Best Screenplay – Daniel Saniana, Sila-Sila
• Student Film Award – Kapasidad by Tyrone James Luanzon
• Best Supporting Actress – Iana Bernardez, Metamorphosis
• Best Supporting Actor – Topper Fabregas, Sila-Sila
• Best Actress – Alessandra de Rossi, Lucid
• Best Actor – Gold Azeron, Metamorphosis
• Best Short Film – Sa Among Agwat by Don Senoc
• Best Director – JE Tiglao, Metamorphosis
• Special Jury Prize – Utopia
• Best Film – Sila-Sila