Elijah Canlas (L) and Kokoy De Santos of “Gameboys.” Image: Instagram/@theideafirstcompany
“Gameboys,” the acclaimed Boys’ Love series starring Elijah Canlas and Kokoy De Santos, has been nominated in the 2021 International Emmy Awards.
The IdeaFirst Company, the creator of “Gameboys,” announced the show’s nomination through its Instagram and Twitter pages today, Sept. 8.
“Congratulations team Gameboys! International Emmy Awards 2021 nominee for kids – live action,” The IdeaFirst Company stated.
“Gameboys” joined three other entries from Australia, the Netherlands and Argentina under the kids live-action category. It is the only Filipino production vying for the award, as per a release by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences yesterday, Sept. 7.
Other categories included in the 2021 International Emmy Awards were Kids: Animation and Kids: Factual and Entertainment. Winners will be announced in an online presentation on Oct. 12, 2021.
This is not the first time “Gameboys” has received a nod from a global award-giving body. It received its first international recognition in November last year, after it was hailed as Best Web Series in the Indie Shorts Awards in Seoul.
“Gameboys” tells the love story of gamer Cai (Canlas) and his fan Gavreel (De Santos). The pair’s interactions are limited to Zoom calls and messages because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the distance, Cai and Gavreel grow closer as they help each other through their personal struggles.
The show’s first season debuted on IdeaFirst’s YouTube channel on May 22, 2020, and was met with massive support from fans and consistent positive reviews from critics. A Netflix version of the first season followed, “Gameboys Level-Up Edition,” released in December 2020. A Philippine network TV debut came next on June 13, 2021, through GMA’s Heart of Asia. The show has since expanded into “Gameboys: The Movie” which was released last July, and is also set to release its second season soon.
“Gameboys” is directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal, written by Ash Malanum, and produced by Perci Intalan and Jun Lana. It also stars Adrianna So, Kyle Velino and Miggy Jimenez. JB
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