Enchong Dee. Image: Instagram/@mr_enchongdee
What used to be just a dream has become a reality for Enchong Dee, who could not seem to contain his joy after his film “The Fisher” was nominated for the Ethical Film Award at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival.
The actor announced the feat while showing photos that were taken during the filming of the Paul Soriano-helmed movie, via Dee’s Instagram page on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
“Pangarap lang ‘to dati (This was just a dream before). The Fisher’ is nominated for Ethical Film Award in Tokyo Film Festival,” the actor said, inviting fans in Japan to the movie’s premiere in the film fest.
Dee then disclosed in a separate Instagram post that hours prior to being informed of the nomination, he was praying to God and hoping to someday experience a nomination at an international film festival.
“Yesterday morning, naglilinis ako ng unit tapos kinakausap ko lang si Lord. Sabi ko sana next time ma-experience ko na may nomination ‘yung film na nagawa ko sa ibang bansa. Parang random thought lang pero sarili ko lang din kausap ko,” he wrote.
(Yesterday morning, I talked to God while cleaning my unit. I said that I want to experience earning an international nomination for a local film I made. It was a random thought and I was just speaking to myself.)
“Naluha ako kasi parang kausap ko lang si Lord nung umaga, hindi ko alam may plano pala siyang gano’n,” he continued. “Hindi ko alam ‘yung award-award sa ibang bansa. Ang alam ko lang, gusto ‘yung pakiramdam na bitbit mo ‘yung pangalan ng Pilipinas sa international stage.”
(I teared up because I was just talking to God that morning, not knowing that He already had it planned. I don’t know much about the awards abroad. All I know is that it feels good to bring the country’s name with me on the international stage.)
Image: Instagram/@mr_enchongdee
Fellow celebrities Bela Padilla, Gretchen Fullido, Ria Atayde, Jasmine Curtis-Smith and his co-star Eula Valdes were among those who congratulated Dee via the comments section.
Image: Instagram/@mr_enchongdee
Aside from Dee and Valdes, ‘The Fisher” stars Mon Confiado, Heaven Peralejo and Mercedes Cabral as well. The cast also earlier attended the 10th Silk Road International Film Festival in China for the world premiere of the film.
Other Filipino films who will participate at the Tokyo film fest are Sheron Dayoc’s “The Gospel of the Beast” which is part of the Main Competition section; and Lav Diaz’s “Essential Truths of the Lake” which will have its screening under the World Focus section.
Filipino independent cinema director Raymond Red was also announced as one of the members of the film fest’s Asian Future Jury. EDV