Cinemalaya has released the full list of the film festival’s winners. Since 2005, Cinemalaya has shone a much-needed spotlight on independently-made Filipino films. The independent film festival held its gala and awarding ceremony on Aug. 14 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo theater.
The big winner of the evening for the full-length film category was Carlo Obispo’s “The Baseball Player.” The film revolving around a young, aspiring baseball player and child soldier bagged four awards, including best full-length film, best actor, best screenplay, and best editing.
“Blue Room,” Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s rock and roll commentary film on youth, power, and privilege, also won five awards, under the full-length film category for best director, best supporting actor, best cinematography, best production design, and the special jury award for a full-length film.
For the short film category, “Dikit” by Gabriela Serrano took home two awards for best director and the special jury award for the short film category. The film is based on a lost silent film by Jose Nepomuceno and tells the story of a “young woman with a monstrous secret [who] desperately longs for a different body.”
The title of best actress was awarded to Max Eigenmann who portrayed a 40-year-old woman deciding if she should keep her pregnancy in “12 Weeks.” Best supporting actress went to veteran actress Ruby Ruiz for her performance in boxing drama “Ginhawa.” For best supporting actor, the award was given to Soliman Cruz in “Blue Room.”
Here’s the full list of Cinemalaya 18 winners:
Best film (full length): “The Baseball Player” by Carlo Obispo
Best film (short film): “Black Rainbow” by Zig Dulay
Best director (full length): Ma-an L. Asuncion Dagñalan for “Blue Room”
Best director (short film): Gabriela Serrano for “Dikit”
Special jury award (full length): “Blue Room” by Ma-an L. Asuncion Dagñalan
Special jury award (short film): “Dikit” by Gabriela Serrano
Best actress: Max Eigenmann for “12 Weeks”
Best actor: Tommy Alejandrino for “The Baseball Player”
NETPAC Award (full length): “12 Weeks: by Anna Isabelle Matutina
NETPAC Award (short film): “Black Rainbow” by Zig Dulay
Best supporting actress: Ruby Ruiz for “Ginhawa”
Best supporting actor: Soliman Cruz for “Blue Room”
Best screenplay (full length): Carlo Obispo for “The Baseball Player”
Best screenplay (short film): Zig Dulay for “Black Rainbow”
Best cinematography: Neil Daza for “Blue Room”
Best editing: Zig Dulay for “The Baseball Player”
Best production design: Marxie Maolen Fadul for “Blue Room”
Best original music score: Isha Abubakar for “Retirada”
Best sound design: Pepe Manikan for “Bula Sa Langit”
Audience choice award (full length): “Kargo” by TM Malones
Audience choice award (short film): “Mga Handum Nga Nasulat Sa Baras” by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico
Check out the full list of films here and synopses of the full-length films here. Though cinema screenings are only until Aug. 16, you can stream the movies from Oct. 17 to 31.
