2006 CINEMALAYA FILMFEST WINNERS

The 2006 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, an all-digital film competition now on its second year, hailed Tulad ng Dati, based on the story and music of the rock band The Dawn, as the best feature-length film during awarding ceremonies at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last Sunday, July 23.

The winner in the short film category was Orasyon, directed by Rommel ‘Milo’ Tolentino.

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Full Length Feature Category

--Best Film—Tulad ng Dati (directed by Michael Sandejas)

--Special Jury Prize—Batad: Sa Paang Palay (directed by Benji Garcia and
Vic Acedillo Jr.)

--Best Direction—Ron Bryant for Rotonda

--Best Actor—Alchris Galura for Batad: Sa Paang Palay

--Best Actress—Angel Aquino for Donsol

--Best Screenplay—Vic Acedillo Jr. for Batad: Sa Paang Palay

--Best Cinematography—Eli Balce for Donsol

--Best Editing—Mikael Pestano for Tulad ng Dati and Hernani Hona Jr. for Rotonda

--Best Production Design—Aped Santos and Noel ‘Lola’ Navarro for Batad:
Sa Paang Palay

--Best Original Music Score—Lirio Salvador for Rotonda

--Best Sound—Ronald de Asis for Tulad ng Dati

Short Feature Category

--Best Film—Orasyon (directed by Rommel ‘Milo’ Tolentino)

--Special Jury Prize—Kwarto (directed by Jose Emmanuel C. Taylo)

--Best Direction—Jeck Cogama for Putot

Best Screenplay—Hubert Tibi for Parang Pelikula

Tulad ng Dati received a grant of P250,000 from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Balanghai Trophy.

The Special Jury Prize winner, Batad: Sa Paang Palay, received a P75,000 cash grant from the NCCA and a Long Form Film Recording Package worth P1 Million from Roadrunner.
Orasyon won a grant of P100,000 from the NCCA and P25,000 cash grant from Mr. Wilson Tieng of Solar Entertainment, plus a Balanghai trophy while Special Jury Prize winner Kwarto a P25,000 cash grant from the NCCA.

The winning films were chosen by a jury composed of Mark Vincent Escaler, educator, film critic and chairperson of the Dept. of Communication, Ateneo de Manila University; Roger Garcia, author, film critic, producer and festival director of the San Francisco International Film Festival; Kidlat Tahimik, filmmaker and artist; Chito Roño, film director, writer and editor; and Thomas Steven Andrew S. Vesagas, broadcast producer and lecturer at the UP College of Mass Communication.
Cinemalaya was launched in 2005 with the objective of discovering, encouraging and honoring the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. It also aims to invigorate the Philippine film industry by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers.

Eight films competed in the Full Length Feature category. These were: Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo by Nick Joseph Olanka; Batad, Sa Paang Palay by Vic Acedillo, Jr. and Benji Garcia; Donsol by Adolfo Alix, Jr.; In Da Red Korner by Dado C. Lumibao and Bong Ramos; Mudraks by Arah Jell G. Badayos and Margaret Guzman; Rotonda by Ron Bryant; Saan Nagtatago Si Happiness by Florida M. Bautista and Real Florido; and Tulad ng Dati by Michael Sandejas. All eight full length feature finalists received an initial seed investment of P500,000.00 from the Cinemalaya Foundation Inc.

Ten films competed in the Short Feature category. These were: 10:25 ng Gabi by Reggie Gulle; Gee-Gee at Waterina by J. Dennis C. Teodosio and Mariami Tanangco; Kwarto by Jose Emmanuel C. Taylo; Labada by Raz dela Torre; No Passport Needed by Jeanne Lim and Pepe Diokno; Orasyon by Rommel Tolentino; Parang Pelikula by Hubert Tibi; Putot by Jeck Cogama; Puwang by Anna Isabelle Matutina; and Sa Silaw by Reinzi L. Balao.

Cinemalaya is an annual undertaking of the Cinemalaya Foundation, CCP, UP Film Institute and Philippine Multi-Media Systems Inc.