Tu Pug Imatuy Tops Sinag Maynila Awards at SM Aura Premier

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tu Pug Imatuy, a film by Arbi Barbarona won big in the Full -Length category during the recent Sinag Maynila 2017 Film Festival’s Gabi ng Paranagal at the Samsung Hall at SM Aura Premier. It won six awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress award for the performance of Malona Sulatan.

Tu Pug Imatuy is inspired by actual events in Mindanao where indigenous people have been subjected to abuse and attacks in the course of the government forces counter-insurgency campaign. Other Sinag award for the film: Best Screenplay for Arnel Mardoquio, Best Cinematography for Bryan Jimenez and Arbi Barbarona and Best Music for Arbi Barbarona.

A joint project of Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM, the festival seeks to inspire, educate, and enlighten the viewing public. Now on its third year with a new tagline “Sine Lokal, Pang-Internasyonal” it provides independent filmmakers a brand-new platform to showcase their stories, Sinag Maynila featured films that reflect Filipino culture, while presenting social issues deserving of discussion among audiences here and abroad. These were showcased at SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, and selected cinemas.

Another film, Kristo, by HF Yambao won five awards including Best Production Design for James Arvin Rosendal, Best Sound for Albert Michael Idioma, and Best Editing for Diego Marx Dobles. Kristo tells a story of a family fighting against the game of life. The exceptional acting of Julio Diaz also won him the Best Supporting Performance. 

There was a tie in the Best Actor Award: Kristofer King from Kristo and Raymond RS Francisco for Bhoy Intsik. Francisco’s acceptance speech touched audience, as he shared that this is first time to hold an award since he started acting at the age of six. "It's my first time na humawak ng (to hold an) award,” he said holding back tears.” Thank you to everybody."

Special Awards were given to Bhoy Intsik by Joel Lamangan for the Sinag Box Office and Beyond the Block, a film by Ricardo Carranza, for the SM People’s Choice Award, which is based on the results of an exit poll held among moviegoers during the festival.

Hango by Avelino Balmes Jr., won the Best Documentary category, while Aliens Ata by Karl Barit topped the Short Film category.

Sinag Maynila’s distinguished board of judges for the Full- Length category included Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Liza Diño, Film critic and columnist Oggs Cruz and French film critic and historian specializing on Asian cinema, and co-founder of NETPAC France, Mr. Max Tessier.

The jury for the Documentary and Short Films categories included Curator, art critic, writer and UP Professor of Art Studies Patrick Flores, Professor Rolando Tinio of the University of the Philippines Film Institute, and Award-winning TV commercial and film director, writer and producer Paul Soriano.

Sinag Maynila is a partnership between Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM. Event sponsors also include Metrobank, SM Aura Premier, 2nd Avenue, CT (City Television), and Jack TV.

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