FDCP Reveals Honorees, Special Awardees & Performers of 5th Film Ambassadors’ Night

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has named the 60 honorees and special awardees for this year’s 5th Film Ambassadors’ Night (FAN) as well as the performers for the online event that will take place on February 28.

 

The FAN, an annual event spearheaded by the FDCP since 2017, recognizes Filipino film industry creatives, artists, filmmakers, and films of various formats that gained recognitions from established international film festivals and award-giving bodies in the past year.

 

Leading the FAN 2021 honorees are the A-Listers, filmmakers Rafael Manuel and Lav Diaz. A-Listers pertain to those who bagged awards in prestigious A-List international film festivals as declared by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).

 

Rafael Manuel was awarded the Berlinale Shorts Silver Bear Jury Prize for “Filipiñana” at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany while Lav Diaz won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director for “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)” at the 77th Venice International Film Festival in Italy.

The Feature Films category has six honorees: “Sunshine Family” by Kim Tai-Sik, “Write About Love” by Crisanto Aquino, “Latay (Battered Husband)” by Ralston Jover, “Pan de Salawal” by Che Espiritu, “Lingua Franca” by Isabel Sandoval, and “John Denver Trending” by Arden Rod Condez. The honorees in the Directors category are Maria Diane Ventura for “Dein Fabre,” Mallorie Ortega for “The Girl Who Left Home,” and Derick Cabrido for “Clarita.”

The Actors category will award Cristine Reyes for “UnTrue,” Ruby Ruiz for “Iska,” Elijah Canlas for “Kalel, 15,” Louise Abuel for “Edward,” Isabel Sandoval for “Lingua Franca,” Alden Richards for “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” Lovi Poe and Allen Dizon for “Latay,” and the cast of “Kaputol” led by Cherie Gil, Alfred Vargas, Angel Aquino, and Ronwaldo Martin. Dingdong Dantes and Arjo Atayde are the television awardees who made it to the FAN 2021 Actors list.

“Philippine Cinema continues to thrive amid the pandemic because Filipino filmmakers and artists did not allow the global health crisis to derail them from sharing our stories to the world. Through the Film Ambassadors’ Night, we celebrate their efforts and laud their achievements,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.

The FAN has other categories such as Short Films, Documentaries, Creative Awards, and Special Citation. The two Special Citation recipients are veteran television and film director Luisito Lagdameo Ignacio and the late filmmaker and International Film Festival Manhattan co-founder Gerry Balasta.

Cinemadvocates, Gabay ng Industriya & Camera Obscura

The FAN will bestow special awards to pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of film industry stakeholders who continuously work for the betterment of Philippine Cinema.

Cinemadvocates is a special segment of this year’s FAN to laud individuals and groups that tirelessly champion the welfare of film workers and the development of the industry. Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher “Toff” de Venecia, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) President Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso, Lockdown Cinema Club, Inter-Guild Alliance, Dingdong Dantes, and Angel Locsin are the FAN 2021 Cinemadvocates.

The Gabay ng Industriya Award is a new citation to honor those who serve as Philippine Cinema’s guiding light and inspiration. The industry is grateful and honored to have witnessed their admirable artistry, incredible work ethic, and encompassing love for film. Cinematography icon Romy Vitug is the Haligi ng Industriya Award recipient and legendary actress Gloria Romero is the Ilaw ng Industriya Award recipient.

The Camera Obscura Artistic Excellence Award is the highest citation awarded by the FDCP to trailblazers and legends in the industry. This year’s Camera Obscura awardees are Jun Juban of Philippine Film Studios, Inc., multi-awarded documentary “Aswang” by Alyx Arumpac, and former NCCA Commissioner Teddy Co.

 

Juban’s Philippine Film Studios, Inc. has been a critical figure in the country’s film and audiovisual industry, having produced and co-produced numerous films and audiovisual content, the most notable of which are Academy Award winners “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Platoon” by Oliver Stone, “The Bourne Legacy” by Tony Gilroy, Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture “10,000 Hours” by Bb. Joyce Bernal, and several editions of reality television programs “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor.”

Arumpac’s “Aswang” was an A-Lister in FAN 2020 after taking home the Fipresci Prize in the 2019 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The full-length documentary went on to win eight international awards in 2020, including Best International Feature-Length Documentary at Festival Film Dokumenter in Indonesia, Grand Prize-Best International Feature at the RIDM Montreal International Documentary Festival in Canada, Amnesty International Human Rights Award at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece, and White Goose Award (Grand Prize) at the DMZ International Documentary Festival in South Korea.

Teddy Co, a former NCCA Commissioner of the Arts and Head of National Committee on Cinema, is a director, curator, and archivist, who significantly helped in the repatriation and restoration of lost films by Manuel Conde, Gerardo de Leon, and Nonoy Marcelo, among others. He co-founded Cinema Rehiyon, which he continues to curate, and is a selection committee member for Cinemalaya, Cinema One Originals, and QCinema International Film Festival.

 

The first virtual FAN

 

For its 5th edition, the FAN will be held in support of the NCCA’s National Arts Month. It is going to be streamed online for free on February 28, Sunday, at 8 p.m. exclusively on the FDCP Channel. Those who want to watch the FAN 2021 may sign up for free at fdcpchannel.ph.

 

The FAN is supported by the CCP through the participation of its resident symphony orchestra, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). The PPO will perform in various production numbers alongside the country’s premiere performers such as Bamboo, Tres Marias (Bayang Barrios, Cooky Chua, and Lolita Carbon), Bituin Escalante, Beverly Salviejo, Karla Gutierrez, Lawrence Jatayna, and The Pogi Boys. A special number featuring Ice Seguerra, Juris Fernandez, Princess Velasco, Sitti, Richard Poon, Kean Cipriano, and Duncan Ramos will also take place.

 

For updates on FAN 2021, follow the national film agency on social media:

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FDCP.ph

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FDCPH

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fdcpofficial

 

THE 5TH FILM AMBASSADORS' NIGHT HONOREES & SPECIAL AWARDEES:

 

SHORT FILMS

 

L.O.L. by Mark Justine Aguillon

 

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD

11th Macau International Short Film Festival

China

 

INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

SULYAP (THE GLANCE) by Geraldo Jumawan, Sherwin Compendio

 

INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

GARBO (PRIDE) by Alan Filoteo

 

INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

BLUE ROOM FEELINGS by Ruka Azuma

 

INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

FISH HEAD by Marcos Durian

 

JURY AWARD BEST SHORT FILM

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

VIRAL KIDS by Arjanmar Rebeta

 

SILVER AWARD (ASIAN NEW FORCE CATEGORY)

25th Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia Awards

Hong Kong

 

TARANG (LIFE’S PEDAL) by Arvin Belarmino

 

BERLIN-BRANDENBURG SHORT AWARD - BEST FILM

36th International Short Film Festival Berlin (Interfilm Berlin)

Germany

 

SHORT FILM ACTORS

 

TERI ONOR

 

Best Actor (Short Film) for “Biyaheng Madilim (A Night's Journey)”

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

MADISON ROJAS

 

Jury Award Best Performance Actor for “Fish Head”

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

 GERALDO B. JUMAWAN

 

Best Actor for “Nagbuwa Nga Gugma (Unfaithful Love)”

Lake City International Film Festival (LCIFF)

New Delhi, India     

 

SHORT FILM DIRECTORS

 

 JOEY PARAS

 

Best Director for “Igib”

2020 FilMay International Short Film Festival

Kumanovo, Macedonia

 

 LUISITO LAGDAMEO IGNACIO

 

Best Director for “Biyaheng Madilim (A Night's Journey)”

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

 

DOCUMENTARIES

 

TV DOCUMENTARY

 

ALAB (ABLAZE) - ABS-CBN Corporation

 

BRONZE AWARD - DOCUMENTARY HEROES

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

United States

 

BRIGADA (THE BRIGADE): AETA SQUADRON/FEMALE SPIES - GMA News TV (GMA Network, Inc.)

 

BRONZE AWARD - DOCUMENTARY HISTORY & SOCIETY

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

United States

 

TAO PO (IS ANYBODY HOME?) - ABS-CBN Corporation

 

BRONZE AWARD - DOCUMENTARY HUMAN CONCERNS

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

United States

 

LOCAL LEGENDS: ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST - ABS-CBN News Channel, ABS-CBN Corporation

 

SILVER AWARD - DOCUMENTARY HEROES CATEGORY

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

United States

 

THE ATOM ARAULLO SPECIALS: BABIES4SALE.PH - GMA Network, Inc.

 

SILVER AWARD - NEWS: PROGRAM BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

United States

 

DOCUMENTARY FILMS

 

Short Documentary

 

ANG PAGPAKALMA SA UNOS (TO CALM THE PIG INSIDE) by Joanna Vasquez Arong

 

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM AWARD

40th Hawaii International Film Festival

United States

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT HONOR

2020 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

United States

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD

15th Shorts Mexico Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes de Mexico

            Mexico

 

Full-Length Documentary

 

IN PAGLAYAG A SULU STORY by Rhadem Morados

 

JURY AWARD BEST DOCUMENTARY

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

A THOUSAND CUTS by Ramona Diaz

 

GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD - DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

36th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

United States

 

 

CREATIVE AWARDS

 

1LT BALARAM TAMAYO

 

BEST SCREENPLAY for “Kagitingan: A True Story of Valor”

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

VINCENT SOBERANO

 

            BEST SCREENPLAY for “Circle of Bones”

            HorrorHaus Film Festival

            United States

 

CHE ESPIRITU

 

BEST SCREENPLAY for “Pan de Salawal”

Calella Film Festival

Spain

 

BENJAMIN TOLENTINO

 

BEST EDITING for “Kalel, 15”

59th Asia-Pacific Film Festival

Macau

 

VALERIE CASTILLO MARTINEZ

 

SPECIAL JURY AWARD - SCREENWRITING International Narrative Feature for “Death of Nintendo”

36th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

United States

 

 

ACTORS

 

DINGDONG DANTES

 

ASIAN STAR PRIZE for “Descendants of the Sun” (GMA Network, Inc.)

Seoul International Drama Awards

South Korea

 

ARJO ATAYDE

 

BEST ACTOR for “Bagman” (ABS-CBN/IWant Series)

3rd Asian Academy Creative Awards

Singapore

 

CHERIE GIL, ALFRED VARGAS, ANGEL AQUINO, RONWALDO MARTIN

 

BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD for “Kaputol”

4th Innuendo International Film Festival

Milan, Italy

 

LOVI POE

 

Best Actress Feature Film for “Latay (Battered Husband)”

            International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

ALLEN DIZON

 

Best Actor Feature Film for “Latay (Battered Husband)”

International Film Festival Manhattan

United States

 

ALDEN RICHARDS

 

ASIAN STAR PRIZE for “Hello, Love, Goodbye”

Seoul International Drama Awards

South Korea

 

ELIJAH CANLAS

 

BEST ACTOR for “Kalel, 15”

17th Asian Film Festival

Rome, Italy

 

LOUISE ABUEL

 

BEST ACTOR for “Edward”

18th Dhaka International Film Festival

Bangladesh

 

ISABEL SANDOVAL

 

BEST ACTRESS for “Lingua Franca”

18th Pacific Meridian International Film Festival

Russia

 

 RUBY RUIZ

 

BEST ACTRESS for “Iska”