Filipino films shine in Cairo, Torino & Thessaloniki
Posted on November 29th, 2009 under Entertainment Success
Filipino filmmaker’s continue to reap accolades in global film competitions. Alvin Yapan’s “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe (The Rapture of Fe)” topped the Digital Competition section of the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival held from Nov. 10-20. Ralston Jover’s “Baseco Bakal Boys” won Special Mention in Thessaloniki and “World of Work” award in the Torino film festivals.
The Alvin Yapan film won the Golden Award which comes with a cash prize of $10,000 from one of the top-ranked festivals in the world.
The silver prize went to films from India (“First Time”) and France (“Exile in Paris”). The Golden Pyramid in the main section went to a film from Finland (“Letters to Father Jacob”).
A Special Jury Prize co-winner in this year’s Cinemalaya, “Fe” was cited by Cairo jurors “for its sensitive portrayal of a woman (Irma Adlawan) caught between an abusive husband and an impotent lover… [and for] illuminating our understanding of human relationships.”
The festival’s website noted that the film “stood out for its unflinching realism and strong performances that brought alive the complexity of a woman’s quest for fulfillment.”
Other Cinemalaya 2009 entries have won in festivals like Venice (“Engkwentro”), Lyon (“Sanglaan”) and Pusan (“Astig”).
For Ralston Jover’s “Baseco: Bakal Boys,” the Thessaloniki and Torino awards were not another feather on his cap after winning the Special Merit citation in the Vancouver International Film Festival, where it was part of the Dragons and Tigers Young Cinema competition.
The last time the Philippines won in Cairo was in 1995, when Joel Lamangan’s “The Flor Contemplacion Story” brought home the Best Picture and Best Actress (for Nora Aunor) trophies in the fest’s main competition.
Yapan previously won acclaim for his earlier efforts, the short film “Rolyo” in 2007 and the feature film “Huling Pasada” (which he co-directed with Paul Sta. Ana) in 2008. “Fe” is his first solo feature film.
Related posts:
- Bakal Boys is Best Screenplay awardee in Japan Digital Filmfest
- Baseco, Astig win in Vancouver, Pusan filmfests
- Two Filipino Indie films win in Honolulu and New York
- 14 RP classics in Pusan Film Festival
- Lola wins Grand Jury Prize in Miami Film Festival
