The lead character of Iska who works as a photocopier at the University of the Philippines Diliman won Best Actress at the 6th Herat International Women’s Film Festival (HIWFF) held in Afghanistan.
The HIWFF award is the second international Best Actress award for Ruby Ruiz who plays Iska in the 2019 Cinemalaya film. She previously won the same award at this year’s Harlem International Film Festival in New York City, U.S.A.
Ruiz shared the Joint Award Certificate for Best Actress with Iranian Sara Bahrami (“Axing”) on November 19, 2020, in the most prestigious Women’s Film Festival in the region which showcases films of different genres from all over the world depicting female-centered issues.
The Filipina actress plays the doting, impoverished grandmother in “Iska”, the film directed by Theodore Boborol which follows Ruiz’s protagonist character who juggles her responsibilities as a photocopier in the University of the Philippines Diliman and as a part-time house cleaner while solely taking care of her grandson with autism. Iska, a hard-working woman, never loses her tenacity and will to survive despite the accusations and struggles she faces in the film.
According to Boborol, his first independent film is an “ode to those who mother kids beyond their capacity and duty, armed with nothing but a sense of responsibility wrapped in love”.
Iska earlier bagged three major awards in the Cinemalaya Festival 2019 including Best Actress for Ruby Ruiz, Best Screenplay for Mary Rose Colindres, and Best Sound for Imman Verona and Russel Gabayeron.
The Filipino film was also part of the Bengaluru International Film Festival 2020 and was in competition for the International Feature Film category at the 4th Portoviejo International Film Festival in Ecuador.
Filipino actresses who have been winning international awards include Isabel Sandoval who won Best Actress for her own film “Lingua Franca” in Russia.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Ruby Ruiz for winning the Best Actress award for her lead role as UP Diliman’s “Iska” during the Herat International Women’s Film Festival in Afghanistan!
Want to know how to be a Proud Pinoy? Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com, and our socials on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, for new story notifications, and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.
