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 of the Arts 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: 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, White Goose Award (Grand Prize) of DMZ International Documentary Festival in South Korea, Grand Prix (Nouveaux Talents Competition) at Corsica.Doc – AJACCIO International Documentary Film Festival in France, Beyond The Screen Award of Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival in Israel, and Prix Du Premier Film Professionnel and Special Mention of Festival Traces de Vies in France.
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.
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
2. SULYAP (THE GLANCE) by Geraldo Jumawan, Sherwin Compendio
INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
3. GARBO (PRIDE) by Alan Filoteo
INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
4. BLUE ROOM FEELINGS by Ruka Azuma
INDEPENDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
5. FISH HEAD by Marcos Durian
JURY AWARD BEST SHORT FILM
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
6. VIRAL KIDS by Arjanmar Rebeta
SILVER AWARD (ASIAN NEW FORCE CATEGORY)
25th Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia Awards
Hong Kong
7. 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
8. TERI ONOR
Best Actor (Short Film) for “Biyaheng Madilim (A Night’s Journey)”
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
9. MADISON ROJAS
Jury Award Best Performance Actor for “Fish Head”
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
10. GERALDO B. JUMAWAN
Best Actor for “Nagbuwa Nga Gugma (Unfaithful Love)”
Lake City International Film Festival (LCIFF)
New Delhi, India
SHORT FILM DIRECTORS
11. JOEY PARAS
Best Director for “Igib”
2020 FilMay International Short Film Festival
Kumanovo, Macedonia
12. 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
2. 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
3. TAO PO (IS ANYBODY HOME?) – ABS-CBN Corporation
BRONZE AWARD – DOCUMENTARY HUMAN CONCERNS
New York Festivals TV & Film Awards
United States
4. LOCAL LEGENDS: ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST – ABS-CBN News Channel, ABS-CBN Corporation
SILVER AWARD – DOCUMENTARY HEROES CATEGORY
New York Festivals TV & Film Awards
United States
5. 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
6. 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
7. IN PAGLAYAG A SULU STORY by Rhadem Morados
JURY AWARD BEST DOCUMENTARY
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
8. 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
2. VINCENT SOBERANO
BEST SCREENPLAY for “Circle of Bones”
HorrorHaus Film Festival
United States
3. CHE ESPIRITU
BEST SCREENPLAY for “Pan de Salawal”
Calella Film Festival
Spain
4. BENJAMIN TOLENTINO
BEST EDITING for “Kalel, 15”
59th Asia-Pacific Film Festival
Macau
5. 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
2. ARJO ATAYDE
BEST ACTOR for “Bagman” (ABS-CBN/IWant Series)
3rd Asian Academy Creative Awards
Singapore
3. CHERIE GIL, ALFRED VARGAS, ANGEL AQUINO, RONWALDO MARTIN
BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD for “Kaputol”
4th Innuendo International Film Festival
Milan, Italy
4. LOVI POE
Best Actress Feature Film for “Latay (Battered Husband)”
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
5. ALLEN DIZON
Best Actor Feature Film for “Latay (Battered Husband)”
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
6. ALDEN RICHARDS
ASIAN STAR PRIZE for “Hello, Love, Goodbye”
Seoul International Drama Awards
South Korea
7. ELIJAH CANLAS
BEST ACTOR for “Kalel, 15”
17th Asian Film Festival
Rome, Italy
8. LOUISE ABUEL
BEST ACTOR for “Edward”
18th Dhaka International Film Festival
Bangladesh
9. ISABEL SANDOVAL
BEST ACTRESS for “Lingua Franca”
18th Pacific Meridian International Film Festival
Russia
10. RUBY RUIZ
BEST ACTRESS for “Iska”
Harlem International Film Festival 2020
New York, United States
BEST ACTRESS for “Iska”
6th Herat International Women’s Film Festival
Afghanistan
11. CRISTINE REYES
BEST ACTRESS for “UnTrue”
40th Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival
Portugal
DIRECTORS
- MARIA DIANE VENTURA
BEST DIRECTION (Low Budget Category) for “Dein Fabre”
5th Calella Film Festival
Spain
2. MALLORIE ORTEGA
EMERGING FILMMAKER AWARD for “The Girl Who Left Home”
36th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
United States
3. DERICK CABRIDO
BEST DIRECTOR for “Clarita”
40th Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival
Portugal
FEATURE FILMS
- SUNSHINE FAMILY by Kim Tai-Sik, produced by Spring Films
BEST DRAMA
Korea UHD Awards 2020, Korean Ministry of Science and ICT
South Korea
2. WRITE ABOUT LOVE by Crisanto Aquino
ABC TV AWARD (MOST ENTERTAINING FILM OF ALL ENTRIES)
Osaka Asian Film Festival 2020
Japan
3. LATAY (BATTERED HUSBAND) by Ralston Jover
GOLD AWARD
2nd Wallachia International Film Festival
Romania
JURY AWARD BEST NARRATIVE GLOBAL
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
4. PAN DE SALAWAL by Che Espiritu
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
Calella Film Festival
Spain
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
FesticineKids 22 Cartagena
Colombia
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
8th Seoul Guro International Kids Film Festival
South Korea
5. LINGUA FRANCA by Isabel Sandoval
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE
15th Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival
Israel
SPECIAL MENTION AWARD
10th Divergenti – International Festival of Trans Cinema
Italy
6. JOHN DENVER TRENDING by Arden Rod Condez
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
CRITIC’S CHOICE AWARD
26th Festival International Des Cinemas D’Aise Vesoul
France
SPECIAL CITATION
- GERRY BALASTA
POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for the filmmaker and Co-founder of International Film Festival Manhattan
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
2. LUISITO LAGDAMEO IGNACIO
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for the veteran television and film director
International Film Festival Manhattan
United States
A-LISTERS
- RAFAEL MANUEL
SILVER BEAR JURY PRIZE for “Filipiñana”
70th Berlin International Film Festival
Germany
2. LAV DIAZ
BEST DIRECTOR for “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)”
Orizzonti Section – Venice International Film Festival
Italy
CINEMADVOCATES
- PANGASINAN 4TH DISTRICT REP. CHRISTOPHER “TOFF” DE VENECIA
- NCCA CHAIRMAN AND CCP PRESIDENT ARSENIO “NICK” LIZASO
- LOCKDOWN CINEMA CLUB
- INTER-GUILD ALLIANCE
- DINGDONG DANTES
- ANGEL LOCSIN
GABAY NG INDUSTRIYA
- ROMY VITUG
- GLORIA ROMERO
CAMERA OBSCURA ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
- JUN JUBAN
Outstanding achievement in bridging the cinema continuum with the Philippines and the countries across the globe through working with international productions and creating impactful representations of our filming locations, Filipino artists and technicians, and Philippine Cinema in the eyes of the world.
2. “ASWANG” by Alyx Arumpac
For its multiple wins in local and international festivals and award-giving events, for its brave and insightful depictions of social issues in a highly relatable manner, furthering the stature of Philippine documentary cinema.
3. TEDDY CO
Outstanding achievement in the conservation, documentation, and archiving of our national film heritage, and the advancement of independent films and the Cinema of the Regions towards wider appreciation and viability, ushering in a new age of artistic diversity and cultural authenticity in cinema.
