No longer a bridge too far.  Industry creativity has bridged the link through indie film-making and shown up like gangbusters.  Cinemalaya V’s entry “Last Supper No. 3” from Veronica Velasco and Jinky Laurel won the Cinemalaya Film Festival 2009 Best Picture award.  Velasco, an advertising-production veteran, directed the topsy-turvy satire revolving around her own world of production and that of the Philippine legal (non)system.

Erstwhile McCann WorldGroup creative director Vic Acedillo, Jr. won Best Screenplay for “Nerseri” whose use of the word nursery is both metaphor and allegory to nurture—for both plant and human.

Another name inextricably linked to McCann Erickson, is Tessie Tomas.  Veteran of the worlds of advertising, film and television, Tomas made waves and raves last year in Chris Martinez’s (another advertising CD) “100”.  This year, Tomas claimed the trophy for Best Supporting actress for her role as an age-conscious pawnshop owner in “Sanglaan”.

The night, however, was most memorable for RoadRunner Network Inc., co-producer of two of Cinemalaya V’s ten full-length feature finalists.  The post-production house posted honors for “Dinig Sana Kita” and “Baseko Bakal Boys.”

“Dinig Sana Kita”, written, directed and produced by Mike Sandejas is a story of search and redemption featuring a young man who loves to dance but cannot hear music and a young woman struggling to correct mistakes.  The film earned two honors, the National Council for children’s Television Award and the Audience Choice Awards for full-length category.  Ralston Jover’s “Baseko Bakal Boys” pocketed the first Cinemalaya Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (Netpac) prize.  The Netpac will continue to be an annual award.

Adding to RoadRunner’s roster of wins at this year’s Cinemalaya Film Fest, house musical arranger-compose Francis Reyes pocketed the Best Original Musical Score for “Dinig Sana Kita”. 

Cinemalaya V’s Best Film “Last Supper No. 3” also brought home the bacon—a million peso-post-production package from RoadRunner Network, Inc.

From 29 thousand viewers in 2008 to more than 39 thousand this year, Cinemalaya has again outdone and outshone its previous efforts and has earned for itself the distinction of being the Philippines’ and the region’s flag-waving Independent Film Festival.