RODERICK Paulate is Best Comedy Actor. Photo by Arnold Almacen

THE HALL REVERBERATED WITH laughter, even as the movie coaxed tears, too, from the audience.

It was a packed house when Soxie Topacio’s “Ded na si Lolo,” the Philippine entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category in the last Oscars, was screened at the Inquirer office.

The film’s scene-stealing star, Roderick Paulate, won Best Supporting Actor in the Pasado and Gawad Tanglaw awards. Wednesday night, he bagged a Best Actor-Comedy trophy for the same role at the Enpress Awards, given annually by the local entertainment press. He bested John Lloyd Cruz for “You Changed My Life,” and Joey Paras for “Last Supper No. 3.”

Paulate, who attended the Inquirer screening, recounted questions by foreigners during the round of Oscar screenings in January.

TF issue

“One that kept cropping up,” he said, “was, why did mainstream stars agree to do this film? Soxie often said that I was paid only US$100 for my work. Actually, that was only $60! And we always brought our own food to the set, pot-luck style.”

The foreigners gave him “a round of thunderous applause,” Roderick said, laughing.

Soxie also mention that Roderick was a box-office star in the 1980s. “Yes, that was highlighted,” the actor said. “They admired our dedication even more. It was for a good cause. Proceeds went to movie workers.”

Online promotions

Cast and crew alike took to the Internet to promote “Lolo.” It seemed to work.

Either that, or it’s true what superstitious producers say: That weddings and funeral scenes in a movie bring box-office good luck.

“Hmm, coffins,” Roderick ruminated. “All my movies that had a coffin, including “Ded na si Lolo,” did well at the box-office.

More winners

Other Enpress winners: Best Film Comedy, “Ded Na Si Lolo”; Best Film Drama, “Kinatay”; Best Actress Comedy, Eugene Domingo (“Kimmy Dora”); Best Actress Drama, Iza Calzado (“Dukot”); Best Actor Drama, Coco Martin (“Kinatay”); Best Director, Brillante Mendoza (“Kinatay”); Best Supporting Actor, Dennis Trillo (“Mano Po 6”); Best Supporting Actress, Maribel Lopez (“Kinatay”).