JUST A THOUGHT: Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all others. – Winston Churchill

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Dolphy

MANILA, Philippines – DOLPHY AWARD: Another international award awaits Dolphy when the 12th Cinemanila International Film Festival formally opens Dec. 1 at Robinsons Galleria.

The Comedy King has been picked to receive Cinemanila’s Lifetime Achievement Award, an award previously presented to screenwriter Paul Schrader in 2009, film director Quintin Tarantino in 2007, among other names in international cinema. Cinemanila founder Tikoy Aguiluz announced that the award will be presented to Dolphy before the screening of the opening film, “Pinoy Sunday,” a foreign film which stars Dolphy’s son, Epy Quizon, Bayani Agbayani, Meryl Soriano and Alessandra De Rossi.

A few weeks ago, the 82-year-old Dolphy was similarly honored with the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart by Pres. Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang. Many viewed the recognition as a step closer to becoming a National Artist.
In 2001, Dolphy received his first international award at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival for playing the title role in “Markova.”

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OPENING, CLOSING: Aguiluz says Cinemanila’s opening and closing films this year are both foreign films using Filipino actors.

“Pinoy Sunday” is a film about Filipinos working in Taiwan by the Malaysian director Wi Ding Ho. The director reportedly was inspired to do the film after seeing how Filipinos seemed to enjoy their life abroad despite hardships starting from their cramped dwellings.

Bayani Agbayani recalled how, after having stayed in Taiwan for a month, he felt like an OFW who has become familiar with chores like going to market and cooking meals.

“Pinoy Sunday” won the Industry Award for Narrative Feature at the 2010 Taipei International Film Festival.

The award-winning film tells the story of Manuel (Epi Quizon) and Dado (Bayani Agbayani), two Filipino OFWs in Taiwan who discover a discarded sofa one Pinoy Sunday in Taipei. This transforms their normal Sunday into a tale of adventure, perseverance and self-discovery.

The jury cited the director for his sense of humor and a lightness of touch in spite of the film’s darker themes of difficult labor relations and emotional isolation. According to the jury, “This is a magic realistic film in which the yearnings for the homeland of the immigrant workers are expressed in a fantastic and imaginative way. A film with vivid and brilliant performances of the two actors.”

Director Wi Ding Ho, who previously won a Cannes Film Festival prize for Best Short, will grace the opening day screening of the film in Manila.

When asked at the Toronto International Film Festival why he was a Malaysian filmmaker living in Taiwan making stories about Filipinos living in Taipei, his answer was, “I was touched by the optimism and hope I saw in the Filipino OFWs in Taipei. I was curious when I saw all the Pinoys near the St. Christopher’s Church. They looked so happy.”

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AMIGO: Meanwhile, the internationally celebrated opus of renowned filmmaker John Sayles, “Amigo” (2010) has been chosen as the closing feature presentation on December 5. The film, which was shot entirely in Bohol, has already traveled in a number of international film festivals, tells the story of a group of Philippine villagers dealing with the US invasion in 1900 while still recovering from the successful rebellion against Spain.

The film has been described by critics as brave, provocative, and insightfully funny. Sayles, who also wrote and edited “Amigo,” attempted to capture the complexity of the war in the movie while connecting the chaotic war policy of US in Iraq with its imperialist venture in the Philippines. He has also stayed true to his art as an independent filmmaker by remaining free of Hollywood constraints and freely explored social issues and human nature through the silver screen.

Previously titled “Baryo,” “Amigo” features a powerhouse cast of Filipino and international actors. They include Joel Torre, Bembol Roco, Ronnie Lazaro, Rio Locsin, Pen Medina, Bodjie Pascua, Irma Adlawan, John Arcilla, Spanky Manikan, Miguel Faustmann and Joe Gruta. The international cast, on the other hand, has Academy Award winner Chris Cooper (“Adaptation”), Garret Dillahunt, DJ Qualls, Lucas Neff.

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GLOBAL PINOY ARTISTS: Aguiluz said that Cinemanila’s opening and closing films only stressed the growing international presence of Filipino artists and filmmakers.

The 12th Cinemanila International Film Festival is sponsored by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila. Around 50 international and local films will be screened in a span of five days, from the current toasts of the local indie scene to the award-winners and favorites at prestigious film festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance and Pusan.