Better late than never when the PMPC looked back at, and gave out the bests in the 2019 big screen harvests.
The whole world was at standstill in 2020 so was the local film industry in the face of an emergency crisis known as the Covid-19 pandemic with only a few movies shown in the first quarter of the year until a nary of movie house screening until even the last quarter when most of the films were streamed live except for some provincial theater showings which was immediately stopped by the authorities.
Awards seasons, which were customarily held mostly during the second and third quarters of the year, were suspended – although some of them went on just the same however online like the prestigious Gawad Urian of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino but others stood by like the Star Awards of the Philippine Movie Press Club.
The glittery Star awards of various media sections—Movies, TV and Music—were deferred only to return this year with recognitions in film achievements yet on the eleventh hour of the third quarter.
Better late than never when the PMPC looked back at, and gave out the bests in the 2019 big screen harvests.
It’s the entertainment press group’s 36th Star Awards for Music.
There’s distinction, though, as Star still demarcates mainstream and indie produce as it delineated “Movie” from “Indie Movie” categories like “Hello, Love, Goodbye” winning Movie of the Year and “Mindanao” snagging the Indie Movie of the Year at a virtual awards rites Sunday night.
Cathy Garcia-Molina was named Movie Director of the Year while Brillante Ma. Mendoza bagged the Indie Movie Director of the Year for “Mindanao.”
What is strange, though, was the omission of “Indie Movie Actor/Actress” when Alden Richards won the Movie Actor of the Year plum for “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and Sylvia Sanchez took home the Movie Actress of the Year trophy for “Jesusa” which was considered an indie movie.
Maricel Laxa brought home the Movie Supporting Actress of the Year for “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and Ricky Davao romped away with the Movie Supporting Actor of the Year for “FUCCBOIS,” a 2019 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
Here’s the list of other winners:
- New Movie Actor of the Year—David Licauco (“Because I love You”) who tied with Paolo Marcoleta (“Guerrero Dos, Tuloy and Laban”);
- New Movie Actress of the Year—Michelle Dee (“Because I Love You”);
- Movie Child Performer of the Year—Xia Vigor (“Miracle in Cell No. 7”);
- Movie Ensemble Acting of the Year—the cast of “Miracle in Cell No. 7” headed by Aga Muhlach;
- Indie Movie Ensemble Acting of the Year—the cast of “John Denver Trending” headed by Jansen Magpusao;
- Short Movie of the Year—“Forever” (Adlibs Entertainment Corporetion, Institute of the Moving Image, Bandido Media Productions);
- Short Movie Director of the Year—Domingo Molina (“Forever”);
- Technical categories (Mainstream):
- Movie Screenwriter of the Year—Cathy Garcia-Molina, Carmi Raymundo and Rona Co (“Hello, Love, Goodbye”);
- Movie Cinematographer of the Year—Noel Teehankee (“Nuuk”);
- Movie Editor of the Year—Vanessa de Leon (“Write About Love”);
- Movie Production Designer of the Year—Maria Rowella Talusig (“Quezon’s Game”);
- Movie Musical Scorer of the Year—Pat Lasaten (“LSS”);
- Movie Sound Engineer of the Year—Albert Michael Idioma and Alex Tomboc (“Maria”);
- Movie Original Theme Song of the Year—“Araw-Araw” (“LSS”) composed and arranged by Ben & Ben and interpreted by Ben & Ben;
Technical categories (Indie):
- Indie Movie Screenwriter of the Year—Arden Rod Condez (“John Denver Trending”);
- Indie Movie Cinematographer of the Year—Tey Clamor (“Metamorphosis”);
- Indie Movie Editor of the Year—Benjo Ferrer (“John Denver Trending”);
- Indie Movie Production Designer of the Year—Brillante Ma. Mendoza (“Mindanao”);
- Indie Movie Musical Scorer of the Year—Teresa Barrozo (“Mindanao”);
- Indie Movie Sound Engineer of the Year—Fatima Nerrika Salim and Immanuel Verona (“Babae at Baril”);
- Indie Movie Original Theme Song of the Year—“Walang Katulad” (“Immaculada”) Lyrics by Arlyn de la Cruz-Bernal Music by Elizabeth Oropesa Arranged by Karl Ramirez with Earlmond Ross Lee interpreted by Ima Castro;
Special Awards:
- Angie Ferro—recipient of Nora Aunor Ulirang Artists Lifetime Achievement Award
- Elwood Perez—recipient of Ulirang Alagad ng Pelikula sa Likod ng Kamera Lifetime Achievement Award
- Darling of the Press—Joed Serrano
- Movie Love Team of the Year—Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards (“Hello, Love, Goodbye”).
Entertainment writer and editor Roldan Castro is this year’s PMPC President.
Tags: #showbiz, #films, #television, #awards, #PMPC, #StarAwards