It was a tie between Marian Rivera and Gabby Padilla as Best Actress at the recently-concluded 20th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival awards night held at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay Cinema 1.
Marian won for her riveting performance as a teacher assigned as a poll officer in an election in “Balota,” directed by Kip Oebanda.
Marian Rivera, Gabby Padilla tie as Best Actress at 2024 Cinemalaya
Rivera was praised by the jurors for “her spirited portrayal of a public school teacher risking life and limb to protect the sanctity of the ballot.”
Gabby was awarded the plum for her excellent portrayal of a young woman who was in a foreign land looking back at her life in her homeland in “Kono Basho” directed by Jaime Pacena II.
According to the jury, Padilla was also declared as Best Actress for “her sensitive and very moving portrayal of a young woman navigating the cultural complexities of a foreign funeral while coming to terms with personal loss and family grief.”
Meanwhile, “Tumandok” — a documentary fiction about the plight of the indigenous peoples as Ati and Agta in the Visayas, megged by Arlie Sweet and Richard Jeroui Salvadico—won Best Film.
The other winners in this year’s Cinemala in the Full-Length category include Best Director: Jaime Pacena II (“Kono Basho”); Cinemalaya 20 Special Jury Award (Alipato at Muog” by JL Burgos; Best Actor: Enzo Osorio (“The Hearing”); Cinemalaya 20 NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award: “Tumandok”; Best Supporting Actress: Sue Prado (“Kantil”); Best Supporting Actor: Felipe Ganancial (“Tumandok); Best Screenplay: Arden Rod Condez and Sumagaysay (“Tumandok”); Best Cinematography: Dan Villegas (“Kono Basho”); Best Editing: Dominic Bekaert (“An Errand”); Best Production Design: Eero Yves Francisco (“Kono Basho”); Best Original Music Score: Paulo Almaden, The Ati People of Kabarangkalan and Nagpana (“Tumandok”); Best Sound Design: Jedd Dumaguina and Mario Consunji (“An Errand”); and Audience Choice Award: BC Amparado’s “Gulay Lang, Manong.”
For the Short Film section, the winners are: Best Short Film: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die” (Sam Manacsa); Audience Choice: Sonny Calvento’s “Primetime Mother”; Cinemalaya 20 NETPAC Award: P.R. Monencillo (“Abogbaybay”); Best Screenplay Award: Sonny Calvento’s (“Primetime Mother”); Cinemalaya 20 Special Jury Award: “Pamalandong sa Danow” directed by Breech Asher Harani.
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