An award is not only bestowed to a living person or an institution.
It is also given to a dead individual, not only as a memorial tribute but as a recognition for his or her overwhelming dedication and contribution to a chosen craft management or a field that was served with love and commitment.
Why hesitate to honor posthumously a human being who had moved and inspired the audience with a performance especially of one's relevance and grandeur?
And the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP)'s deliberation on Visayan actor (actually considered non-actor in the traditional sense because he was part of the Ati tribe in Panay Island) Felipe Ganancial was not a hesitation but a firm conviction for his natural performance in the drama documentary film "Tumandok."
Ganancial played himself as the leader and chieftain of the ethnic group in the Western Visayas
In the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival held last year at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Ganancial beamed with pride when his film was adjudged Best Full-Length Film.
In the same vein, aside from winning the Best Screenplay and Best Musical Scoring awards, "Tumandok" was proud to have won the Best Supporting Actor plum for Felipe.
He was overflowing with life at the time.
But last May, the Cinemalaya awardee died in his ancestral land.
The tragic news didn't stop the Urian Awards committee from nominating him.
Eventually, at the recent 48th Gawad Urian of the MPP held at the Teresa Yuchengco Hall, Ganancial was proclaimed Best Supporting Actor.
It was a poignant moment when Felipe's daughter received the award on his behalf.
Many of the members of the crowd felt haunted by the victory of Ganancial.
"Tumandok" was written and directed by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay at Richard Jeroul Savaldico.
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