In the announcement of the bests in the 2024 Gawad Urian of the progressive critics’ block Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) held at the Verdure Hall of the DLSU campus in Manila, the next set of awards after the outstanding director and screenplay were the major acting plums for an actor and an actress.
Sans fanfare, Romnick Sarmenta was called as the Pinakamahusay na Aktor (Outstanding Actor) for the opus "About Us but Not About Us," a co-production of IdeaFirst Company and Quantum Films of Atty. Joji Alonso written and directed by Jun Robles Lana.
It was historic for Romnick to have portrayed a difficult role of multi-dimensional characters — a closet gay literature professor who was in love with a manipulative young pseudo-literary writer braggart male student.
But the critics nodded on Romnick’s distinct and tough performances.
It was the actor's first time to win the prestigious trophy of the Urian with a stone — an allusion to a stone that appraises the true worth of a gem — glued to its base.
If one translates it in gauging the excellence in filmmaking, and in the case of Nicko's breathing life to his screen persona in the Lana masterpiece, the actor from the assessment of the Manunuri is the most outstanding.
Romnick couldn't say more than receive the award with utmost true pride and humility.
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