(Story originally published for The Manila Times.)
Past and present filmmakers of the Cinemalaya Independent
Film Festival expressed “violation of rights” over the online upload of 2012
and 2013 competition films over the weekend.
Including last year’s Best Film director, Hannah Espia (Transit, 2013), and the first year’s
Best Film director, Auraeus Solito (Ang
Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, 2005), the filmmakers took to the stage of
the festival’s awards night on Sunday at the Cultural Center of the
Philippines.
After accepting the New Breed Category’s Best Screenplay award
for director Giancarlo Abrahan V’s Dagitab,
Espia said, “I want to express my heartbreak over the upload of our films on
YouTube . . . To see our films on YouTube is a violation of our rights as
artists and filmmakers.”
Espia, who co-produced Dagitab,
added that she and fellow filmmakers are calling for a dialogue. “We cannot stay
silent,” she ended her speech.
Meanwhile, Solito, who now goes by the name Kanakan
Balintagos, read an official statement from the first batch of Cinemalaya
filmmakers.
“We are in solidarity with our fellow filmmakers whose
artistic rights were violated when their films were uploaded on YouTube and on
the Cinemalaya website without their final consent,” he said in between
presenting awards.
It was on Saturday that the 2012 and 2013 full-length films
were uploaded at the Cinemalaya website and the personal YouTube account of a
certain Janssen Agbada.
In a statement posted by Cinemalaya Foundation in its
Facebook account, it said, “Only half an hour ago, we got wind of the fact that
Cinemalaya films were uploaded by Janssen Agbada, technical personnel of the
Cinemalaya website yesterday. We apologize for this situation which we had no
idea of nor we are aware of what or who caused or gave instruction for her to
upload the films.”
The films were then immediately removed from the website and
the YouTube account was disabled.
But at the awards, Tonyboy Cojuangco, chairman of the Board
of Cinemalaya Foundation, claimed responsibility for the act.
In his speech, Conjuangco explained that for the past 10
years, he had struggled to subsidize Cinemalaya. And in the next years, they
are predicting that the festival will reach a “plateau.”
In search for ways to make the festival sustainable, Cojuangco
gathered a group of experts for discussion. And the uploading of films online
was what “they thought was the answer.”
“[By] getting people to get hooked to Cinemalaya product.
And the only way to get that is by giving them the chance to watch,” he explained.
“It’s either we upload everything, or we upload nothing at all.”
So, he added that they decided to upload all films they had
still rights on. Cinemalaya has rights of a film for three years only.
The foundation, led by its president Nestor Jardin, also
apologized to the filmmakers in contention.
A family affair
Hosted by Ina Feleo and Epi Quizon, the Cinemalaya 2014
Awards Night was a family affair.
Feleo, the daughter of the late Johnny Delgado and
Cinemalaya’s very own festival director Laurice Guillen, and Quizon, the son of
the late King of Comedy Dolphy, noted that this year’s festival presents some
of the most trusted families in the film industry like the O’Haras and the
Siguion-Reynas.
Making his big screen return after 14 years in the
limelight, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna directed Hari
ng Tondo, which won three awards in its Directors Showcase category namely,
Special Jury Prize, Best Actor for Robert Arevalo and Best Supporting Actress
for Cris Villonco.
Carlitos is the son of Armida Siguion Reyna, and Villonco is
his niece.
In accepting the awards, film producer and writer Bibeth
Orteza expressed delight to see the return of the “Reyna” logo in the big
screen.
Meanwhile, sisters Janice O’Hara and Denise O’Hara of the
O’Hara clan accepted the Audience Choice award for their film, Sundalong Kanin, in the New Breed
Category.
Nora Aunor wins
For the acting awards, Nora Aunor was the biggest winner of
the night for her performance in Hustisya,
Joel Lamangan’s film for the Directors Showcase.
Her win was much-anticipated as it was her first time to
join the indie film festival. She said, “Sa
wakas, nagkaroon din ako ng pelikula sa Cinemalaya [Finally, I had a film at
Cinemalaya].”
The Superstar continued, “Patuloy po akong gagawa ng
pelikulang makabuluhan. Sa mga kabataan, sana magsilbi itong inspirasyon [I
will continue to make meaningful films. I hope that it will serve as an
inspiration to the youth].”
Under the New Breed category, Actress Eula Valdez won Best
Actress for Dagitab in the New Breed
category, while Dante Rivero won Best Actor for 1st ko si 3rd in the Directors Showcase.
While Villonco was named the Best Supporting Actress in
Directors Showcase, it was young GMA talent Barbie Forteza who accepted the
honor in her category. She was in the film Mariquina.
Best Supporting Actors were Miggs Cuaderno, a Kapuso child
actor, for his role in Children’s Show
(New Breed), and Nicco Manalo in The
Janitor (Directors Showcase).
A special award for Best Ensemble Acting went to the cast of
#Y by Gino Santos.
Major awards
The major awards of the films last night were spread out in different
films under the three categories.
For the Short Films, young director Kevin Ang won Best
Director and Screenplay for his film Lola,
while Sari Estrada got the Best Film for Asan
si Lolo Me?.
Michael Tuviera also received two awards for Best Director
and Screenplay for The Janitor, while
Joselito Altarejos got the Best Film honor for Kasal under the Directors Showcase.
Kasal is
Altarejos’ last gay-themed film, as he said that he had served his purpose for
the LGBT community.
Finally among the New Breed entries, Dagitab won Best Screenplay and Best Director, and Bwaya the Best Film.
In accepting the award, director Francis Xavier Pasion also
commented on the issue of uploading. He said, “I only have one word, respect.
That filmmakers must respect Cinemalaya and Cinemalaya must respect the
filmmakers.”
Kidlat Tahimik was honored the 2014 Gawad Balanghai for
being the “Father of Philippine Independent Cinema.”
Full list of winners:
Best Film
New Breed: Bwaya
Directors Showcase: Kasal
Short Feature: Asan si
Lolo Mê?
Best Director
New Breed: Giancarlo Abrahan
V (Dagitab)
Directors Showcase: Michael Tuviera (The Janitor)
Short Feature - Kevin Ang (Lola)
Best Actor
New Breed: Dante Rivero (1st
ko si 3rd)
Directors Showcase: Robert Arevalo (Hari ng Tondo)
Best Actress
New Breed: Eula Valdez (Dagitab)
Directors Showcase: Nora Aunor (Hustisya)
Best Supporting Actor
New Breed: Miggs Cuaderno (Children's Show)
Directors Showcase: Nicco Manalo (The Janitor)
Best Supporting Actress
New Breed: Barbie Forteza (Mariquina)
Directors Showcase: Cris Villonco (Hari ng Tondo)
Best Screenplay
New Breed: Giancarlo Abrahan (Dagitab)
Directors Showcase: Aloy Adlawan and Michael Tuviera (The Janitor)
Short Feature: Kevin Ang (Lola)
Special Jury Award
New Breed: K'na the
Dreamweaver
Directors Showcase: Hari
ng Tondo
Short Feature: The
Ordinary Things We Do
NETPAC Award
New Breed: Bwaya
Directors Showcase: Hustisya
Best Editing
New Breed: Gerone Centeno (Children's Show)
Directors Showcase: Tara Illenberger (The Janitor)
Best Production Design
New Breed: Toym Imao (K'na
the Dreamweaver)
Directors Showcase: Harley Alcasid (Kasal)
Best Cinematography
New Breed: Neil Daza (Buwaya)
Directors Showcase - Mycko David (Kasal)
Best Sound
New Breed: Jonathan Hee and Bryan Dumaguina (Children's Show)
Directors Showcase - Mike
Idioma (The Janitor)
Best Musical Score
New Breed: Erwin Fajardo (Buwaya)
Directors Showcase: Richard Gonzales (Kasal)
Special citation for
ensemble acting: Elmo Magalona, Coleen Garcia, Sophie Albert, Kit Thompson,
Chynna Ortaleza #Y
2014 Gawad Balanghai:
Kidlat Tahimik, "Father of Philippine Independent Cinema"
Audience Choice
New Breed: Sudalong
Kanin
Directors Showcase: Hustisya
Best Poster Design:
Asintado
Canon's Best Cinematography:
Kasal (Mycko David)
No comments:
Post a Comment