PH Films Win Big at ASEAN Int’l Film Festival & Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine delegation for the fourth ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards (AIFFA) bagged three (3) major awards during AIFFA’s Red Carpet Gala Night held last April 27, 2019 at the Pullman Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak in Malaysia.

This year, eight (8) Filipino films were shortlisted, and among these, the multi-awarded film “Signal Rock” directed by Chito Roño produced by Regal Entertainment took home the Best Film. “Signal Rock” was also featured in Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018 and won the Critics’ Choice Award.

Filipinos’ acting prowess was also recognized during the film festival as Kapuso child star Barbara Miguel received the Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Carlo Obispo’s “1 2 3 (Wan-Tu-Tri)” from TBA Studios and late indie actor Kristoffer King won the posthumous Best Actor for his role in HF Yambao’s “Kristo” from Eichef Films. Meanwhile, Gawad Urian nominee Timothy Castillo is featured in Malaysian film “Crossroads: One Two Jaga,” which garnered accolades at AIFFA.

Filipino delegates also participated in the Philippine Cinema Night sponsored by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the country’s film agency.

“We are very proud of our winners who continue to promote Philippine cinema on a global level. AIFFA showcases the different voices that are truly distinct in the region, and we are pleased that they continue to give recognition to our talents and stories,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño.

The biennial film festival AIFFA celebrates Southeast Asian films from ten (10) ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

AIFFA took place from April 25 to 27, 2019 in Kuching, Sarawak.

Last Call for Entries to the 69th Palanca Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc., the sponsor and organizer of the 69th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, is reminding aspiring authors to submit entries before the deadline of 6pm on 31 May 2019.

This year’s edition of the country’s longest-running and most prestigious literary contest is accepting entries in all of its 22 categories:

· Novel and Nobela categories

· English Division – Short Story, Short Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-act Play, and Full-length Play;

· Filipino Division – Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Sanaysay, Tula, Tulang Para sa mga Bata, Dulang May Isang Yugto, Dulang Ganap ang Haba, and Dulang Pampelikula;

· Regional Languages Division – Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano.

· Kabataan Division – Kabataan Essay and Kabataan Sanaysay

o Kabataan Essay: “At a time when spreading of misinformation is getting common, what can you do to help people, especially the youth, search for the truth?”

o Kabataan Sanaysay: “Sa panahon na laganap ang pagkalat ng maling impormasyon, paano mo matutulungan ang mga tao, lalo na ang kabataan, na hanapin ang katotohanan?”

Participants may submit only one entry per category. Published/produced works which were first published or first produced between 1 June 2018 to 31 May 2019 and/or unpublished/unproduced works may be entered in the contest. For the Novel and Nobela categories, published works which were first published within a period of two (2) years prior to 31 May 2019 and unpublished works may be submitted. Only unproduced works may be entered in the Dulang Pampelikula category. A work which has been awarded a prize in another contest before 6pm of 31 May 2019 is not qualified.

Contest rules and official entry forms are available at Palanca Awards’ official website,www.palancaawards.com.ph

Entries may be submitted personally or via courier at the Palanca Foundation office at Ground Floor, Greenbelt Excelsior Bldg., 105 C. Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. All submissions must be printed copies. The Carlos Palanca Foundation will NOT accept online or email submissions for all categories.

All winners will be honored in a special ceremony later this year. Contact the CPMA office at cpmawards@gmail.com or at (632) 843-8277 for further inquiries and other concerns. Ask for Leslie B. Layoso or Ester Alfaro.

Free Admission to the 11th Gawad Buhay Awards on May 28

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The 11th Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards is all set on May 28, Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Onstage Theater, Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

It will be open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The awards show, with the theme “Generations,” will be hosted by Carlo Orosa and Kakai Bautista, and will feature an original song aptly titled “Buhay na Buhay,” jointly composed by veteran writer-director Freddie Santos and musical director Ejay Yatco.

Philstage President Audie Gemora, who is directing the event, says, “The dream of the founding members of Philstage companies — the likes of Zeneida Amador—was to build a thriving performing arts industry. That dream is now a reality, with several theater companies having been established in the last decade. Workshops are teeming with youngsters while theaters in the campuses are vibrant. 

The influx of Broadway touring companies in Manila has not put a dampener on the local theater scene. 

And in 2018, we saw groups that usually stage Western musicals take a stab at staging original Filipino musicals, which is a positive trend.”

Presenters of the 23 competitive and two lifetime achievement awards will include past Gawad Buhay winners namely Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Menchu Lauchengco Yulo, Michael Williams, Dennis Marasigan, Jaime del Mundo, and National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes; Tanghalang Pilipino artistic director Fernando “Tata Nanding” Josef; Peta President CB Garrucho; newly minted “Miss Saigon” alumni Gerald Santos and Aicelle Santos; and Joanna Ampil, who will headline the touring production of “Cats” in November. The trophies will be designed by sculptor and longtime Gawad Buhay collaborator Reg Yuson.

The awards show will feature performances by the original casts of the nominated musicals of 2018—“Ang Huling El Bimbo,” “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!,” “Himala, Isang Musikal,” and “Balag at Angud” — as well as tribute performances by Ballet Manila and PETA for this year’s Natatanging Gawad Buhay awardees, dance icon and teacher Felicitas 'Tita' Radaic and Lutgardo Labad, Head National Drama Committee Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Capping off the evening, and in keeping with the theme, will be a special performance by the “future of Philippine theater” — children of theater practitioners who are now taking to the stage, members of the Ateneo Blue Repertory, students of Trumpets Playshop and Don Bosco Tulay Performing Arts Group, and scholars of Philippine Opera Company to be coached by Sweet Plantado-Tiongson. Joseph Matheu will be the show’s lighting designer.