31st GAWAD URIAN Nominees

THE MANUNURI ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the society of respected film critics, has announced the nominees for the 31st annual Gawad Urian for excellence in filmmaking.

Independent digital features dominate the best picture race: “Confessional” (Creative Programs, Inc. through Cinema One Originals and Oddfield Productions), “Endo” (UFO Pictures Production), “Foster Child” (Seiko Films), “Death in the Land of Encantos” (Sine Olivia Pilipinas), “Tirador” (Centerstage Productions), and “Tribu” (8 Glasses Productions).

“Confessional” is about a neophyte documentary filmmaker and the explosive confession of a provincial mayor. Jerrold Tarog, its director, is nominated for best director (along with co-director Ruel Dahis), as well as best actor, screenplay (aka Ramon Ukit), editing (aka Pats R. Ranyo), and sound. Publio Briones III, who plays the mayor, is nominated for best supporting actor.

“Endo,” about the personal and economic struggles of a contractual worker in the retail industry, is also nominated for best actor (Jason Abalos), actress (Ina Feleo), director (Jade Francis Castro), supporting actress (Alcris Galura), screenplay (Castro, Michiko Yamamoto, Raymond Lee), and production design (Jhek Cogama).

“Foster Child,” about a surrogate mother to a boy set to be adopted abroad, is also nominated for best actress (Cherry Pie Picache), director (Brillante Mendoza), supporting actress (Eugene Domingo), supporting actor (Jiro Manio), screenplay (Joel Jover and Ralston Jover), production design (Benjamin Padero), cinematography (Odyssey Flores), and sound (Emmanuelle Clemente and Arnold Reodica).

Brillante Mendoza is also nominated for best director for “Tirador,” about petty criminal syndicates around Quiapo. Aside from best picture and director, the movie is also nominated for supporting actor (Kristoffer King and Benjamin Fileo), supporting actress (Angela Ruiz), screenplay (Ralston Jover), production design (Harley Alcasid and Deans Habal), cinematography (Mendoza, Jeffrey de la Cruz, Gary Tria and Julius Villanueva), music (Teresa Barrozo), and sound (Ditoy Aguila and Junel Valencia).

“Death in the Land of the Encantos,” about how people try to pick up the pieces after a devastating typhoon much like the one that hit Bicol in 2006, is also nominated for best actor (Roeder Camanag), direction and screenplay (Lav Diaz), and production design (Diaz again and Dante Perez).

“Tribu,” about Tondo rasta-street gangs, is also nominated for best director and screenplay (Jim Libiran), actor (O.G. Sacred), supporting actress (Malou Crisologo), production design (Armi Cacanindin), editing (Lawrence Ang), music (Francis de Veyra), and sound (Ditoy Aguila).

World-renowned Filipino filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, whose internationally award-winning 1977 film, “Mababangong Bangungot” (Perfumed Nightmare) earned acclaim from Francis Ford Coppola and Werner Herzog, will receive the Natatanging Gawad, the critics’ lifetime achievement award.

Winners will be announced during colorful formal ceremonies next month to be produced by APT Productions.

The Manunuri is chaired by Mike Rapatan of the communications department of De la Salle University.

Members are Nicanor Tiongson, former artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board; Bienvenido Lumbera, 1993 Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate; Gigi Alfonso, chancellor of the UP Open University; Mario Hernando, Sunday Malaya editor; columnist and television personality Butch Francisco; Roland Tolentino, professor of the UP College of Mass Communications; and Lito Zulueta, Inquirer editor and professor at the University of Santo Tomas.

Complete list of nominees:

PICTURE: Confessional (Creative Programs, Inc. thru Cinema One Originals and Oddfield Productions), Endo (UFO Pictures Production), Foster Child (Seiko Films), Death in the Land of Encantos (Sine Olivia Pilipinas), Tirador (Centerstage Productions), Tribu (8 Glasses Productions)

DIRECTOR: Adolfo Alix Jr. (Tambolista), Jade Francis Castro (Endo), Lav Diaz (Death in the Land of Encantos), Jim Libiran (Tribu), Brillante Mendoza (Foster Child and Tirador), Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto (Confessional), Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos (Selda)

SCREENPLAY: Jade Castro, Michiko Yamamoto, Raymond Lee (Endo), Lav Diaz (Death in the Land of Encantos), Joel Jover and Ralston Jover (Foster Child), Ralston Jover (Tirador), Jim Libiran (Tribu), Jose Javier Reyes (Katas ng Saudi), Ave Regina S. Tayag (Tambolista), Ramon Ukit (aka Jerrold Tarog) (Confessional)

ACTRESS: Glaiza de Castro (Still Life), Ina Feleo (Endo), Cherry Pie Picache (Foster Child), Judy Ann Santos (Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo), Lorna Tolentino (Katas ng Saudi)

ACTOR: Jason Abalos (Endo), Jerrold Tarog (Confessional), Roeder Camanag (Death in the Land of Encantos), Jinggoy Estrada (Katas ng Saudi), Sid Lucero (Selda), Jiro Manio (Tambolista), Romnick Sarmenta (Prinsesa), O. G. Sacred (Tribu)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Malou Crisologo (Tribu), Eugene Domingo (Foster Child), Anita Linda (Tambolista), Liza Lorena (Katas ng Saudi), Ara Mina (Selda), Angela Ruiz (Tirador)

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Publio Briones III (Confessional), Benjamin Fileo (Tirador), Alcris Galura (Endo), Emilio Garcia (Selda), Sid Lucero (Tambolista), Jiro Manio (Foster Child), Coco Martin (Tambolista)

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Harley Alcasid and Deans Habal (Tirador), Armi Cacanindin (Tribu), Jhek Cogama (Endo), Lav Diaz and Dante Perez (Death in the Land of Encantos), Martin Masadao, Regie Regalado, Dante Garcia, and Endi "Hai" Balbuena (Pisay), Benjamin Padero (Foster Child), Danny Red (Selda), Baba Velasco and Vilma Velasco (Maling Akala)

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Rodolfo Aves Jr. (Kadin), Albert Banzon (Tambolista), Albert Banzon (Tribu), Jeffrey dela Cruz, Brillante Mendoza, Gary Tria and Julius Villanueva (Tirador), Odyssey Flores (Foster Child), Odyssey Flores (Selda), Larry Manda (Maling Akala), Dan Villegas (Still Life)

EDITING: Lawrence Ang (Tribu), Aleks Castaneda (Tambolista), Ray Defante Gibraltar (When Timawa Meets Delgado), Charliebebs Gohetia (Foster Child), Pats R. Ranyo (aka Jerrold Tarog) (Confessional)

MUSIC: Teresa Barrozo (Tirador), Vince de Jesus (Pisay), Francis de Veyra (Tribu), Khavn dela Cruz (Tambolista), Danny Gil (Maling Akala)

SOUND: Ditoy Aguila (Tambolista), Ditoy Aguila and Junel Valencia (Tirador), Emanuelle Clemente and Arnold Reodica (Foster Child), Mark Laccay (Tribu), Jerrold Tarog (Confessional)

SHORT FILM: Nominees be announced later.

Source: http://www.manunuri.com/