32nd Gawad Urian - 2009 Nominees

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino has already released the list of nominees for the 32nd Gawad Urian for excellence in filmmaking.

Once again, Indie films dominate this year’s set of nominations.

Here is the complete list of nominees for this year’s Gawad Urian:

Best Picture

Jay (Cinemalaya)
Serbis (Centerstage Productions)
Hunghong sa Yuta (Brothers of the Sacred Heart Youth Ministry)
Melancholia (Sine Olivia)
Boses (Casa San Miguel)
Imburnal (Cinema One Originals and Creative Programs)
Yanggaw (Cinema One Originals and Creative Programs)

Best Director

Francis Xavier Pasion (Jay)
Brillante Mendoza (Serbis)
Arnel Mardoquio (Hunghong sa Yuta)
Lav Diaz (Melancholia)
Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil (Boses)
Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Imburnal)
Richard Somes (Yanggaw)
Tara Illenberger (Brutus)
Adolfo Alix Jr. (Imoral)

Best Actor

Baron Geisler (Jay)
Julian Duque (Boses)
Ronnie Lazaro (Yanggaw)
Coco Martin (Daybreak)
Paulo Rivero (Daybreak)
Timothy Mabalot (Brutus)
Perry Dizon (Melancholia)
Neil Ryan Sese (Huling Pasada)

Best Actress

Gina Pareño (Serbis)
Jaclyn Jose (Serbis)
Judy Ann Santos (Ploning)
Mylene Dizon (100)
Angeli Bayani (Melancholia)
Rhea Medina (Brutus)
Boots Anson Roa (Lovebirds)
Anita Linda (Adela)

Best Supporting Actor

Coco Martin (Jay)
Julio Diaz (Serbis)
Yul Servo (Brutus)
Roeder Camanag (Melancholia)
Archie Aleman (Baby Angelo)

Best Supporting Actress

Tessie Tomas (100)
Katherine Luna (Imoral)
Tetchie Agbayani (Yanggaw)
Aleera Montalla (Yanggaw)
Flor Salanga (Jay)
Agot Isidro (Huling Pasada)

Best Screenplay

Richard Somes and Dwight Gaston (Yanggaw)
Francis Xavier Pasion (Jay)
Armando Bing Lao and Boots Agbayani Pastor (Serbis)
Lav Diaz (Melancholia)
Arnel Mardoquio (Hunghong sa Yuta)
Froilan Medina and Rody Vera (Boses)

The names of the persons nominated for the technical awards below will be given at a later date.

Best Production Design

Melancholia
Yanggaw
Jay
Baby Angelo
Serbis
Hunghong sa Yuta
Ploning
Imburnal

Best Cinematography

Yanggaw
Serbis
Jay
Huling Pasada
Ploning
Melancolia
Boses
Imburnal
Adela
Brutus
Hunghong sa Yuta

Best Editing

Jay
Huling Pasada
Serbis
Yanggaw
100
Motorcycle
Ploning
Imburnal

Best Music

Boses
Concerto
Ploning
Imburnal
Brutus
Yanggaw
Kolorete
Hunghong sa Yuta

Best Sound

Hunghong sa Yuta
Serbis
Ploning
Yanggaw
Boses
Adela
Melancholia

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino is composed of:

Rolando Tolentino, dean of the UP College of Mass Communication (Head)
Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist for Literature
Nicanor Tiongson, former artistic director of the CCP and former chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board
Mario Hernando, Sunday Malaya editor and MTRCB member
Miguel Rapatan of the De La Salle University
Butch Francisco, columnist and co-host of Startalk
Lito Zulueta, Inquirer lifestyle editor and professor at the University of Santo Tomas
Benilda Santos, professor at the Ateneo de Manila University
Tito Valiente, professor at the Ateneo de Manila University

The awards night of the 32nd Gawad Urian is set for September 19 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/08/07/32nd-gawad-urian-2009-nominees/

11th Cinemanila International Film Festival

The 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival is happening in Bonifacio Global City on October 15 to 25, 2009.

The 11th Annual Cinemanila International Film Festival kicks off a brand new decade in its new home – Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. This year’s festival will once again showcase the best foreign and local films from internationally recognized artists and upcoming talents all over the world.

Aside from parallel competitions for full-length, short and documentary films, there will be distinct exhibitions, tributes, marathon showings, outdoor screenings and other special events. Master Classes, seminars and workshops will also be held during the festival and will cover subjects and issues on independent filmmaking. Directors, producers, critics and actors throughout Asia, Europe and North America will be invited to attend this 11-day event at the Bonifacio Global City.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/08/05/11th-cinemanila-international-film-festival/

Piolo’s ‘Manila’ Earns P700K

Distributed by Star Cinema, premiered in Cannes, opened Cinemalaya, great promotions with matching Bench billboards, what went wrong?

Manila is a two-part indie film that features Piolo Pascual, who is also a co-producer for this film, and is helmed by critically acclaimed directors Adolf Alix, Jr. and Raya Martin. The film is inspired by Ishmael Bernal’s 1980 movie Manila By Night and Lino Brocka’s 1979 masterpiece Jaguar.

It had its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival in France. It’s also the opening film for the 2009 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. It was distributed by Star Cinema in 17 selected theaters, mostly in Mega Manila. And when it comes to promotion, no less than Bench helped with its billboards.

It’s box-office haul was P700,130.64. It grossed only P200,000 on opening day. Some theaters that averaged as low as P5,000, made it a first day, last day opening.

So what went wrong? Perhaps the film is not commercial enough? Perhaps it only caters to the highly intellectual movie-goers? Or perhaps a black and white movie is perceived “boring” by Pinoys.

It may be a flop at the box-office but come awards night next year, it could be one of the contenders. Quality doesn’t always translate to box-office success, you know, and vice versa. Transformers 2 were a critical flop but it became a monster hit. Boys Don’t Cry and Monster’s Ball were box-office flops but they are Oscar winners.

And as for Piolo, as first time producer, we can only say “charge to experience.” At least he had the courage to make an art film rather than a mediocre comedy like Oh My Girl (I’m really frustrated with this movie).

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/08/03/piolos-manila-earns-p700k/

‘Yanggaw’ and ‘Jay’ are the Best-Reviewed Pinoy Movie of 2009

Indie films Yanggaw and Jay are the top-rating Pinoy films for 2009 so far while When I Met U, Love Me Again, Status Single and Oh My Girl (OMG) are the worst in mainstream.

On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest, movie critic Philbert Dy of Click the City gives a rating to indie and mainstream Pinoy films based on its quality of production. For the year 2009, around 30 Filipino movies had a regular screening so far. Here is the list of these films with the corresponding rating (mainstream movies are in bold):

Yanggaw - 4.5
Jay - 4.5
Kamoteng Kahoy - 4
Dose - 3.5
You Changed My Life - 3.5
Villa Estrella - 3.5
Ded Na Si Lolo - 3
Manila - 2.5
Bente - 2.5
Sundo - 2.5
Baby Angelo - 2.5
My Fake American Accent - 2
Best Friends Forever (BFF) - 2
Tenement 2 - 2
UPCAT - 1.5
Status Single - 1.5
Padyak - 1.5
When I Met U - 1.5
Love Me Again - 1.5
Litsonero - 1.5
Pasang Krus - 1.5
Fuschia - 1.5
Padre de Pamilya - 1.5
Oh My Girl (OMG) - 1.5
Dalaw - 1
Heavenly Touch - 1
Pitik Bulag - 1
Big Night - 1
Tutok - 1
Sumpa - 1

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/08/04/yanggaw-and-jay-are-the-best-reviewed-pinoy-movie-of-2009/

Love On Line (LOL) Publicity Photos and Full Trailer

Check out some promotional photos and full trailer of the upcoming romantic comedy from OctoArts Films, MZet TV and APT Entertainment, Love on Line (LOL).

Love on Line pairs the comedy prince Vic Sotto with Thai model/veejay Paula Taylor. Also starring are Melissa Ricks, Matt Evans and Jose Manalo.

It will open in cinemas nationwide starting August 19, 2009.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/08/04/love-on-line-lol-publicity-photos-and-full-trailer/

Heart Evangelista and Richard Gutierrez to Star in ‘Patient X’

Richard Gutierrez will reunite with Heart Evangelista, this time on the big screen, via the horror movie “Patient X.”

Patient X is a joint project of GMA Films and Viva Films and has a target date of October 28, the Halloween season.

Yam Laranas of The Echo (Sigaw) returns to the country to helm Patient X under a script by Aloy Adlawan.

Carla Abellana to Star in Her 1st Movie ‘Ang Nanay Kong Aswang’

The Rosalinda star is set to be launched on the big screen via the Regal Films movie “Ang Nanay Kong Aswang.”

Rosalinda is now climbing the tv ratings chart and Mother Lily Monteverde is once again “striking while the iron is hot.” Before the month of July ends, the Regal Films matriarch made an agenda to start the shooting of “Ang Nanay Kong Aswang,” Carla Abellana’s launching movie.

Ang Nanay Kong Aswang was supposed to be a project for Ai Ai delas Alas and rising comedienne Eugene Domingo. Both were not able to commit to the project. So the role for the infamous vampire mom is still open. However, the role of the Aswang’s daughter is given to Carla Abellana and the directing job for the said horror-comedy movie is assigned to Joel Lamangan.

Who do you think will be Carla’s mother in the movie? Annabelle Rama perhaps (reprising the monster mom kind of role)?