‘Jay’, Baron Geisler - Cinemalaya 2008 Big Winners

Jay, the gay-themed movie by Francis Pasion was announced Best Picture in the 2008 Cinemalaya Film Festival held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Sunday night. It’s lead actor, Baron Geisler, won Best Actor for his portrayal of a gay tv producer.

Here is the complete list of winners:
Best Picture:
Jay

Jury Prize:
Brutus

Best Director:
Chris Martinez for 100

Best Screenplay:
Chris Martinez for 100

Best Actress:
Mylene Dizon for 100

Best Actor:
Baron Geisler for Jay

Best Supporting Actress:
Eugene Domingo for 100

Best Supporting Actor:
Yul Servo for Brutus

Best Production Design:
Cristina Honrado for Baby Angelo

Best Editing:
Francis Pasion for Jay

Best Musical Score:
Joey Ayala for Brutus

Best Sound Design:
Lito Cruz for Ranchero

Best Cinematography:
Jay Abello for Brutus and Huling Pasada

Audience Choice Award:
100

SHORT FILM CATEGORY

Best Director:
Mark Reyes for "God Only Knows"

Audience Choice:
"God Only Knows" (directed by Mark Reyes)

Best Screenplay:
"Andang"

Special Jury Citation:
"Angan Angan (Dreams)"

Best Special Jury Citation:
"My Pet"

Photo Credits: Cinemanyak

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/21/jay-baron-geisler-cinemalaya-2008-big-winners/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | TUTOS

This short film shows how the lives of a single father and his daughter are intricately bound together. The title tutos refers to the stitch sewn to join to pieces of cloth, particularly those used in making a pair of trousers. Tutos is a story of a small town tailor Rey and his only daughter Elisa. Not having any other female around the house, Elisa grew up being a bit too tough for a lady (or “astig”) something her father incessantly complains about.

While Rey effortlessly makes pairs of trousers day in and day out, he agonizes over the cold and distant demeanor of Elisa. How long will it take before Rey creates a seamless relationship with his daughter? Will it be as easy as sewing a perfect piece of garment he so skillfully makes? Boyet, a loyal co-worker, is witness to this tattered and patched relationship that is just waiting to be sewn beautifully together.

Filmmaker La Yamsuan earned her degree in Film and Audiovisual Communication from UP Diliman. A passionate writer, filmmaker, and an independent cinema advocate, she has taken part on several film and television productions both as a student and as a media practitioner. She has also worked for The Filipino Channel, ABS-CBN’s cable network abroad, and is currently an instructor at the De La Salle College of St. Benilde School of Design and Arts teaching Basic Video Production and Management for Media Arts students.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | TRAILS OF WATER

This is an experimental film about a young boy as seen through his make-believe story. His story is about Galeno who struggles to survive in his everyday life by fetching water near a mining site. The villagers are caught in a mass paranoia when everyone becomes suspicious of a newcomer in the village. Even though this is a short film, the narrative is quite suspenseful. Violence and intrigue becomes a result of their suspicions. No one knows who the person is until the stranger reveals himself to Galeno.

This short film is also directed by Sheron Dayoc, who has another short film entry this year: Angan-Angan (Dreams). He is a graduate of Ateneo de Zamboanga University and completed Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy. He received training in various areas of filmmaking at Mowelfund Film Institute, the University of the Philippines Film Institute and Jesuit Communications at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | PANGGARIS

In a small community, there lives a prostitute who was transformed when her deaf brother started to speak. Curiously, nobody could comprehend what he was saying: all he could utter was the word “Panggaris.” The event became even more puzzling when a documentarist arrived at the community and filmed the siblings. What he discovered is a story from the community folk that possibly marked a new legend.

Dexter B. Cayanes graduated with a degree in Philippine Studies, cum laude at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He attended the Ricky Lee Script Writing Workshop in 1996 and the Creative Documentary Film Workshop in 2000. He has won several prizes in poetry and the short story category. He is a candidate for Ph.D. in Philippine Studies in De La Salle University-Manila, where he currently teaches.

The short film Panggaris is based on his poem of the same title which earned a prize from the state-run Talaang Ginto: Gawad Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino sa Tula—Gantimpalang Collantes 2007. One of his newest projects is a full-length film titled Rengga!

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | MY PET

Not your typical animation piece, My Pet is a seven-minute animation short about an eight-year-old girl and her relationship with her first pet, a chick, that is the subject of a class experiment. As an only child and a girl, she is sheltered and mostly kept indoors. She likes to draw and hold tea parties with her doll as her company most of the time. It is when she meets this chick that her world becomes a little bit more dynamic. Her relationship with this pet acts as a catalyst in forming new relationships. Textures from leaves, plants and native weaving give it a unique and creative look, not seen anywhere else.

Anna Bigornia was born in Cebu and went to get her college degree in Manila. She finished her Bachelor of Arts Major in Communication Arts at De La Salle University-Manila in October 2007. My Pet was submitted as her thesis, grabbing the “Outstanding Thesis Award” and was also shown at Animahenasyon 2007, where it was one of the finalists and won the Audience Choice Award. Her film has been shown and featured by Propeller TV (SKY Channel 195) as part of their showcase on World Cinema. This is her first animation feature as well as her first film.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | HULING BIKTIMA

Unravel the truth in five minutes. Anton, a top investigator finds himself baffled in a case to find an elusive killer. The case gets even more complicated when he links his lover, Lisa to the evidences on the scene of the crime. Then things get out of hand when Lisa, herself walks into the crime scene and is pursued by Anton-only to find out the truth to his investigation.

Vitaliano Rave was born on October 7, 1985 in Manila Philippines. He received formal media education and training from the Grafisk Utbuilding Center for television and radio; and the Film Framåt, both in Sweden. He is also an alumnus from the Marilou Diaz Abaya Film Institute and Arts Center under the Basic Course in Motion Picture Language. Today, he works as an in-house editor and motion graphic designer at Globedez in Makati City.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/

Cinemalaya 2008 Entries | GOD ONLY KNOWS

In a dirty, decaying slum in the Philippines, single mother Maria (Angel Aquino) is torn between her love for her 10-year-old son Santiago (Robbie Felongco) and providing a better life for him. In order to give Santiago a chance to have a decent home and a good education, she decides to send him away for adoption. But what starts out as an innocent journey to the market quickly turns into a devastating loss for both mother and son. The short film stars Angel Aquino who has gained critical praise for her performance in Donsol by Adolf Alix. Radio personality Bon Vibar also shows his acting skills in God Only Knows.

Mark Reyes emerged in the independent film scene with his 2006 coming-of-age story, Last Full Show. Premiering at the Clermont Ferrand International Film Festival, Last Full Show’s unique vision has brought Mark critical acclaim at over 50 film festivals
around the globe.

God Only Knows is Mark’s second short film that is enjoying a successful run across North America and Europe. Mark is very proud that his second effort is finally coming home to Manila.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/07/03/2008-cinemalaya-film-festival-short-film-entries/