QCinema 2016 bares film festival winners
After more than 300 days of looking forward to the next QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema), the 2016 batch of winners presents itself as a continued testament that the Filipino film industry is headed for more exciting days.
Sheron Dayoc’s Women of the Weeping River was judged as the Circle Competition Best Picture for bringing mother figures caught in the inter-generational conflicts in Zamboanga to the scope of classic Greek tragedy. Dayoc received P300,000. Laila Ulao and Taha Daranda, stars of Women of
the Weeping River, took home the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor awards, respectively.
A rousing applause was what the crowd gave to two high school students when Contestant #4, the short film they directed was honored with the #QCShorts Audience Choice Award. Young directors Jared Joven and Kaj Palanca received P50,000.
Victor Villanueva’s Patay na si Hesus won the Gender Sensitivity Award and P50,000 cash prize for its playful call for diversity within a popular, comic setting. The comedy film, topbilled by Cannes awardee Jaclyn Jose, was also the recipient of the Circle Competition Audience Choice Award which also took home P50,000.
Raphael Meting and Mark Limbaga bagged the Best Artistic Contribution Award for their cinematography in Baboy Halas, Wailings in the Forest. Prime Cruz won the Best Director award for
Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B. Vangie Labalan went home with the Best Supporting Actress award.
JC de Vera clinched the Best Actor award for his gender-bending role in HF Yambao’s Best. Partee. Ever.
The Best Screenplay award was given to Joseph Laban and Denise O’Hara for their artistic contribution in Roderick Cabrido’s Purgatoryo. Bagane Fiola won the NETPAC Jury Prize including the P200,000 cash grant for Baboy Halas, Wailings in the Forest.
In the #QCShorts category, Hondo (Deep) by Aedrian Araojo won the Best Film award and P100,000 prize money for the movie’s simple yet unusual portrayal in seeking meaning for life’s suffering and existence. Inshallah Montero received the #QCShorts Jury Prize with P50,000 for Papa’s Shadow.
For the #QCShorts category, the jury members were Antoinette Jadaone, John Lloyd Cruz and Raymond Red.
#QCShorts is a funding platform for short films. The chosen directors each received a production grant from the Quezon City Film Development Commission (QCFDC).
Korean director Boo Junfeng received the Asian Next Wave Best Film award and P120,000 reward for his film, Apprentice.
QCinema, now on its fourth year, continues to gain more ground with its commitment to turn Quezon City as a bustling hub where the country’s art and culture scene can thrive and grow.
Through its grants, QCinema further hones the talent of Filipino filmmakers and screens new films that are worthy of international applause.
With the theme, One City to the World, QCinema 2016 takes on the international scene with fresh films that also show the ingenious skills of Filipino artists.