Many ‘firsts’ in CineFilipino filmfest

It was a night to remember for the budding actress. Clutching her first acting award trophy, 13-year-old Teri Martel was in disbelief when she heard her name announced as the Best Actress winner in the first CineFilipino Film Festival. â€œI didn’t expect this,” said Teri who bagged the award for her portrayal of an adolescent girl who falls in love with an older woman in Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita. She was almost in shock as she didn’t expect to win, especially as she was competing against the Superstar, Nora Aunor, who graciously accepted Teri’s victory.

The award was indeed very special for Teri who was accidentally thrust into the limelight when she accompanied her mother, Cherry, a freelance talent, when the latter auditioned for a part in the indie movie. To cut a long story short, the young Martel got the plum role while her mom was happy to become the “stage mom.” At least for this film. Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita was many firsts for the seventh grader, who with poise and élan, gave the press some pretty good sound bytes when she was interviewed. When asked what her take is on people who are not open about their sexuality, she had this to say: “Let us not judge people based on their sexual preference for as long as they do good in the community, for their country and most of all, for themselves.” Teri, who underwent a series of workshops to play a lesbian girl, had to be taught how to become Anita (the role). â€œEveryone in the movie helped and supported me and I owe them this acting award.”

For Karl Medina, his family name may spell some expectations, especially if people learn that he is the son of multi-award-winning actor Pen Medina and a brother to equally talented actors, Alex and Ping. But he shrugs this off and adheres to what his father has taught him: “Never compare yourself with others and make your own way of life by doing what it is you like, love and enjoy best.” 

Karl bagged the Best Actor award for the film The Guerilla is A Poet, and he, like Teri, is also a first-timer in the indie film industry. Though he has appeared in some minor roles on TV and stage plays, Guerilla is A Poet is his first major role that indubitably marked his entrance to the world of his father and brothers. “I was exposed to acting and stage plays when I used to tag along as a child with my father to CCP to watch his rehearsals and plays.”

His looks may somehow had to do with him being cast as Joma Sison but he also played the role of the political activist in the play Case Unclosed which made the same directors/producers Sari and Kiri Dalena decide to choose him for the role in Guerilla as A Poet. In order to prepare for his role, Karl had to do some serious readings of Joma’s works and history of the movement as well as character studies. But still, he felt that he could have done more for the role but lacked the time to prepare because of other work.

Indeed, the CineFilipino festival augurs well for the budding cineastes as another first-time winner, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, went home with the Best Picture award for Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita. She shared the honor with Mes De Guzman’s Ang Kwento ni Mabuti. Aside from the Best Picture award, Ang Kwento ni Mabuti also won Best Screenplay and Best Director for Mes. Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita, in addition to its Best Picture and Best Actress awards, also bagged the Best Supporting Actress award for Angel Aquino and the Best Acting Ensemble award.

Sari and Kiri’s The Guerilla is A Poet won Best Actor for Karl, Best Supporting Actor for Bong Cabrera, Best Film Editing for Raffy Magsaysay and Best Musical Score for Keith Sicat.

Mike Alcazaren’s Puti swept the awards for Best Cinematography (Roberto Yñiguez), Best Production Design (Rious Caliso) and Best Sound (Mark Laccay).

For the Short Film category, Pam Reyes’ Ligaw won the Best Short Film award and P100,000 cash. Kimberly Ocariza’s Logaritmo won P75,000 cash for being the Second Best Short Film while Jose Ibarra Guballa and Bienvenido Ferrer III’s Sangandaan was awarded Third Best Short Film and P50,000 cash.

If the recent CineFilipino festival is any indication of the quality of indie films that we produce, then, I am certainly looking forward to next year’s crop of up-and-coming filmmakers who just as well could be making their marks in future film festivals both here abroad.