Winners of this year’s Golden Screen Awards bared • “Pisay,” indie film on student geniuses, is big winner

The Entertainment Press Society or ENPRESS, Inc. announces the winners to this year's 5th Golden Screen Awards to be held on June 24, Tuesday, at Zirkoh Greenhills beginning 8PM. The final voting for the winners was held Saturday, June 14, at Music 21 KTV Bar on Timog Avenue after a marathon deliberation that took seven hours.

“Pisay,” an indie film about eight exceptionally gifted high school students, set in the politically volatile ‘80s, dominated the 5th Golden Screen Awards by winning eight trophies, including Best Motion Picture (Drama) and Best Director for Auraeus Solito. The film also won the award for Best Original Screenplay for Henry Graheda.

Top acting honors in drama went to Cherry Pie Picache for “Foster Child” and John Lloyd Cruz for “One More Chance,” while Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Lorna Tolentino, who played husband and wife in Maverick Films’ “Katas ng Saudi” won top acting honors in comedy.

Cherry Pie won for Best Performance by an Actress in a leading role drama for the Seiko Films’ movie “Foster Child,” where she plays the surrogate mother from the slums. It’s her third acting award from the Golden Screen Awards. “Foster Child,” directed by Dante Mendoza, was a contender for the Best Motion Picture-Drama, as well as in other categories, including best screenplay.

Her previous victories in the GSA include Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Comedy or Musical in 2003 for “Bridal Shower.” In 2006, she won Best Performance by An Actress in a Supporting Role (Drama, Musical or Comedy) for “Twilight Dancers.”

John Lloyd Cruz won Best Performance by an Actor in a leading role drama for “One More Chance.” Produced by Star Cinema, the story of young lovers who go are going through the difficult decision of going their separate ways, gave John Lloyd the victory over Jason Abalos, his chief rival for the award. Jason was nominated for “Endo,” an entry to the Cinemalaya Film Festival last year.

This is John Lloyd’s first award from GSA although he has been previously nominated for “Now That I Have You,” adjudged Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) in the 2004 Golden Screen Awards.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada won the nod of the GSA jurors for his comeback movie “Katas ng Saudi” where he plays a returning OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker). Jinggoy’s winning the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Musical or Comedy) for the Joey Reyes flick is his first award from the GSA.

He earlier won the Best Actor Award from the Metro Manila Film Festival last December for “Katas ng Saudi.” Lorna Tolentino, although better known as a dramatic actress, displayed her comic flair in “Katas ng Saudi” where she plays wife to Jinggoy. This is also her first trophy from the Golden Screen Awards.

Eugene Domingo (“Pisay”) and Ricky Davao (“Endo”) bagged the Best Performance by an Actress and Actor awards in a Supporting Role. Both of them are first-time winners in the Golden Screen Awards. Eugene won for her role as the Physics teacher in “Pisay” while Ricky won for his role as the weakling of a father who was left by his wife in “Endo.”

Newcomers Rhian Ramos (“Ouija”) and Joem Bascon (“Batanes”) were voted as winners of Breakthrough Performances by an Actress and Actor, respectively. Both projects were produced by GMA Films.

Aside from garnering the Best Picture and Best Director trophies, “Pisay” also the awards for Best Original Song, Best Musical Score, and Best Editing.

Other winners are Larry Manda (Best Cinematography for “Maling Akala”), Ditoy Aguila (Best Sound for “Kadin”), and August Espino (Best Visual Effects for “Still Life”).

The 5th Golden Screen Awards will be hosted by Rufa Mae Quinto and John Lapus, with other celebrities expected to attend the affair that formally opens the awards season.

Christopher de Leon is the recipient of the Gawad Lino Brocka Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the famed director who gave the actor the break in acting.

The Entertainment Press Society and the Golden Screen Awards will confer a Posthumous Award to Rudy Fernandez who passed away last June 7.

The 5th Golden Screen Awards is sponsored by Hataw, Filgen ST Scouring Pad, Gran Matador, KSA Whitening Products, Stellar Accessories, Edward dela Cuesta Photography, Fernando’s Bakery, and Hataw.