Nora Aunor, Eula Valdez win big at 2014 Cinemalaya awards night

MANILA, Philippines – Nora Aunor and Eula Valdez are the big winners at the awards night of the 10th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on Sunday, August 11

 

Nora won the Best Actress award in the Directors Showcase category for her role in Joel Lamangan's “Hustisya.” The film also won the Directors Showcase NETPAC award and Audience's Choice award.

 

Thanking her fans during her acceptance speech, Nora said: “Kung hindi po dahil sa kanila, wala po ako dito sa harapan ninyo ngayon.”

 

She added, “Asahan ninyo na habang andyan kayo na sumusuporta pa rin po, patuloy akong gagawa ng pelikulang makabuluhan, lalo na sa mga kabataan ngayon. Sana po'y magsilbing inspirasyon sa kanila lahat ng mga ginagawa kong pelikula.”

 

Eula, meanwhile, bagged the New Breed category Best Actress award. She starred in the film “Dagitab,” which also won the awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director for Giancarlo Abrahan. 

 

“Dinasal ko po kasi ito e,” Eula said in her acceptance speech. “Nagdasal po ako. Sabi ko, 'Lord, bigyan mo naman ako ng chance na gumawa ng isang magandang pelikula, isang matalinong pelikula.' At pinadala naman, naka-DHL.”

 

Two young artists from GMA-7 bagged the awards for the supporting roles in the New Breed category. Barbie Forteza was named Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Mariquina” while Migs Cuaderno won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in “Children's Show.”

 

“Actually ang goal ko lang, Best in Hair and Make-up, e,” Barbie quipped.

 

In the Directors Showcase category, Nicco Manalo of “The Janitor” was named Best Supporting Actor. “Gusto kong i-dedicate itong award na ito sa mga kasama ko sa theater,” the son of comedian Jose Manalo said. “Doon po ako nagsimula. Babalik at babalik po ako.”

 

“The Janitor” won four other awards, including the Directors Showcase Best Director award for Michael Tuviera, making it the most awarded film in Cinemalaya this year.

 

IN PHOTOS: Cinemalaya 2014 awarding ceremony

 

“Kasal,” meanwhile, won a total of four awards, including the Directors Showcase Best Film award.

 

The festive awarding ceremony was slightly marred by the controversy of Cinemalaya's uploading the festival entries from 2012 and 2013 on Youtube. 

 

Cinemalaya Foundation president Nestor Jardin apologized for the incident during his awards night opening speech.

 

“We wish to publicly apologize to the filmmakers and producers of batch 2012 and 2013 for the uploading of their films on Youtube,” Jardin said, adding he's calling for a dialogue with the concerned parties over the issue.