Cebuanos nominated for Best Director, Best Supporting Actor at 67th FAMAS Awards

CEBU, Philippines — A Cebuano-directed film earned five nominations at the 67th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards, among them for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor.

Helmed by Cebuano director Keith Deligero and written by Paul Grant, “A Short History of a Few Bad Things” is set in Cebu City, where a troubled detective (Victor Neri) struggles to solve a series of grisly killings. But a deep conspiracy keeps the truth out of reach.

“A Short History of a Few Bad Things” is nominated for Best Picture alongside “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes,” “Ang Panahon Ng Halimaw,”  “Dog Days,” “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral,” “Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus,” “Kung Paano Siya Nawala,” “Never Not Love You,” “Never Tear Us Apart a.k.a. Fisting” and “Oda Sa Wala.”

Marie Estela Pais and Deligero are also up for honors for Outstanding Achievement in Editing against Jay Halili of “BuyBust,” John Torres and Mervine Aquino of “Dog Days,” Apol Dating of “Double Twisting, Double Back,” Lawrence Ang of “Kung Paano Siya Nawala,” Ilsa Malsi of “Never Tear Us Apart a.k.a. Fisting” and “Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus,” Dwein Baltazar of “Oda sa Wala,” and Hiyas Baldemor Bagaboldo of “Pag-Ukit sa Paniniwala.”

Cebuano actor Publio Briones III, a newspaper editor and columnist, added to the film’s haul with an Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role nomination for his portrayal of Chief Ouano. His fellow nominees are Levi Ignacio and Arjo Atayde of “BuyBust,” Teroy Guzman and Gabby Eigenmann of “Citizen Jake,” Joem Bascon of “Double Twisting, Double Back,” Soliman Cruz of “Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus,” Menggie Cobarrubias of “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon,” Richard “Ebong” Joson of “Liway,” Arron Villaflor of “Mamu, And a Mother Too” and Nanding Josef of “Signal Rock.”

For his Felix Tarooy portrayal, Neri is also nominated for the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role against Eddie Garcia of “ML,” Alwyn Uytingco of “Asuang,” Carlo Aquino of “Exes Baggage,” JM de Guzman of “Kung Paano Siya Nawala,” Dante Rivero of “Kung Paano Hinihintay Ang Dapithapon,” James Reid of “Never Not Love You,” Mon Confiado of “El Peste,” Christian Bables of “Signal Rock,” Daniel Padilla of “The Hows of Us” and Ybes Bagadiong of “Dog Days.”

Grant’s writing for “A Short History of Bad Things” earned him too a nomination for Best Original Screenplay alongside Lav Diaz for “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw,” Jun Robles Lana and Elmer Gatchalian for “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes,” Marius Talampas for “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap,” Carl Papa, Rayne Brizuela and Lawrence Nicodemus for “Asuang,” Dwein Baltazar for “Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus” and “Oda Sa Wala,” Rody Vera for “Signal Rock” and Jason Paul Laxamana for “So Connected.”

The nominees were selected by a jury headed by multi-awarded screenwriter Ricky Lee, based on the material’s artistic, creative and technical excellence.

Deligero previously told The Freeman that when they submitted “Bad Things” for Cinema One Originals last year, it was a “finished or not finished, pass your papers” experience, delivering the hard drives to theatres themselves, and seeing the film in its entirety only on the premiere night. He did not see their Special Citation coming, which was given by the Cinema One Originals jury for “imbuing the city of Cebu with the deep seriousness of film noir and the knowing levity of cool irony.”

Deligero said the cop comedy-drama, which he labels under the genre of “tropical noir,” is his love letter for Cebu as it mirrors his mixed feelings for his hometown.

The 67th FAMAS awards night will be held on April 28 at the Meralco Theater in Pasig, Metro Manila.