Entertainment studio ANIMA took home a combined 17 awards from the 6th Film Ambassadors’ Night (FAN) and 2nd Pinoy Rebyu Awards for the exemplary performance of its films, cast, and production teams.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) conferred the Camera Obscura Artistic Excellence Award on “On The Job: The Missing 8” and lead actor John Arcilla at the FAN. It is the highest distinction that the FDCP gives to a film, crew, or artist that made significant contributions to the local film industry.
The FDCP said “OTJ 2: The Missing 8” is considered “a groundbreaking innovation where its strategic journey in film content distribution across global cinema, international festival circuit, and digital streaming showcased Filipino talent to a worldwide audience thus contributing greatly to PH Cinema.”
“OTJ 2: The Missing 8,” a sequel to the 2013 movie “On the Job,” is a crime thriller directed by Erik Matti that focuses on corruption and media censorship in the country, reflecting social ills in contemporary times.
Like the film, Arcilla has gained acclaim on the international stage, becoming the first Southeast Asian to receive the prestigious Volpi Cup for Best Actor from the 78th Venice International Film Festival last year. Because of this, Arcilla also made it to FDCP’s A-Lister, which celebrates those who have won in prestigious international film festivals.
Another A-Lister is “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon” (Whether the Weather is Fine), which won the Cinema e Gioventù Prize at the 74th Locarno Film Festival. It tells the story of a mother and son’s struggle to survive while searching for their loved ones after the onslaught of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
“I am truly grateful for FDCP not just for honoring our films but the support it has given, especially for “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon.” The assistance it provided from script development enabled us to find the right foreign partners and training and be exposed in the international co-production landscape, and the grants we received for post production and distribution. I appreciate all the efforts of the agency pushing for our local stories into the global stage,” said the film’s producer and ANIMA’s Head of Production Armi Cacanindin.
Other honorees include Director Carlo Francisco Manatad for “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon,” and “Fan Girl” and “Midnight In A Perfect World” for Feature Films.
“I’d like to give my heartfelt thanks to the FDCP for the recognition they gave ANIMA during the Film Ambassador’s Night. It truly is wonderful getting everyone together to celebrate the power of story in these most trying of times, and I can feel Chair Liza and her amazing team’s love of the medium with this event,” said Quark Henares, Executive Producer and Head of ANIMA.
“Kun Maupay Man It Panahon” and “OTJ 2: The Missing 8” also won numerous awards at the 2nd Pinoy Rebyu Awards of the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers (SFFR).
“Kun Maupay It Panahon” received awards for Best Film, Best Cinematography (Teck Siang Lim), Best Editing (Benjo Ferrer), Best Production Design (Whammy Alcazaren), Best Film Score (Andrew Florentino), and Best First Feature (Manatad).
“OTJ 2: The Missing 8,” meanwhile, bagged Best Director (Matti), Best Screenplay (Matti and Michiko Yamamoto), Best Lead Performance (Arcilla), and Best Ensemble Performance for its main cast.
SFFR recognized the film’s “effective depiction of the collective trauma of disaster survivors as seen through the eyes of three protagonists navigating a labyrinth of state inefficiency, mass hysteria, and magic.” SFFR is composed of 38 active reviewers of Philippine cinema.
“It’s also so humbling to see our films do so well at the Pinoy Rebyu Awards. I have nothing but respect for our Filipino Film Critics and so the love they’ve showered on Kun Maupay Man It Panahon and On The Job has been truly humbling,” Henares said.
ANIMA is under Kroma Entertainment, Inc., a new entertainment company backed by the Globe Group of Companies. It is a creator-focused content provider for films, series, advertising, and podcasts.
To learn more about ANIMA, visit https://anima.ph/. You may also explore the world of KROMA here https://www.kroma.ph/.
