Kapampangan filmmaker Petersen Vargas’ coming-of-age drama “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” led the winners at the 12th annual Cinema One Originals Film Festival Awards with three awards, including Best Picture.
“2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” also won the Best Supporting Actor Award for “Hashtags” member Jameson Blake and Best Cinematography for Carlos Mauricio at the awards night held at the Dolphy Theatre Sunday (Nov 20).
“Thank you, Kapampangan cinema, which has given me the opportunity to tell stories,” said Petersen in his acceptance speech. “It has always been Kapampangan cinema that I’ve been inspired of and inspired by.”
The film depicts the story of Felix, a hard-working but friendless student, whose life changes when two half-American brothers arrive in his high school. The story takes place in Pampanga as Vargas paid tribute to his Kapampangan roots.
Also bagging 3 awards is Samantha Lee’s millennial LGBT love story “Baka Bukas,” with Best Actress for Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Best Sound for Andrew Milallos, and the Audience Choice Award.
Jasmine, who was on the verge of tears while accepting her award, said “I want to give a shout out to everyone that watched the film… You have a lot of reviews and served as your own critics; and for that we’re very, very thankful. And long live the LGBT community. I will stand for you guys, and I will be with you all the way.”
Keith Deligero’s Lily took home the most number of awards that night, with Best Director, Best Editing, Best Actor (Rocky Salumbides), and Best Supporting Actress (Natileigh Sitoy).
Jules Katanyag’s geriatric action film “Si Magdalola At Ang Mga Gago,” meanwhile, bagged the Special Jury Prize.
The Cinema One Film Festival 2016 opened last November 14 and will run until November 22.
Cinema One Originals is an annual film festival that allows talented Filipino storytellers to showcase their stories through film. It is a local independent film festival of Cinema One, one of the cable channels of Creative Programs, Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN.
This year, it celebrates its 12th year with the tagline “Anong tingin mo?” to highlight different ways of looking at movies and the multi-layered diversity that has been the hallmark of the festival.
Cinema One Originals has made a name for itself as the film festival that breaks new ground and has brought honor to the country. It produced the 2015 Cinema One Originals Awards Jury Prize-winning “Hamog,” directed by Ralston Jover, which won the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award the Shanghai International Film Festival and was screened at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) this year. The movie’s star, 2015 Cinema One Originals Awards Best Actress Teri Malvar, was also named Best Actress at the 2016 Moscow International Film Festival and was a recipient of the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award at the NYAFF for her performance.
The following are the winners at the 2016 Cinema One Originals festival:
Jury Prize winner: Si Magdalola at ang mga Gago
Best Picture: 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten
Best Actress: Jasmine Curtis-Smith (Baka Bukas)
Best Actor: Rocky Salumbides (Lily)
Best Supporting Actress: Natileigh Sitoy (Lily)
Best Supporting Actor: Jameson Blake (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten)
Best Director: Keith Deligero (Lily)
Best Screenplay: Malinak Ya Labi (Jose Abdel Langit)
Best Cinematography: 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten (Carlos Mauricio)
Audience Choice: Baka Bukas
Best Sound: Baka Bukas (Andrew Milallos)
Best Music: Tisay (Francis de Veyra)
Best Editing: Lily
Best Production Design: Tisay (Michael Español)
Best Documentary: Forbidden Memory
Best Short Film: Maria
Special Citation: The Diary of Vietnam Rose
Champion Bughaw Award: Tisay
C1 Minute Top Student Film: No Seguir
