ON a high note, the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival ended on Sunday night with the screening of Raymond Red’s new full-length feature, Himpapawid (Manila Skies).

The film recreates a much-publicized hijacking of a Philippine Airlines Air Bus (Flight 812) in May 2000, single-handedly done by a crazy male provinciano using the name “Augusto Lakandula,” who used a hand grenade to scare the passengers for the loot before jumping to his death using a home-made parachute.

Many considered the film as Red’s return to the indie scene after being away from the limelight since his Cannes-award winning short film Anino, shown in 2000. Not a coincidence, the festival also brought back Red’s brother Jon, whose newest film, Ang Beerhouse, was a finalist in the Digital Lokal competition. Unfortunately, this Red didn’t make it on the, uhm, red carpet because the man of the hour was Christopher Gozum, the young OFW filmmaker who won Best Director and Best Picture (Lino Brocka Award) for his very first full-length feature, titled Anacbanua.

Gozum has been working in Saudi Arabia since 2007 as a videographer and editor for a pharmaceutical company and, admirably, he finished Anacbanua, his homage to the Pangasinense dialect. A native of Pangasinan and theater alumnus of the University of the Philippines, Gozum wasn’t able to personally receive his bulol trophies during the awards ceremonies but his crew, led by the magnificent and stunning actress Che Ramos, was there to represent him.

“We phoned him at once after the announcement and he was stupefied. He was very happy and surprised,” said Ramos, who was also part of Ang Beerhouse and other films shown in the festival, prompting some members of the press to call her the “queen” of the recent Cinemanila festival.

Another milestone was the directorial debut of veteran scriptwriter Armando “Bing” Lao, titled Byaheng Lupa, which won the Grand Jury Prize. The film takes place on a bus bound for the province. On the road, the passengers try to resolve their personal issues as the ride is interrupted with several misadventures like a flat tire, a butterfly, a lost photograph and so on. Local critics have praised the film for its use of “poetic time,” whatever that means.  A member of the jury is veteran actor Ronnie Lazaro. He told the BusinessMirror that it was a unanimous decision. “We didn’t have a hard time, because our notes were the same from the start. One was above all.” 

For the main international competition, United Kingdom-Ireland’s take on prison life, titled Hunger, by first-time director Steve McQueen (not the late Hollywood actor, obviously, but a former visual artist) won the Lino Brocka Grand Prize, the equivalent of the Best Picture plum.

“It was riveting, very powerful film. One of the best I’ve seen. It was also unanimous decision. We didn’t have to discuss. For a first-timer, it was like shot by a real pro—all the angles, the direction, the narration, everything, including the acting. Superb,” Brillante Mendoza, head of the jury, told the BusinessMirror.

Mendoza’s recent opus, Lola, opened the 10-day-long festival held at Market! Market! and Fully-Booked in Taguig City.

A Lifetime Achievement award was given to Paul Schrader, internationally acclaimed scriptwriter of such landmark films as Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ and The Raging Bull, all directed by Martin Scorsese. As a director, Schrader is perhaps best known for American Gigolo, which catapulted Richard Gere to stardom; and Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a poetic and insightful biopic on noted Japanese gay author Yukio Mishima.

“Like films abroad, Philippine movies are changing, too. With the films of Brillante Mendoza, which have been awarded here and abroad, and many other Filipino directors like him, I think you have first-class filmmakers here in the Philippines. It’s not going to be easy here in terms of market economics but talent has a way of shining through. As for my stay here, hopefully when I come back, I’ll be working,” Schrader told the BusinessMirror, with a smile and a giggle, during the awards night held at the NBC Tent.

He was in high spirits as he mingled with local directors and actors, both young and old. His newest film, Adam Resurrected, had its Philippine premiere during the festival, in which he also gave a master class on scriptwriting.

The Indie Spirit Award was given to Lav Diaz, who had just flown in from another festival in New York. He was cited for “his unwavering and steadfast commitment to independent cinema...and his uncompromising spirit.” His films, the five-hour Batang West Side and the longest in Philippine history, the 11-hour Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino, were also shown in the only enduring international film festival in the Philippines.

For the complete list of winners: www.cinemanila.org.