By Seymour B. Sanchez
University of Makati recently won five out of seven prizes in the animation category and another one in the documentary competition of the 31st Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Vidyo or Gawad Alternatibo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Manuel Conde (CCP Dream Theater).
“Noli” by Rodnie Bolivar, Sean Harold Bongalon and Xierdon Manalo emerged as the biggest winner among the UMak entries, taking home the Best Entry For/On/By Children in the animation division and an additional honorable mention award.
The animated film, which earlier ruled the second Manila Student Film Festival, tells the story of a naughty boy who does not want to take a bath, until wicked germs and stubborn dirt appear in his dream to teach him a frightening lesson. It was previously exhibited last November at the Philippine Animation Festival or Animahenasyon 2018.
Bolivar is “speechless” that they won another award and a Gawad Alternatibo at that. “I still couldn’t believe until now. Thank you very much to all those who trusted us.”
Also winning honorable mention for UMak are the animation entries “Sober” by Christian Daniel Fabia, Rhexee Jeen Balgua and Kevin Collin Ramis, “7.17” by Jennifer Aspiras, “Bagabag” by Haidee Salanguste and Shelon Dianela, Jr., and “ROC 6,” a documentary by Joycelyn May Estacion on hydrocephalus-stricken rapper and spoken word artist Vladimir Igman Tarubal.
Estacion is grateful for their documentary’s recent victory. “Also thank you so much to our professor Edu Riparip for believing in our story. And to Roc 6 for trusting me and my team with your story.” She revealed that she initially just wanted to showcase Roc 6’s talent to everyone, and to enlighten people more about the struggles of the PWD community.
The documentary earlier won second prize in the school competition “dokyUMAKati: Heronaya, Pasinaya ng Kuwentong Pilipino” held last January at the UMak mini-theater.
In “Sober,” Winona spends most of her time getting drunk and wasted as she is haunted by her past. The five-minute animated film previously bagged Animation of the Year (Student Division), Best in Storytelling and Best in Production Design at Animahenasyon 2018.
Meanwhile, “7.17” is about a father who works hard to give his son a simple birthday party. Even though he encounters problems along the way, he comes up with something out of his meager income for the day. However, back home, his son has other plans in mind.
On the other hand, “Bagabag” shows that a life consumed with anxiety is never easy.
Another UMak entry, “Soul Out, Sold Out” by Renz James Alcazaren, also made it as one of the finalists in the competition. In the five-minute animation, poverty forces a man to aspire and seek for opportunities that will allow him instant wealth and power.
The honorable mention prize winners received 5,000 pesos while the special awardees, the production team behind “Noli,” got an additional 5,000 pesos for their feat.
Visual artist Rosevie C. Sevilla, University of the Philippines Film Institute professor Bryan Quesada and multidisciplinary artist, cultural worker and teacher Teta Tulay served as judges in the animation section. They only gave out seven honorable mention awards, no first, second and third prizes. The other winners are “Pot” by Carl Joseph E. Papa and “Work in Progress” by Philex Angelo Merano of Ateneo de Naga University, which also won Best Regional Entry.
In the documentary category, “Sa Pagitan ng Kapanig at Dayuhan” by John Peter Chua of Ateneo de Manila University topped the field. Winning second and third are “Hayop” by Maki Liwanag and “Halawod” (Into the Sea) by Anna Katrina Tejero of the UP Film Institute, respectively. “Budots: The Craze” by Mark Limbaga and Jay Rosas also won honorable mention.
Documentarians Jewel Maranan, Ilang-Ilang Quijano and Victor Tagaro judged the entries.
UMak’s Gawad Alternatibo winners and finalists “Bagabag,” “Sober” and “Soul Out, Sold Out” also made it to the Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle 2019 together with UMak documentaries “Hulma ng Hustisya” by Danielle Blando and “Selda” by John Lord Tobias.
Meanwhile, “Asaddi” (Flipped) by Alexander Ramiso of Ateneo de Zamboanga University bagged first prize and Best Entry On/For/By Children in the short narrative category. It was followed by “Malampasan Mo Sana ang Sakit” (You Have to Overcome the Pain) by Arnie Valdez at second and “Hasta na Lang sa Dason” by ABS-CBN writer and Palanca winner Arden Rod Condez at third. Condez also directed the Cinemalaya 2019 big winner “John Denver Trending.” In addition, “Ang Babayi sa Bahura” by Kyle Fermindoza won Best Regional Entry.
In the experimental category, “Michel de Certeau’s Metaphor for Everyday Life” by Noli Manaig brought home the top prize, followed by “I’ve Been Here” by Jonathan Jose Zamora Olarte at second and “Surveillance State, HLI.: Gawad CCP Recurring Nightmare” by Jul Jun General at third. “A Mother’s Love” by Lyka Angelica V. Trinidad from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines bagged the honorable mention award.
UMak College of Arts and Letters Dean Acel German dedicated their victory to the late UMak Pres. Tomas B. Lopez. “Because of one visionary…one who in 2001 believed that a logistically-nightmarish Animation and Broadcast Arts curriculum could propel what used to appear as run-of-the-mill university to greater distance; one who best understood our needs and tolerated our eccentricities; one who insisted only for the best and the state-of-the-art; and one who threw tantrums on our behalf when we grew tired of the regulative systems,” she shared.
“To Sir Tommy Lopez, our most brutal critic and constant source of inspiration, how I wish I could once again burst into your office just to brag, ‘Sir oh, have you read this?’ How I wish I could once again hear you sneer: ‘Ang yabang mo!’ while deep inside, I know you’re beaming because you started all this,” she happily recalled as she paid tribute to the late UMak head.