The winners of Cinemalaya 2020
The winners of the Cinemalaya 2020 independent short films competition have been announced. Congratulations to Tokwifi for winning Best Film out of the 10 featured entries. The film also bagged the Netpac Jury Prize
Since 2005, Cinemalaya has been showcasing the best of Pinoy indie filmmakers and continues to expose Filipino moviegoers to a variety of film styles, creative concepts and unique ideas in storytelling that goes against the flow of mainstream film production outfits. This year, Cinemalaya 2020 went exclusively online, streaming all competition entries and a slew of independent shorts and features via different subscription packages on Vimeo.com.
Here's the complete list of awardees:
Best Film
Tokwifi dir. Carla Pulido Ocampo
What we said: "The surreal yet heartwarming fantasy story at its core between two characters whose love crosses the boundaries of space and time dimensions, will leave viewers with that sense of wonder and hope that magic still exists."
Best Direction
Living Things dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar
What we said: "It’s hard to guess outright what Living Things wants to convey. Are relationships supposed to last no matter what? Or should one let go when all that’s left is an impression of our former self?"
Netpac Jury Prize
Tokwifi dir. Carla Pulido Ocampo
What we said: "Visually Tokwifi is spectacular. It takes the viewers to rice fields and mountain landscapes in the Cordilleras, with shots around the campfire and tribal chanting setting the scene and drawing in the viewer immediately. For an independent film, Tokwifi offers excellent production value."
Special Jury Prize
Ang Pagpakalma Sa Unos (To Calm The Pig Inside) dir. Joanna Vasquez Arong
What we said: "Evoking loss and grief, juxtaposed against petty distractions that will likely remind you of how awful government response to natural disasters are, Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside) needs to be remembered especially in these times."
Best Screenplay
Pabasa kan Pasyon dir. Hubert Tibi
What we said: "Watching this felt like browsing through an old album of black and white still photographs, with particularly strong moving images, like the son who plays the part of King Herod crossing a field with the iconic Mayon Volcano in the background and the children carrying a cross in the cemetery, making it memorable."
Audience Choice
Quing Lalam Ning Aldo (Under the Sun) dir. Reeden Fajardo
What we said: "Despite its short running time, Quing Lalam Ning Aldo manages to offer a satisfying and feel-good conclusion – proof that an indie film doesn’t always have to be heartbreakingly depressing or plain weird."
Congratulations to all of the winners of this year's Cinemalaya!
Cinemalaya 2020 is still ongoing. Check out the previews of all 10 finalists for the short film category, non-competition indie shorts, as well as how to screen all of the films online through this link.
Wanna check out our full reviews of the finalists? Click here for part 1 of the reviews. For part 2, click here.
