MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Films that break free from the constraints of the pandemic and embrace the Filipino narratives get the nods from the jurors of the Ika-33 Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula At Video, considered the longest-running independent film and video competition in Asia.
With the theme ALPAS: ‘Kwento Natin ‘To! (Breaking Free: Our Stories), this year’s Gawad Alternatibo “conveys the perseverance of the film community and the audience by surfacing, claiming, and embracing the stories that reflect the current time. By doing so, the filmmakers and audiences find their strength in weathering any storm that comes by,” the Cultural Center of the Philippines said.
Streamed from August 6 to September 5, the winners were named during the awarding ceremony held on September 4, 2021 live-streamed via Gawad Alternatibo, CCP, and Cinemalaya Facebook pages including CCP Kumu Channel.
In the Animation category, First Prize went to My Mamily by Cha Roque; Second and Third Prize winners were Home by Bryan Kent Abias and Haraya by Kem Jaspher D. Abayon, respectively. Honorable Mentions were given to Basurahan by Maki Liwanag and Langit Lupa by Cha Roque, which also received the Special Citation Works by/for/on Children.
The winners were selected by the jury composed of comic artists and animators, Michelle Cervantes, Emiliana Kampilan and Mervin Malonzo, among the nine finalists.
Panambi by Jane Mariane Biyo, Katya Marie Corazon Puertollano, and Myra Angeline Soriaso bagged the top prize in the Documentary category; followed by Kambalingan by Terence Giourdan Gonzalves and Mga Gipaambit Gikan sa Tubig by Anna Miguel Cervantes for the Second and Third Prize, respectively. Iyallatiw by Melver Ritz L. Gomez garnered Honorable Mention and Special Citation Works by/for/on Children, which a recognition it shared with Maliliit Na Hakbang by Richard Soriano Legaspi.
Prof. Choy Pangilinan, and directors Carla Pulido Ocampo and She Andes selected the winning films in the Documentary category from the 13 finalists.
Transit Tyranny by Jonathan Jose Zamora Olarte beat 24 films in the Experimental category to bring home the First Prize award. Mga Bag-ong Nawong sang Damgo kag Katingalahan by Mark Raymund L. Garcia won Second Prize and was named Best Regional Entry. Let Our Response Be by Ruka Azuma garnered Third Prize.
The Honorable Mentions went to Hugas Kamay by Vahn Leinard C. Pascual and Somewhere a Destination by Celeste Lapida; while Atmosphere by Yuki Okazawa received the Special Citation for a Foreign Entry under the Curated Section of Experimental, and Pekyu by Kristine Cerva, the Special Citation Works by/for/on Children.
The jurors for the Experimental category were director Sari Dalena, cultural worker-filmmaker Eshei Mesina and host Lourd De Veyra.
Directors Sonny Calvento, Arnel “Arbi” Barbarona, and actress Adrienne Malabed Vergara adjudged Manyaok by Kate Villanueva as the First Place winner in the Short Feature category.
Second Prize went to Gutab by Mary Andrea Palmares, while Third Prize was awarded to Bangungot by Moses Webb and Honorable Mention to Here Not Here by Mariah Vianca Quinesio.
The jury gave Special Citation for Acting to Katelyn Miñoso from the film Camille Alone by Kaya Guillen, and Special Citation Works for Scriptwriting to Nanay, Nanay, Gusto Ko Siya by Nicca Patricia D. Marcelino. Special Citation Works by/for/on Children went to Laot by John Lester Rimorin.
All first prize winners will receive Php25,000 each; second prize winners, Php15,000, and third prize, Php10,000. Honorable Mentions will get Php5,000.00 each.
For this year’s edition of Gawad Alternatibo, over 238 entries in all categories were submitted to the CCP Film, Broadcast and New Media Division.
