The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
One is a film festival while the other is an award-giving body.
How they complement each other without compromising one’s objectivity and credibility.
What do they have in common?
What else but their penchant for bold, groundbreaking and non-conformist choices for filmic creations.
Lately, the two entities overlapped in their scheduled screening and awarding preferred movies.
What a conjunction.
One day before the closing ceremonies of the 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in three simultaneous venues, namely Red Carpet Cinema at Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls and Gateway cinemas, the Gawad Urian of the critics group Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) held its awards rites on a Saturday at the Teresa Yuchengco Hall of the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue in Manila.
Most of last year’s harvests of Cinemalaya won major and other significant technical awards at one of Manila critics’ events.
JL Burgos, 2025 Urian Best Director
JL Burgos’ “Alipato at Muog,” a foray into the forced disappearance of social activist Jonas Burgos romped away the Best Film (Pinakamahusay na Pelikula) likewise the Best Documentary award (Pinakamahusay na Dokyumentaryo).
The Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) went to the dual venture of Arlie Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroul Savaldico for the heart-wrenching documentary drama “Tumandok,” a narrative in the life and times of the Ati tribe in Panay Island.
The film on the Visayan Indigenous Peoples (IPs) also won the Best Screenplay (Pinakamahusay na Dulang Pampelikula) nod.
In the acting department, though, two awards were assigned to non-Cinemalaya productions, namely the Best Actor (Pinakamahusay na Aktor) recognition which was given to Dennis Trillo for his exceptional performance as a soon-to-be-released prisoner opposed by a jail guard in “Green Bones,” an entry to the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival from GMA Pictures and the Best Supporting Actress (Pinakamahusay na Katulong na Aktres) award which was bestowed to Kakki Teodoro for her exemplary portrayal of Nimia in “Isang Himala,” another official selection to the 50th MMFF from Kapitol Films and UXS.
Meanwhile, the Best Supporting Actor (Pinakamahusay na Katulong na Aktor) accolade was posthumously awarded to Felipe Ganancial, a non-actor (in its traditional meaning) but a real-life performer as leader and chieftain of the Ati ethnic group in the 20th Cinemalaya entry, “Tumandok.”
Posthumous Best Supporting Actor for Felipe Ganancial
Felipe passed away last May 13 and the award was a fitting tribute to his steadfast leadership of the tribe.
His trophy was received by his daughter whose acceptance speech was a haunting scenario for remembering Ganancial’s contributions to the liberation of the Ati indigeneity.
The Best Actress (Pinakamahusay na Aktres) prize was handed to Arisa Kanako for her outstanding interpretation of a half-Japanese sister meeting her other half-sibling in “Kono Basho,” a main competitor in the 2024 Cinemalaya.
Arisa wasn’t around during the awarding and her co-star in the film and fellow nominee in the category, Gabby Padilla accepted instead the award on her behalf.
Janina Mikaela Minglanilla and Michaela Docena were named winners for the Best Sound award for Cinemalaya 20’s “The Hearing,” a story about a deaf boy who serves as a complainant and witness to a high-profile court case.
“Tumandok” won Best Music for Paulo Almaden.
“Green Bones” bagged Best Production Design for Marxie Maolen Fadul.
“Kono Basho” got Best Cinematography for Dan Villegas.
The Best Short Film (Pinakamahusay na Maikling Pelikula) was snagged by “Bisan Abo, Wala Bilin” by Kyd Toraro.
Dante Rivero: From Floridablanca to Manila
Interestingly, veteran actor Dante Rivero was tje recipient of MPP’s highest honors, the 2025 Naratanging Gawad Urian for his illustrious acting career that started in the mid-60s.
Dante travelled all the way from Floridablanca, Pampanga where he resides to personally accept his award together with another trophy he left three years ago during the proceedings when he won Best Supporting Actor for “On The Job: The Missing 8.”
The following day, Sunday, at the Cinema 3 of Red Carpet Cinema, Cinemalaya Festival Director Chris Millado seemed triumphant when he extolled the honors received by last year’s Cinemalaya from Gawad Urian the night before.
It was an affirmation of the objectives of the MPP to advance the interest of Philippine cinema in national development.
The critics’ choices were unconventional and well-defined by the social responsibility a film should carry to liberate society from the chains of oppression, exploitation, greed, disinformation, among the many evils that thrive in our midst.
They seemed to be the benchmarks in the selection of winners in the Cinemalaya 21.
This year’s board of judges was composed of iconic actor Christopher de Leon, progressive director Pepe Diokno, award-winning screenwriter Michiko Yamamoto, expert on Asian Cinema Mark Schilling and world-renowned scriptwriter and film educator Sophia Wellington.
Plight of land rights activists
The 21st Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival concluded with a powerful statement on the strength of documentary storytelling, awarding a documentary film on the plight of land rights activists in Cagayan Valley the prestigious Balanghai trophy for Best Film.
Directed by Noni Abao, “Bloom Where You Are Planted” was cited for “its powerful and deeply humane portrayal of political activists uprooted by violence yet steadfast in their pursuit of justice and belonging; for transforming the struggle for land, peace, and dignity in Cagayan Valley into a meditation on home, hope, and resilience.”