Two films lead the nominations of the Young Critics Circle Film Desk. Premiering at the 65th BFI London Film Festival in the United Kingdom, Lav Diaz’ Historya ni Ha follows a puppeteer who encounters marginalized individuals as he heads to a gold-laden remote island. Erik Matti’s sequel, On the Job 2: The Missing 8, premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and focuses on the intertwined engagements of a journalist tracking the sinister disappearances of his colleagues and a provisionally-freed prisoner hired as an assassin.
In addition, four films earned nominations across the seven categories in the annual critic group’s citations for distinguished achievement in film. These include Brillante Mendoza’s Gensan Punch, Kun Maupay Man It Panahon by Carlo Francisco Manatad, Mae Paner’s Tao Po, and Last Days at Sea by Venice Atienza.
The nominees for Best Performance (given to either lead or supporting role; or to an individual, duo, or ensemble) include the following: John Lloyd Cruz for Historya ni Ha; Mae Paner for Tao Po; Ronnie Lazaro & Shogun (duo performance for Gensan Punch); individual nominations for John Arcilla and Dennis Trillo for On the Job 2: The Missing 8; and the ensemble performance of John Arcilla, Dennis Trillo, Lotlot de Leon, Dante Rivero, Dolly de Leon for On the Job 2: The Missing 8.
YCC considered 89 films released for screening in 2021 which were distributed through online platforms, film festivals, and in selected cinemas. For the second year, given the effects on the COVID-19 pandemic, the critics group had virtual deliberations and selected 9 films for a longlist, which was trimmed into a shortlist of 6 films. YCC follows a rule of only nominating shortlisted films, with the exception of the Best First Feature category.
Below is the complete list of nominations.
BEST FILM
Historya ni Ha, directed by Lav Diaz
On the Job 2: The Missing 8, directed by Erik Matti
BEST PERFORMANCE
Mae Paner, Tao Po
Ronnie Lazaro & Shogun (duo), Gensan Punch
John Lloyd Cruz, Historya ni Ha
John Arcilla, On the Job 2: The Missing 8
Dennis Trillo, On the Job 2: The Missing 8
John Arcilla, Dennis Trillo, Lotlot de Leon, Dante Rivero, Dolly de Leon (ensemble), On the Job 2: The Missing 8
BEST SCREENPLAY
On the Job 2: The Missing 8, Erik Matti & Michiko Yamamoto
Historya ni Ha, Lav Diaz
Tao Po, Maynard Manansala
BEST EDITING
Gensan Punch, Ysabel Denoga, Armando Lao, Peter Arian Vito
On the Job 2: The Missing 8, Jay Halili
Last Days at Sea, Anna Silva & Katrin Maria Escay
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VISUAL DESIGN
Gensan Punch, cinematography: Joshua Reyles; production design: Brillante Mendoza
On the Job 2: The Missing 8, cinematography: Neil Derrick Bion; production design: Roma Regala
Historya ni Ha, cinematography & production design: Lav Diaz
Last Days at Sea, cinematography: Venice Atienza & Moshe Ladanga
BEST SOUND AND AURAL ORCHESTRATION
Gensan Punch, sound design: Albert Michael Idioma, Alex Tomboc, Deo Van Fidelson; music: Diwa de Leon
On the Job 2: The Missing 8, sound design: Corrine De San Jose; music: Malek Lopez, Arvin Nogueras, Erwin Romulo
BEST FIRST FEATURE
Tao Po, directed by Mae Paner
Kun Maupay Man it Panahon, directed by Carlo Francisco Manatad
Last Days at Sea, directed by Venice Atienza