Porno, Adolfo Alix Jr.’s triptych film of individuals linked through pornography wins big at the Young Critics Circle’s 24th Annual Citations, bagging five of the six main awards, including Best Film and Best Performance for Carlo Aquino who tied with Jhong Hilario for Badil.
Porno also took the prizes for Best Screenplay and Best Sound and Aural Orchestration, and tied with Frasco Mortiz’s Pagpag for Best Editing.
Mel Chionglo’s Lauriana is named Best Cinematography and Visual Design.
Porno was one of the entries to the 2013 Cinemalaya Film Festival but, due to its mature content, was only exhibited in the Cultural Center of the Philippines, unlike the rest of the entries that were screened in select commercial theaters.
Alix has now won three Best Film awards from YCC, previously winning in 2009 for Adela and in 2012 for Haruo. He has also previously won for his production design in Kalayaan (2012).
Both Aquino and Hilario have been previously nominated for Best Performance by the academe-based group: Aquino for Minsan May Isang Puso (1999) and Baler (2008), and Hilario for Muro-Ami (1999).
Having previously narrowed down the year’s cinematic output to a long list of 22 films, the group last night further reduced the list to 13, and, after more than six hours of intense deliberations, arrived at record-number nominations in most categories: Film (8), Performance (15), Screenplay (8), and Cinematography and Visual Design (11).
To encourage the growth of emerging filmmakers, YCC decided to introduce a new special category – Best First Features, to be given to the three most outstanding feature films of debuting filmmakers. This year, the recipients are Angustia (Kristian Sendon Cordero), Puti (Miguel Alcazaren), and Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin (Randolph Longjas).
The awards ceremony is set on the third week of March, with the specific date and venue to be announced soon.
Below is the list of nominees for all categories:
FILM
Winner: Porno, directed by Adolfo Alix Jr. (Cinemalaya Foundation, Phoenix Features, Deus Lux Mea Films, Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum, CMB Film Services, Inc.; Arleen Cuevas, producer)
Nominees:
Mga Anino ng Kahapon, directed by Alvin Yapan (VYAC Productions; Alemberg Ang, producer)
Babagwa, directed by Jason Paul Laxamana (Cinemalaya Foundation, Quantum Films, Kamaru Productions; Josabeth Alonso, executive producer; Ferdinand Lapuz, producer; Chad Angelic Cabigon, associate producer)
Badil, directed by Chito Roño (Film Development Council of the Philippines; Rafaela May Ocampo, executive producer; Han Salazar, producer)
Dukit, directed by Armando Lao (Centerstage Productions, Betis Galleria; Armando Lao, producer; Brillante Mendoza and Florentina Canasa Layug, executive producers; Sonny Dobles and City Heights Hotel, associate producers)
Ang Kwento ni Mabuti, directed by Mes de Guzman (CineFilipino, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Studio 5, Unitel Entertainment, Cinelarga, SampayBakod Productions; Rhea Operaña de Guzman, producer)
Pagpag, directed by Frasco Santos Mortiz (Star Cinema, Regal Films; Charo Santos-Concio, Malou Santos, Lily Monteverde, and Roselle Monteverde, executive producers; Enrico Santos and Marizel Samson-Martinez, supervising producers)
Quick Change, directed by Eduardo Roy Jr. (Cinemalaya Foundation, Found Films; Almond Derla, executive producer; Ferdinand Lapuz, producer)
PERFORMANCE
Winners: Carlo Aquino, Porno and Jhong Hilario, Badil
Nominees:
Angel Aquino, Porno
Nora Aunor, Ang Kwento ni Mabuti
Adrian Cabido, Lauriana
Carlo Cruz, Mga Anino ng Kahapon
Allen Dizon, Lauriana
Ensemble cast of Porno
Cherie Gil, Sonata
Dick Israel, Badil
Alex Vincent Medina, Babagwa
Daniel Padilla, Pagpag
Joey Paras, Babagwa
Sue Prado, Ang Kwento ni Mabuti
TJ Trinidad, Mga Anino ng Kahapon
SCREENPLAY
Winner: Porno, Ralston Jover
Nominees:
Mga Anino ng Kahapon, Alvin Yapan
Babagwa, Jason Paul Laxamana
Badil, Rodolfo Vera
Debosyon, Alvin Yapan
Dukit, Armando Lao and Mary Honeylyn Joy Alipio
Ang Kwento ni Mabuti, Mes de Guzman
Quick Change, Eduardo Roy Jr
EDITING
Winners: Pagpag, Jerrold Tarog and Porno, Aleks Castañeda
Nominees:
Badil, Carlo Francisco Manatad
Dukit, Diego Marx Dobles
CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VISUAL DESIGN
Winner: Lauriana, Nap Jamir (cinematography) and Edgar Martin Littaua (production design)
Nominees:
Mga Anino ng Kahapon, Dexter dela Peña and Jan Tristan Pandy (cinematography), Whammy Alcazaren (production design), Frances Grace Mortel and Rita Vargas (art direction), and Phyllis Grae Grande (set decoration)
Badil, Neil Daza (cinematography), Jayvee Taduran (production design), and Donald Camon (art direction)
Debosyon, Dexter dela Peña (cinematography), Dennis Corteza and Paolo Rey Mendoza Piaña (production design), Roy Dominguiano and Pat Noveno (art direction), and Omar Aguilar (visual effects)
Dukit, Triztan Garcia, Bruno Tiotuico, Jeffrey Icawat, and Diego Dobles (cinematography), Leo Abaya and Olga Marquez (production design)
The Guerilla Is a Poet, Kiri Dalena (cinematography) and Sari Dalena (production design)
Ang Kwento ni Mabuti, Albert Banzon (cinematography), Cesar Hernando and Mes de Guzman (production design)
Pagpag, David Diaz-Abaya (cinematography), Luis Custodio IV (production design), and Daren Francis Raña (visual effects)
Porno, Albert Banzon (cinematography), Adolfo Alix Jr. (production design), and Bobet Lopez (art direction)
Quick Change, Dan Villegas (cinematography) and Harley Alcasid (production design)
Sonata, Mark Gary (cinematography), Emilio Montelibano Jr. (production design), and Richard Francia (visual effects)
SOUND AND AURAL ORCHESTRATION
Winner: Porno, Albert Michael Idioma (sound design) and Ari Trofeo (sound)
Nominees:
Babagwa, Lucien Letaba and Joseph Lansang (music) and Addiss Tabong (sound design)
Badil, Carmina Cuya (music) and Addiss Tabong (sound design)
Debosyon, Teresa Barrozo and Jireh Pasano (music), Ray Andrew San Miguel and Andrew Millalos (sound design)
Dukit, Armando Lao (music and sound design)
Pagpag, Francis Concio (music) and Arnel Labayo (sound design)
FIRST FEATURE
Winners: Angustia (Kristian Sendon Cordero), Puti (Miguel Alcazaren), and Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin (Randolph Longjas)
The Young Critics Circle is composed of Skilty Labastilla (Chair), Aristotle Atienza, Patrick Flores, Tessa Maria Guazon, Lisa Ito, J. Pilapil Jacobo, Nonoy Lauzon, JPaul Manzanilla, Jema Pamintuan, and Jaime Oscar Salazar.
