Cinema One Originals 2015 Winners and Overall impressions

C1Originals Winners

Audience Choice Award: Baka Siguro Yata

Champion Bughaw Award: Manang Biring

Best Sound: Bukod Kang Pinagpala

Best Music: Manang Biring

Best Editing: Charliebebs Gohetia (Hamog)

Best Production Design: Bukod Kang Pinagpala

Best Cinematography: Dayang Asu

Best Screenplay: Ara Chawdhury (Miss Bulalacao)

Best Supporting Actress: Chai Fonacier (Miss Bulalacao)

Best Supporting Actor: Bor Lentejas (Hamog)

Special Recognition for Contributions to Philippine Independent Cinema:

Rox Lee

Joey Agbayani

Mike and Johnny Alcazaren

Nick Deocampo

Raymond Red

Best Actress: Teri Malvar (Hamog)

Best Actor: Dino Pastrano (Baka Siguro Yata)

Best Director: Bor Ocampo (Dayang Asu)

Jury Prize: Hamog

Best Picture: Manang Biring

I am happy with this turnout. 

Overall Impressions

Due to schedule conflicts it looks like I won't be able to see Dayang Asu, so I guess that wraps up my C1Originals coverage. It's been a blast writing about the festival and seeing all the films.

Other than Dayang Asu, there were a lot of films that I missed seeing thanks to me being busy as frak, especially the fantastic international films program. Kiyoshi Kurosawa had a film in the lineup (Kishibe no Tabi, or Journey to the Shore) as well as Oscar Foreign Film noms Mustang and Rams. Of course Hong Sang-soo's Right Now, Wrong Then is also there. I might pick up a DVD or something sooner or later. I have seen both The Assassin and A Pigeon Sat on A Branch Reflecting on Existence, but laziness is the mortal enemy of writing.

The overall lineup for this year was strong. After seeing the first three films I had my reservations but watching the rest of the films made me realize that the best was indeed saved for last. If I had to rank all of the films it would be:

1. Manang Biring is just good. It's overall good storytelling. The performances seal the deal. Feels na kung feels.

2. Baka Siguro Yata is all sorts of wonderful despite its flaws. Smart comedies are a weakness of mine and this one charmed the fuck out of me. It's one of the rare films that made me truly enjoy being inside a cinema.

3. Miss Bulalacao is daring and unique and it has a lot to say. There's a delightful kind of weirdness about it that adds to its overall charm. It's not perfect, but nothing ever is.

4. Hamog is tied with the entry below. It can get out of control at times, but my enjoyment partly stemmed from subverting my expectations about the film. Perhaps it could have trimmed some of the side stories to focus more on the two main character arcs in the film.

4. Dahling Nick is paced too unevenly for me, but overall is a great film. My viewing partner (who is relatively new to Joaquin's works) loved it way more than I did.

6. Mga Rebeldeng May Kaso is a snapshot of an interesting time, but without the context behind that snapshot, all you have is a picture that barely means anything to the uninitiated.

7. Bukod Kang Pinagpala is effective horror, but can be too densely layered at times. I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing, though.

8. The Comeback is loud and funny. The loudness and humor are not for everyone, but those who do enjoy such things will have a great time.

That's about it! MMFF New Wave and MMFF main festival next month. Till then see you at the movies :3