‘Iti Mapukpukaw’ Is Cinemalaya’s Best, Highest Grossing Film This Year

It was a historic night at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City last Aug. 13 as the 19th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival came to a close with first-ever animated movie “Iti Mapukpukaw” hailed as the best in the full-length category.

The entry of director Carl Joseph Papa, a software engineer, was cited for “for boldly taking on the challenges of technology in crafting a very engaging narrative of a young man confronting the demons of his past, and for its overall cinematic excellence.”

It also won the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific or NETPAC Awards, earning praise for “its finely nuanced, masterfully crafted, tale of healing, friendships and young love, effectively utilizing state-of-the-art technology that is integral to its storytelling.”

“Iti Mapukpukaw” is Filipino-Ilocano rotoscope animated film that follows the life of mouthless Eric as it twists and turns after the arrival of the familiar alien, and the death of his uncle; both of which triggers him to remember his past and untangle his memories.

It took over a year of development and seven months of animation for the youth-led production team and over 90 Filipino animators to come up with “Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing).”

Cinemalaya also announced that “Iti Mapukpukaw” emerged as the highest grossing film among this year’s entries, followed by “Rookie.”

Januar Yap’s “Sibuyas ni Perfecto,” meanwhile, was adjudged the best in short film category for its “quiet but coruscating take on social iniquity and how the poor’s exploitation by the rich is driven by their own denigration and self-abasement.”

Best director honors went to filmmakers Ryan Espinosa Machado and Mike Cabarles. For his film “Huling Palabas,” Machado was cited for effectively summoning “the resources of art to come up with a deeply personal film that evokes fond memories of pre-digital cinema while paying homage to one’s small-town roots, and how all of this contributes to fashioning self-respect and self-identity.”

The jury said Cabarles, for his part, employed “the resources of cinema in effectively evoking the loneliness of two brothers missing their mother whom they have lost to the sea” in his film “Makoko sa Baybay.”

Jopy Arnaldo’s “Gitling” and Arvin Belarmino’s “Hinakdal” received the best screenplay awards. The film “Gitling” was praised for “its very tender tale of two persons bridging the divide between races and cultures and, through constructed language and through silence and even evasion, coming to a poignant understanding of the heart.”

“Hinakdal,” also a winner of the NETPAC Awards and co-written by Belarmino and Kyla Romero, was cited for its “very striking narrative that remakes the horror genre while humanizing zombies and endowing them with heart and soul… its pithy, layered and strong social commentary laced with dollops of humor.”

Actor Mikoy Morales and actress Pat Tingjuy were chosen as best actor and actor and actress, respectively. Morales won the jury’s nod for “his compelling performance of a charming but predatory womanizer who gets his just desserts” in the film “Tether” while Tingjuy won the award for “her refreshing portrayal of a young girl coming to terms with her sexual identity” in the movie “Rookie” “as she comes of age in the exciting world of volleyball.”

De Leon and Bon Andrew Lentejas won the best performance of a supporting actress and actor, respectively. De Leon was recognized for her “pellucid performance of an affectionate mother helping her son confront the demons of his past” in “Iti Mapukpukaw.” Meanwhile, Lentejas got the award for his “engaging portrayal of a young man trying to understand his best friend’s difficult ways as the latter comes of age” in “Huling Palabas.”

Technical awards include:

BEST EDITING – Ilsa Malsi (“Rookie”), for “effective splicing and intercutting that unravels a girl’s coming-of-age in the exciting world of volleyball.”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Martika Escobar (“When This Is All Over”), for her “effective camera work and lighting to depict the world of drugs and the lifestyle that sustains it.”

BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE – Kindred, composed of Justin Punzalan, Vince Dalida, Luis Montales, Jaime San Juan, Moses Webb, Fern Tan, Jorge Juan Wieneke V, Othello Intia, (“When This Is All Over”), for “its original musical soundtrack that helps propel its depiction of the drug subculture obtaining in high condominium living.”

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – Kaye Banaag (“When This Is All Over”), “for successfully conjuring the contrasting worlds of affluence and want in condominium living.”

BEST SOUND – Gian Arre (“Tether”), “for its effective sound design in which both noise and silence are melded well together to heighten psychological realism.”

Special Jury Prize winners were: Dustin Celestino’s “Ang Duyan ng Magiting,” which was cited for “its trenchant portrait of the wages of political violence, for its highly discursive and dialectical take on the culture of impunity that seems to have entrenched itself in Philippine politics, and for arousing among audiences awareness on the need to come to grips with the country’s escalating political violence”; and Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan’s “Hm Hm Mhm,” for “its boldly experimental verve to depict a woman revisiting the darker aspects of her childhood.”

Special Award was given to “Ang Duyan ng Magiting” for best ensemble acting, for its actors “powerful acting that credibly renders the opposing viewpoints in the history of political violence and culture of impunity that seem to have bedeviled the Philippines since the turn of the new century.”

“Hinakdal” and “Rookie” won the hearts of the Cinemalaya theatergoers and audiences, receiving the Audience Choice Award for short film and full-length categories, respectively.

All winners received the coveted Balanghai trophies.

Watch out for official announcements on when you can catch these films by following Cinemalaya’s social media accounts.