The 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has awarded its much-revered Balanghai trophies to the winning entries in a program held at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo last August 14.

The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo was named Best Film, Best Screenplay for Obispo, Best Editing for Zig Dulay, and Best Actor for Tommy Alejandrino, who starred as a Moro child soldier dreaming to become a baseball player.

Meanwhile, the box office hit Blue Room by Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan took home the Special Jury Prize, as well as the Best Direction for Dagñalan, Best Cinematography for Neil Daza, Best Supporting Actor for Soliman Cruz, and Best Production Design for Marxie Maolen Fadul. Blue Room follows the members of the indie rock band Rebel Rebel who are arrested for drug possession and must decide if they would use their privilege to get away with it.

Other winners of this year’s Cinemalaya include Max Eigenmann who won the Best Actress award for her performance in 12 Weeks by Anna Isabella Matutina, which also won the NETPAC Award; Ruby Ruiz winning the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Christian Paolo Lat’s Ginhawa; Kargo by TM Malones won the Audience Choice Award; Pepe Manikan for Best Sound in Bula Sa Langit; and Isha Abubakar of Retirada for Best Musical Score.

Meanwhile, here is the list of winners for the Short Film Category:

• Best Short Film & NETPAC Award – Zig Dulay’s Black Rainbow
• Best Direction & Special Jury Prize – Gabriella Serrano’s Dikit
• Audience Choice Award – Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras (The Dreams That Are Written On The Sand) by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico

After two years of streaming online due to the pandemic, Cinemalaya officially returned to onsite screening this year. Twelve finalists from the pool of 2020 and 2021 Cinemalaya entries competed for the full-length category and 12 films also competed for the Short film category.

The Cinemalaya finalists will continue to screen in select partner cinemas nationwide until August 16. The festival will also go to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte on September 9 to 15, followed by its online run in October via the CCP Vimeo Account.

For more information, visit the CCP and Cinemalaya websites.

ALSO READ
Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: ‘Blue Room,’ ‘The Baseball Player,’ and opening film ‘Leonor Will Never Die’
Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: ‘Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?’ and ‘Kaluskos’
Cinemalaya 2022 Unveils Lineup of Full-Length Films & Short Films

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Homestream image courtesy of Cinemalaya.