Two weeks ago, the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors or SPEED, of which I am the president, debuted the first Eddys, the name given to the movie awards we decided to give to artists, craftsmen, and technicians that labor in what we, despite its obvious deficiencies, call movie industry.
Whatever, I personally admire the persistence of the people that make up the Philippine film community and marvel at how they flaunt the triumphs they earn in either major or minor international film festivals.
But, it also saddens me that most of them ignore the recognition that local organizations, like SPEED, try to bestow on the people that first and foremost should be glad they are being recognized by fellow Filipinos. Is that how lowly they look upon themselves that they would only rejoice when juries in Cannes, Venice, San Sebastian, New York, Berlin and other festivals abroad acknowledge them and think that a local award doesn’t bear weight?
I watched the telecast of the Eddys last Sunday on ABS-CBN, not because I was there, but simply because I want to see how an awards show would look like without the nominees and eventually the winners. SAD, that’s how I felt. But I told myself as I drifted off to dreamland (the show was short but ended at about 1 a.m. Monday),”This was just the beginning. Perhaps, the local movie folks needed more time to digest what The Eddys is all about after years of exposure to the FAMAS, Star Awards, et al. And I just had to console myself of the thought that not many in the industry know that there is such an ‘entertainment editor” after years of dealing with ‘kolumnistas’ and ‘reporters.’ The realization will come, not in my time perhaps.” So I slept the rest of the night.
The Eddys doesn’t want to rock the local movie industry, albeit just wants to contribute something more positive and help the industry reach the goals (if it has any) they have set in the coming years.
To those who made The Eddys worth the days and nights of work and anticipation among the members of the Society, I am extending my heartfelt gratitude.
I am very thankful that some people can be generous in extending their assistance to make our first Eddys a success. One of them is talent manager/TV host/ columnist Lolit Solis for allowing her talents Christopher de Leon and Lorna Tolentino to be part of the awards night. Thanks Lolit, Boyet, and LT for giving The Eddys the much-needed lift.
Of course, my heartfelt thanks to the father-son tandem of Edu Manzano and Luis Manzano for making the show more than just a run-of-the-mill awards show. You’re a great hosting tandem.
I also appreciate for the time Martin Nievera and Ogie Alcasid gave to SPEED that night for the Eddys and my sincerest gratitude for capping the show with aplomb.
Most of all, I am very grateful for those who came to receive their awards – Mother Lily Monteverde (Producer of the Year), Boy Abunda (Joe Quirino Award), and Director Maryo J. de los Reyes for accepting the group’s Posthumous Award to screenwriter Jake Tordesillas.
And my thanks as well to Jason Cayabyab who gave the Joe Qurino award to Boy Abunda, and Manny Pichel’s sister Lolly Mara and her son Tata who presented the award to Lav Diaz (accepted on behalf of the director by Ronald Arguelles of Cinema One) for giving their assent of the SPEED’s special awards.
Also, I am grateful to Annabelle Rama and Jun Lalin for making sure the Gutzy couple –Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Labahti – was in the show; the same with Sylvia Sanchez for asking her son Arjo Atayde to be a performer. Many, many thanks to you all,
I was also deeply touched to see nominees Nora Aunor, Rhian Ramos, and Isabel Lopez at Kia Theater on the night of July 9. Though they didn’t go home with the Eddy, their presence could only mean one thing…going to awards show is not about winning, but about being with the people in the industry.
I’d like to thank, specially, Jhops Cruz of DMCI for facilitating the group’s screening of films at One Castilla Place weeks before the awards night.
In essence, since the local movie industry doesn’t have something similar to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, SPEED would like to think, in due time, our awards night will be like the annual Oscars, or if not, the Golden Globes.