The MTRCB-flagged film Dreamboi emerged as the biggest winner at the inaugural CineSilip Film Festival awards night held at Viva Café in Araneta City, Cubao, on Monday night. The controversial film bagged major and technical awards, including Best Film, Best Sound, Musical Score, Editing, Cinematography, Supporting Actor for Migs Almendras, and Best Director for Rodina Singh.
Singh first received the Audience Choice award, with the acceptance speech drawing attention for addressing a viral Facebook post by Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair Jose Javier Reyes, who questioned why more people were watching CineSilip films than the historical epic Quezon.
“Gusto ko munang pasalamatan yung lahat ng nag-show up sa sinehan kasi, surprisingly, napupuno ho namin yung mga sinehan. Napupuno enough para ma-bother yung iba na bakit mas marami ang nanonood ng CineSilip kesa sa Quezon,” Singh said.
In Singh’s Best Film acceptance speech, the director thanked Dreamboi team and praised the success of the festival’s debut edition.
“Historical ang unang CineSilip kasi kung saan man ito mapunta one day, tayo ang mga unang nagtapang at nagpasarap,” Singh said in jest, sharing the award with Tony Labrusca, who played the title role. “To the nonbelievers of the movies of CineSilip, ang masasabi ko lang, some stories really do refuse to die.”
Days before its premiere, Dreamboi was flagged twice by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for “inappropriate” content, receiving two X-ratings before being cleared with an R-18 classification on its third review. The controversy fueled public curiosity, with its screenings selling out and additional runs added outside Metro Manila.
Martin del Rosario won Best Actor for his performance in Haplos sa Hangin, while Angela Morena took home the Best Actress trophy for the movie Pagdaong.
“Sana mawala na ‘yung stigma sa mga erotic movies. Kaya naman natin gumawa ng sexy na may kwento rin. Sana mas maging progresibo tayo sa sekswalidad, gender identity at iba pa,” Del Rosario said in his acceptance speech.
Other winners included Paulo Almaden for Best Musical Score (Haplos sa Hangin), Chloe Jenna for Best Supporting Actress (Maria Azama Best Porn Star), and Sonny Calvento and Mikko Baldoza for Best Screenplay (Haplos sa Hangin).
Haplos sa Hangin won Third Best Film, while Pagdaong was named Second Best Film.
The jury was composed of directors Joy Aquino and Erik Matti and film critic and Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino member Tito Valiente.
