33rd Urian Awards: Kinatay wins best picture award!

Cine Adarna, University of the Philippines Diliman (April 29) - The 33rd Urian Awards started late but was fortunately brisk and fast-paced. Host Butch Francisco added some suspense by hinting of a possible big night for the film Himpapawid. The first five awards went to five different films. When the first two acting awards were given out, Himpapawid emerged as front-runner with three awards. Another film caught up with Himpapawid in a matter of minutes. The film Lola was recognized for best screenplay. The leads from the film shared the best actress award. Both films were tied with three awards.

Brillante Mendoza's scooping of the Best Direction award for Kinatay made it a three-way fight for the Best Picture award. In the end, the good-looking and very-much alive Piolo Pascual announced that the spine-tingling Kinatay will bring home the top prize. It is the third straight time for a Mendoza film to win the Best Picture Award. His other Urian-winning films are Tirador and Serbis. In a statement read by his lovely daughter Angelica, the filmmaker expressed elation over the selection of his film and remarked that he must be doing the right kind of films.

A heartwarming sight was seeing film industry veterans getting awards from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Acting icons Rustica Carpio and Anita Linda thanked Mendoza for getting them. Another veteran performer Lou Veloso was honored for his excellent performance in the film Colorum.

The feisty producer and actress Armida Siguion-Reyna was this year's recipient of the Natatanging Gawad Urian. She candidly remarked that she fought with nearly everyone in the local film industry. She admits that there is only one person who she cannot and did not vanquish and that is Joseph Estrada. She hated his guts so much that they became enemies. The animosity disappeared and Siguion-Reyna now openly exhorts voters to choose Estrada in the coming May 10 elections.

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Winners of the 33rd Urian Awards

Best Picture: KINATAY (Swift Production and Centerstage Production)
Best Director: Brillante Mendoza (KINATAY)
Best Actress (tie): Rustica Carpio & Anita Linda (LOLA)
Best Actor: Lou Veloso (COLORUM)
Best Screenplay: Linda Casimiro (LOLA)
Best Short Film: TO SIOMAI LOVE
Best Supporting Actress: Marissa Sue Prado (HIMPAPAWID)
Best Supporting Actor: Soliman Cruz (HIMPAPAWID)
Best Production Design: Brillante Mendoza (LOLA)
Best Cinematography: Raymond Red (HIMPAPAWID)
Best Editing: Orlean Tan, Ralph Crisostomo & Miko Araneta (ENGKWENTRO)
Best Music: Francis de Veyra (THE ARRIVAL)
Best Sound: Albert Michael Idioma (KINATAY)
Natatanging Gawad Urian: Armida Siguion-Reyna