‘Fan Girl’ rules Metro film festival, loses to online piracy

FUGITIVE WINNER “Fan Girl” sizzles with most awards at the Sunday night virtual edition of the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Actor for
Paulo Avelino, best actress for his co-star Charlie Dizon, best director for Antoinette Jadaone (inset) and best film. -SCREENSHOT

Antoinette Jadaone’s “Fan Girl”, a film about an obsessed teenager who spent an unforgettable night with her idol, was declared the winner of nine awards, including best film, during the virtual edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival 2020 (MMFF) “Gabi ng Parangal” on Sunday night.

While the film won the most awards, it was also hit the hardest by online piracy, Jadaone said during a news conference Monday afternoon.

“We are talking to the producers of the other nine tickets to the film festival, as well as the organizers of the MMFF and Upstream (the festival’s official live streaming partner). This week, we will be very busy filing criminal cases against these pirates, ”he said.

“There will be ‘real’ consequences for these online pirates and those who will sponsor them,” he added.

Dolly Dulu’s romantic comedy “The Child Foretold by the Stars” came in second for best picture, while McArthur Alejandre’s drama “Tagpuan” was third.

Jadaone, who won the awards for best director and best screenplay, co-produced “Fan Girl” on Project 8 San Joaquin with Epicmedia, Black Sheep Productions, Globe Studios and Crossword Productions.

The film premiered at the 2020 Tokyo International Film Festival in Japan and competed in the 2020 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia.

Collaboration movie

In her speech, Jadaone thanked the people who collaborated with her on the project. “A director is only as good as the people who worked behind the camera with her,” he said.

“I hope that after we’ve all seen ‘Fan Girl’, we will remember to raise our children in a Philippines that is liberal; we will remember to leave our youth with a country that deserves their love and care, ”he added.

Paulo Avelino, who plays the celebrity in “Fan Girl,” won the best actor award, while his co-star, newcomer Charlie Dizon, snatched the best actress trophy from his more seasoned opponents, namely Nora. Aunor (“Isa Pang Bahaghari”), Sylvia. Sánchez (“Coming Home”), Iza Calzado (“Tagpuan”) and Ritz Azul (“The Missing”).

“I used to dream of being an actress. I never thought I’d get this far. I hope my parents are proud of me, ”Dizon said.

“I know that life is difficult for most of us these days. I pray that things will improve soon. Let’s just hang on. I am sure that in the near future better days will come; that our lives will improve, “said Avelino in his thank you note.

“Fan Girl” also won the award for best cinematography for Neil Daza, best editing for Benjamin Tolentino and best sound for Vincent Villa.

Other winners

“Tagpuan” won Shaina Magdayao the award for best actress in a supporting role, while Michael de Mesa took the award for best actor in a supporting role for his performance in the Joel Lamangan drama “Isa Pang Bahaghari.”

Japanese child actor Seiyo Masunaga was named best child actor for his work on Easy Ferrer’s horror thriller “The Missing.”

“Tagpuan” lead actor Alfred Vargas, who also produced the film as part of his Alternative Vision Cinema, said: “Ours is a small company but we plan to continue making films that are worthwhile because we believe that cinema and entertainment are forms of art that identity the nation. “

Vargas, who is also the Quezon City Fifth Ward representative, asked young and aspiring filmmakers to collaborate with him.

“A movie is a reflection of the times. This 2020 has been a struggle with the pandemic; so we want to continue producing films that reach the hearts of Filipinos. AV Cinema is open to all. I hope to work with you soon, ”he said.

Christian Acuña’s “Magikland” won the best production design awards for Ericson Navarro; best visual effects for Richard Francia and Ryan Grimarez (Central Digital Lab); and best musical score for Emerzon Texon.

“Ulan”, written by Jhay Cura and Pau Protacio for “Boy Foretold by the Stars”, was declared the best original musical theme.

Also participating in the two-week festival are comedy films by Al Tantay, titled “Pakboys: Takusa”, and Topel Lee, titled “Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim.”

Special Awards

Special prizes were handed out during the virtual ceremony that was streamed on Facebook and YouTube on Sunday night.

The GatPuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award went to “Suárez: El Sacerdote Sanador”; Award in memory of Fernando Poe Jr. to “Magikland”; Prize in Memory of Manay Ichu Vera Pérez to Gloria Romero; Gender Sensitivity Award for “The Child Predicted by the Stars”; and Special Jury Prize to the late filmmaker Peque Gallaga, who was a co-producer of “Magikland”.

The winners of the awards for best float are “Magikland” (first place), “Isa Pang Bahaghari” (second) and “Fan Girl” (third place).

This year’s winner of the Best Student Short Film award is “Paano Maging Babae” by De La Salle College of St. Benilde students.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s edition of the MMFF features 10 entries that are exclusively streamed via upstream.ph for P250. The festival will run until January 7, 2021.

Jadaone noted that even as the country battled the pandemic, pirates continued to find ways to shoot movies without permission.

“Anyone can capture the screen and record through Upstream like Netflix. Piracy is always illegal. It’s bad, but it’s worse when it happens during the pandemic. Now that we cling to life, the more they step on us, ”he said.

The producers, Jadaone said, had come together to fight piracy. “We have always spoken against it, but now is the time to take serious action to help stop it,” he said.

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