Baler surfer drama, insomniacs’ romance win big at QCinema Fest

The QCinema International Film Festival awards ceremony was held Wednesday night at the recently opened Quezon City Museum. The event celebrated the achievements of participants in the festival’s Circle Competition and DoQC (documentary) programs.

"Apocalypse Child" was the festival’s best picture, while "Sleepless" was given the best picture prize by the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) jury. The NETPAC jury conferred on Sheron Dayoc’s "Crescent Rising" the best documentary nod.

"Apocalypse Child," a drama set amidst the surfing community in Baler, Aurora, won four prizes, the most for any film. Apart from the best picture prize, Mario Cornejo (who produced the film with partner Monster Jimenez) won the best director prize, and editor Lawrence S. Ang received the best artistic achievement honor. Annicka Dolonius was named the best supporting actress for her work on the film.



"Water Lemon," a story set in its filmmaker Lem Lorca's hometown of Mauban, Quezon, won the best screenplay award for Lilit Reyes. Both at the ceremony and at a screenwriter’s forum held earlier that day, Reyes admitted that of all the screenplays he wrote, this was the first that got produced. Veteran actors Lou Veloso and Tessie Tomas won the best supporting actor and best actress awards for their work on the film.



Two debut features each walked away with two prizes. Mihk Vergara’s "Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo" won special citations for gender sensitivity (a signature prize for Quezon City, whose government has made it a touchstone of their work) and the audience choice prize.



"Sleepless" won not only the NETPAC jury prize but also a best actor nod for lead Dominic Roco, who the author saw was about to take his seat at the table when his name was called.

Read: (Almost) every word matters in QCinema entry ‘Sleepless’



This year’s festival jury included producer and screenwriter Moira Lang, filmmaker and film historian Andrew Leavold, producer and festival programmer Lorna Tee, editor Manet Dayrit, and experimental filmmaker Raya Martin. The NETPAC jury consisted of critic Richard Bolisay, cultural journalist and programmer Philip Cheah, and filmmaker Dong Yong Lee.

As a result of these honors, "Sleepless" and "Apocalypse Child" will receive an additional screening on the festival’s last day, which falls on Saturday the 31st. Festival director Ed Lejano announced that the call for entries for the 2016 competition will be issued in a few weeks. — BM, GMA News