The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has named the 60 honorees and special awardees for this year’s 5th Film Ambassadors’ Night (FAN) as well as the performers for the online event taking place on Feb. 28.
The FAN’s 5th edition will be held in support of the NCCA’s National Arts Month. It is going to be streamed online for free at 8:00 p.m. exclusively on the FDCP Channel.
Receiving the recognition in the Actors category are Alden Richards for Hello, Love, Goodbye, Elijah Canlas for Kalel, 15, Cristine Reyes for UnTrue, Ruby Ruiz for Iska, Louise Abuel for Edward, Isabel Sandoval for Lingua Franca, Lovi Poe and Allen Dizon for Latay, and the cast of Kaputol led by Cherie Gil, Alfred Vargas, Angel Aquino, and Ronwaldo Martin. Dingdong Dantes and Arjo Atayde are the television awardees who made it to the FAN 2021 Actors list.
Meanwhile, leading the FAN 2021 honorees are the A-Listers, filmmakers Rafael Manuel and Lav Diaz. A-Listers pertain to those who bagged awards in prestigious A-List international film festivals as declared by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).
Rafael Manuel was awarded the Berlinale Shorts Silver Bear Jury Prize for Filipiñana at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany while Lav Diaz won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director for Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan) at the 77th Venice International Film Festival in Italy.
The Feature Films category has six honorees: Sunshine Family by Kim Tai-Sik, Write About Love by Crisanto Aquino, Latay (Battered Husband) by Ralston Jover, Pan de Salawal by Che Espiritu, Lingua Franca by Isabel Sandoval, and John Denver Trending by Arden Rod Condez.
The honorees in the Directors category are Maria Diane Ventura for Dein Fabre, Mallorie Ortega for The Girl Who Left Home, and Derick Cabrido for Clarita.
The FAN, an annual event spearheaded by the FDCP since 2017, recognizes Filipino film industry creatives, artists, filmmakers, and films of various formats that gained recognitions from established international film festivals and award-giving bodies in the past year.
“Philippine Cinema continues to thrive amid the pandemic because Filipino filmmakers and artists did not allow the global health crisis to derail them from sharing our stories to the world. Through the Film Ambassadors’ Night, we celebrate their efforts and laud their achievements,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.
The FAN has other categories such as Short Films, Documentaries, Creative Awards, and Special Citation. The two Special Citation recipients are veteran television and film director Luisito Lagdameo Ignacio and the late filmmaker and International Film Festival Manhattan co-founder Gerry Balasta.
This year’s FAN will also bestow special awards to pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of film industry stakeholders who continuously work for the betterment of Philippine Cinema.
Cinemadvocates is a special segment of this year’s FAN to laud individuals and groups that tirelessly champion the welfare of film workers and the development of the industry. Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher “Toff” de Venecia, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) President Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso, Lockdown Cinema Club, Inter-Guild Alliance, Dingdong Dantes, and Angel Locsin are the FAN 2021 Cinemadvocates.
The FAN is supported by the CCP through the participation of its resident symphony orchestra, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). The PPO will perform in various production numbers alongside the country’s premiere performers such as Bamboo, Tres Marias (Bayang Barrios, Cooky Chua, and Lolita Carbon), Bituin Escalante, Beverly Salviejo, Karla Gutierrez, Lawrence Jatayna, and The Pogi Boys. A special number featuring Ice Seguerra, Juris Fernandez, Princess Velasco, Sitti, Richard Poon, Kean Cipriano, and Duncan Ramos will also take place.
For the complete list of awardees, visit fdcp.ph.