“I have watched only two full-length films in competition at the Cinemalaya film festival. Mag-iina and A.ni.mal. But I pity the jury. Because the actors are so good! How will you rate them? Halimaw! Lamon! (Powerhouse performances!)”
Thus wrote multi-awarded film director Dwein Baltazar in Filipino on her social media account on August 12.
Mag-iina got the lion’s share of the Cinemalaya awards, including this year’s best film and outstanding direction, screenplay, production design, and musical score. A.ni.mal, on the other hand, received the Balanghai trophy for editing and supporting actress.
So many people who have been part of the independent film festival for many years as organizers, cast, and crew — and even the audience — have noted how excellent the films in this batch are.
But what’s truly worth noting are the outstanding performances by women.
