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After two-year lull, FAP to stage Luna Awards anew

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Film Academy of the Philippines officer-in-charge Manny Morfe (left) and FAP executive secretary Emilio Dollete. Leah C. Salterio" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/08/13/20230813-film-academy-of-the-ph.jpg"/><figcaption>Film Academy of the Philippines officer-in-charge Manny Morfe (left) and FAP executive secretary Emilio Dollete. Leah C. Salterio</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Even cinema has learned to adapt well to the changes brought about by the pandemic. This is evident in the evolving tastes and demands of the audience.“From themes, technology and distribution platforms, cinema has metamorphosed into a broader and diverse art form,” Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) officer-in-charge Manny Morfe told ABS-CBN News.“Cinemas has learned to adapt well to the recent economic challenges. Like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon, to take on a new form, strength and power, cinema aims anew to sustain and enrich its classic role – to inspire, provoke and empower people’s lives.” This year, after a two-year hiatus of not handing out any recognition to distinguished members of the film industry, the FAP’s prestigious Luna Awards gets resurrected for its 39th edition.“The Luna Awards learns from the lessons of the past, notably the pandemic, as well as prepares for the challenges of tomorrow,” Morfe said.“Regardless of the challenges it’s facing in mounting the 39th edition, the awards remain distinct in its forthcoming presentation, without any intention to be compound to nor compete with the treatment of previous ceremonies.”After Morfe took over as FAP officer-in-charge last year, he embraced all the challenges in mounting the Luna Awards. He took over from Vivian Velez, the FAP erstwhile director general who resigned last year.“Traditional income sources for FAP have drastically changed over the years because of evolved moviegoers’ demands, as well as the industry changes that took place because of the pandemic,” Morfe said.“Awards shows are costly to mount, but it is FAP’s statutory obligation to stage this ceremony, so all strings are being pulled to ensure a memorable 39th edition.”Like in the previous years, the screening committee will determine the nominees for the 39th Luna Awards.“As customary, all ten filmmaking guilds under FAP will determine the nominees,” informed Morfe. “Each guild has three nominators. They are not necessarily the same compared to previous award’s nights.”The guilds have started screening and evaluating outstanding commercially-released Filipino films the past year. The nominees will be released end of July.The 39th Luna Awards will be mounted in “austere” proceedings. “Since the pandemic and lack of consistent financial support held back FAP’s desire to sustain itself,” Morfe explained. “We will make sure the ceremonies will be filled with the basic elements of a recognition ceremony.”Through the years, the FAP has been partners with Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Foundation) in mounting the Luna Awards.“The latter’s president (actor Rez Cortez) sits in the FAP’s board of governors, the policy-making body of the Academy,” said Morfe. “Meetings and screenings related to the Luna Awards are held at the Mowelfund’s premises, since FAP doesn’t have a permanent office yet.”Although there is no exact date yet, the FAP committee is eyeing the middle or late August, with the tentative venue at the Quezon City Sports Club.Aside from mounting the Luna Awards, the FAP sends the Philippine entry to the international feature film category of the Oscars or the Academy Awards.FAP also oversees and assists ten filmmaking guilds which help determine the Luna Awards winners in a peer-based judging basis. FAP eagerly awaits the appointment of its new Director General, courtesy of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).“As soon as this happens, all FAP’s existing plans to enrich it as an institution, shall be put into a faster, broader and sustained motion,” Morfe said.

This year, after a two-year hiatus of not handing out any recognition, the FAP’s prestigious Luna Awards gets resurrected for its 39th edition.