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Tausug film, 'Vilmanians' triumphant at 40th Gawad Urian

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Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-1.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Actor John Lloyd Cruz, who received the Gawad Urian Best Actor Award in 2016, is one of the presenters at the 40th Gawad Urian. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- Ask any no-nonsense Filipino filmmaker about his dream trophy, and there&#x27;s a 99.9% probability he will say it&#x27;s an Urian. </p><p>Forty years after its birth, Gawad Urian continues to be the most dignifying recognition every Filipino filmmaker aspires to have. As Charo Santos-Concio puts it, &quot;Ang Urian ay Urian. May sariling tatak, may sariling paninindigan.&quot;</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-2.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, one of the core members of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, was also present at the 40th Gawad Urian. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>With a jury of Filipino film scholars and critics including National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, this year&#x27;s Gawad Urian didn&#x27;t fail the spectators, much less the nominees and the winners. </p><p>Despite its modest venue, the 2017 Gawad Urian was quite a show to watch. From the red carpet to the actual rites, the annual ceremony was full of surprises. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-3.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Multi-awarded actress Jaclyn Jose was nominated for the best actress award. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Filmmakers and actors from across generations graciously walked through the blinding flashes of cameras; some wore glittering clothes, while many chose nothing too fancy so as not to steal the glimmer of the highly coveted Urian trophies. </p><p>A short welcome remarks from Santos-Concio, who looked back at her most memorable Urian moments, kick-started the awarding ceremony, then followed by a brief history of Urian by Tito Valiente, the current chair of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP). </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-4.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>ABS-CBN Chief Content Officer Charo Santos-Concio gives welcome remarks. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>According to Valiente, the Gawad Urian was organized by the MPP in 1976 to review and recognize the exemplary works of Filipino filmmakers during the Martial Law period. </p><p>After the speeches, multi-awarded theater and movie actress Lea Salonga, who was nominated for an Urian in 1996 for her role in &quot;Sana Maulit Muli,&quot; serenaded the audience with a medley of OPM hits. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-5.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Lea Salonga sings &quot;Sana Maulit Muli&quot; and other OPM hits. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>And as soon the mood was set, the announcement of winners began. This year&#x27;s Gawad Urian awarded a total of 15 trophies, including the highly coveted &quot;Pinakamahusay na Pelikula&quot; (Best Picture). </p><p>Acclaimed Tausug film &quot;Women of the Weeping River&quot; bagged best picture, along with five other awards including best direction, best screenplay, and best cinematography. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-6.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Sheron Dayoc accepts an award on behalf of &quot;Women of the Weeping River.&quot; <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>According to director Sheron Dayoc, it took them 18 days to shoot in the far flung areas of Zamboanga and Jolo, Sulu. And while the absence of electricity was back-breaking, it didn&#x27;t stop them from producing a powerful film which, by the way, also won best picture at QCinema 2016. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/11/07/16/opinion-women-of-the-weeping-river">OPINION: Women of the Weeping River</a></li></ul><p>Meanwhile, &quot;Die Beautiful&quot; star Paolo Ballesteros took home the best actor award, which he also bagged in last year&#x27;s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and Tokyo International Festival. His best buddy in the film, Christian Bables, was best supporting actor. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-7.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>&quot;Die Beautiful&quot; star Paolo Ballesteros, who is also one of the presenters, receives the best actor award. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;Pamilya Ordinaryo&quot; star Hasmine Kilip, who is currently in Europe to attend a film fest, bagged the best actress award, whereas Sahrifa Pearlsia Ali-Dans of &quot;Women of the Weeping River&quot; was best supporting actress. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/07/20/17/full-list-40th-gawad-urian-awards-winners">FULL LIST: 40th Gawad Urian Awards winners</a></li></ul><p>The highlight was when Vilma Santos received the most coveted trophy of the night, the Natatanging Gawad Urian Award, for her lifetime achievement in the film industry. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-8.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Vilma Santos accepts the Natatanging Gawad Urian Award. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>According to MPP, the &quot;Star For All Seasons&quot; remains the most nominated and awarded Filipino actress in Gawad Urian, with 12 trophies. In her acceptance speech, which drew rumbling cheers from her solid Vilmanians, the 63-year-old actress said the award-giving body has changed her perspective in film making.</p><p>&quot;Mula po noong manalo ako ng Urian, ang nasa isip ko, dapat lahat ng movies na gagawin ko may ibig sabihin. It&#x27;s not even my acting, It&#x27;s the film that I do na kailangang laging may ibig sabihin, laging significant, laging relevant,&quot; she said. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/gawad-9.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Fans applaud while veteran actor Christopher De Leon presents the Natatanging Gawad Urian Award to Santos. <em>Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>An actress since she was nine, Santos gave the credit to the invisible men and women behind the camera and to her beloved Vilmanians, mostly in their senior years now, for giving their full support through her five decades of fruitful hard work.</p><div class="media-content">  <div class="slider-for">		<div>                <img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/21/urian-1.jpg?ext=.jpg"/>        </div>		<div>                <img 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<p>With a jury of Filipino film scholars and critics including National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, this year's Gawad Urian didn't fail the spectators, much less the nominees and the winners. </p>

With a jury of Filipino film scholars and critics including National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, this year's Gawad Urian didn't fail the spectators, much less the nominees and the winners.

Tausug film, 'Vilmanians' triumphant at 40th Gawad Urian

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Tausug film, 'Vilmanians' triumphant at 40th Gawad Urian

Rhys Buccat,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 21, 2017 05:04 AM PHT

|

Updated July 21, 2017 05:07 AM PHT

Read More:

Gawad Urian

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Vilma Santos

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