“PAULIT ulit na lang, P*T@NGiN@!”, the line which Marian Rivera, as teacher Emmy, aptly described the film “Balota “ where she won as Best Actress during the recent Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

Cinemalaya cited her role in Balota “for her spirited portrayal of a public school teacher risking life and limb to protect the sanctity of the ballot.”

Balota is the story of Emmy, a strict yet popular teacher in a small town, who is assigned to the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) for her local precinct during the 2007 elections. A former sexy star and a land-grabbing tycoon are in a tight race for mayor.

When violence erupts, she runs into the forest with a ballot box containing the last copy of the election results.

Armed only with her resourcefulness, courage and wit, she tries to outmaneuver the goons who want the elections to fail. Her loved ones and community are caught in the crossfire as she pays an increasingly steep price for defending the democratic process.

Director Kip Oebenda said that corruption of the electoral system is a timeless tale – but it doesn’t have to be. With poll officials being murdered, vote buying left and right, and corrupt state forces, elections in the Philippines can indeed be rife with violence.

Rivera herself worked as a special education teacher before she became a TV and movie star.

Rivera said that the film is a wakeup call for the sanctity of the election votes as she echoes Teacher Emmy : ‘Sa araw na ito malakas ang boses ko at pinakikinggan ako. Pag pinagsama sama natin ang mga boto natin, mahalaga ito. ’

Rivera shared the Best Actress award with Gabby Padilla of Kono Basho.

Kono Basho won four awards in the Full Length Film category: Padilla as Best Actress, Jaime Pacena II as Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design.

Padilla won the Best Actress “for her sensitive and very moving portrayal of a young woman navigating the cultural complexities of a foreign funeral while coming to terms with personal loss and family grief.”

"Tumandok” is the biggest winner with five awards including Best Full Length Film, Felipe Ganancial as Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music Score, and Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) full-length feature award.

It won Best Film “for its nearly epic sweep of the life and landscape of a people disempowered by the wealthy and the powerful and victimized by government neglect and corruption; for its highly convincing characters and effective ensemble acting by a cast of non-professional actors; And for its highly effective filmmaking in defense of the rights of indigenous people to their ancestral domain.”

Felipe Ganancial won Best Supporting Actor “for his very impressive performance as elder and chieftain trying to keep his people together in their steadfast but non-violent fight to keep their ancestral land despite violence and intimidation by the wealthy and the powerful.”

15-year old Enzo Osorio of The Hearing won Best Actor “for his sensitive and very convincing portrayal of a boy who refuses to be silent and to be silenced about his abuse.” He plays Lucas , a deaf boy from a small fishing village, who was sexually abused by Fr. Mejor, an influential priest.

Osorio joins the ranks of Cinemalaya’s Best Actor winners at a young age. The youngest was Noel Comia, Jr. for Kiko Boksingero (2017) when he was then 13 years old followed by 15-year old Jansen Magpusao for John Denver Trending (2019). Migs Cuaderno was ten years old when he won as Best Supporting Actor for Children's’ Show (2014).

Sue Prado of Kantil won Best Supporting Actress “for her effective portrayal as community leader of a coastal village of informal settlers trying to keep their unity while fighting off eviction.”

“Alipato at Muog" by JL Burgos was given the Special Jury award “for its effective use of the resources of documentary cinema to shed light on an actual case of enforced disappearance and reveal dark truths about human rights in the Philippines.”

Other winners in the Full Length category include: "An Errand" for Best Editing and Best Sound Design; and “Gulay Lang Manong” for Audience Choice.

The winners in the short film category are : "Cross My Heart and Hope to Die" for Best Film with Sam Manacsa as Best Director; "Primetime Mother" for Best Screenplay and Audience Choice; “Pamalandong Sa Danow" for Special Jury Award " and "Abogbaybay” for the NETPAC Award.

Cinemalaya celebrated its 20th year with the theme “ Loob, Lalim, Lakas” and was held August 2 to 11, 2024 at selected Ayala Cinemas due to the ongoing renovation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

(Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786.)