YCC Awards 2007

YCC AWARDS
True big guns of Philippine cinema gather for one whole afternoon

The Film Desk of the Young Critics Circle finally holds its formal ceremonies to honor the elite circle of winners for the 18th Annual Circle Citations (YCC Awards) for Distinguished Achievement in Film for 2007 this Thursday, 7 August 2008, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Pulungang Recto of Bulwagang Rizal (Faculty Center Conference Hall) in UP Diliman.

Brillante “Dante” Mendoza, Lav Diaz and Nick Deocampo are the truly great guns and symbolic tycoons of Philippine cinema gracing the affair. Mendoza (Best Picture for Foster Child) and Diaz (Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Design for Death in the Land of Encantos) lead this year’s YCC honorees. Deocampo delivers the keynote address—signaling the first time a filmmaker is handpicked for the annual pivotal task that has now become YCC tradition. Scholars, academics, critics in different fields of fine and liberal arts not alone cinema have previously done the honors.

Heavy star power is provided by Jason Abalos—this year’s Best Performance winner for Endo which also won Best Achievement in Film Editing and Best Achievement in Sound and Aural Orchestration. Aside from bagging the top plum—the Best Picture prize awarded in the prestige style of international film festivals to the director, Foster Child won Best Screenplay.

A list of complete winners and nominees for this year’s YCC film awards by categories is as follows:

Best Film of the Year
Winner: Foster Child directed by Brillante Mendoza (Seiko Films; Robbie Tan, Executive Producer)
Nominee: Endo directed by Jade Francis Castro (ufo Pictures; Ned Trespeces, Michiko Yamamoto, Emmanuel de la Cruz and Raymond Lee, Producers)

Best Screenplay
Winner: Foster Child (Seiko Films) – Ralston Jover
Nominee: Endo (ufo Pictures) – Jade Francis Castro, Michiko Yamamoto and Raymond Lee

Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Design
Winner: Death in the Land of Encantos (Sine Olivia) – Lav Diaz, Director of Photography; Dante Perez, Production Designer
Nominees:
Foster Child (Seiko Films) – Odyssey Flores, Director of Photography; Ben Padero, Production Designer
Still Life (Sining Ko Ito Productions) – Dan Villegas, Director of Photography; Cris Silva, Production Designer
Tirador (Centerstage) – Brillante Mendoza, Julius Villanueva, Jeffrey de la Cruz, Gary Tria, Directors of Photography; Deans Habal, Harley Alcasid, Production Designers

Best Achievement in Film Editing
Winner: Endo (ufo Pictures) – JD Domingo
Nominee: Tirador (Centerstage) – Charliebebs Gohetia

Best Achievement in Sound and Aural Orchestration
Winner: Endo (ufo Pictures) – Corinne de San Jose Cruz and Mark Locsin, Sound Engineers; Owel Alvero, Musical Director
Nominees:
Still Life (Sining Ko Ito Productions) – Joey Santos, Sound Engineer; Wincy Ong, Musical Director
Tirador (Centerstage) – Ditoy Aguila and Junel Valencia , Sound Engineers; Tere Barrozo, Musical Director

Best Performance by Male or Female, Adult or Child, Individual or Ensemble in Leading or Supporting Role
Winner: Jason Abalos in Endo (ufo Pictures)
Nominees:
Cherry Pie Picache in Foster Child (Seiko Films)
Eugene Domingo in Foster Child (Seiko Films)
Ron Capinding in Still Life (Sining Ko Ito Productions)

Established in 1990, YCC is the academe-based critics group with members coming from various disciplines. Through the years, they have become attentive observers of Philippine cinema constantly bringing into the analysis of film an interdisciplinary approach.

The organization departs from many conventions of other award-giving bodies both here and abroad in bestowing cinematic honors. For instance, the award for Best Film of the Year is reserved for the director such that no separate prize for direction is needed. The Best Performance award is most coveted as it is conferred on a screen performer whether male or female, adult or child, individual or as part of an ensemble, in leading or supporting role. To uphold a more dynamic and encompassing way of looking at films, technical honors refer to fusion of outstanding efforts in fields otherwise deemed apart. In this case, the Best Cinematography and Visual Design recognition covers both camerawork and art direction. Similarly, Best Sound and Aural Orchestration encompasses not just sound engineering per se but musical score as well. #