Zamboanga Film Festival 2017 Nominees and Winners

The City Government of Zamboanga in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines hosted this year's Zamboanga Film Festival held at the FDCP Cinematheque Zamboanga in line with the celebration of the 80th Charter Anniversary of the City of Zamboanga #DiaDeZamboanga. Fifteen live action and fifteen animated short films were selected to compete in the coveted awards of the biggest film festival in the region. Filmmakers all over Mindanao were invited and some films from Iligan and Cagayan de Oro City made it to the finals.

The films were shown during the free public screenings at the Cinematheque Zamboanga last February 20-25, 2017. We invited high schools and colleges to watch the films and vote for their favorite film in each category. The most number of votes won the Viewers' Choice Award, receiving a plaque and a cash prize of P5,000. The grand winners (best film) and minor awards were judged by a set of jury at the Film Development Council of the Philippines headed by the Executive Director Wilfredo Manalang.

The winners were announced on February 25 during the Local Achievers Night at Centro Latino, Paseo del Mar. No less than the mayor, Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, and Mr. Manalang presented the awards to the winners. A total of 18 awards were given, and non-winning finalists also received P2,000 in cash. Here are the nominees and winners of #ZFF2017:

Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography
went to "Next Time" by Kim Tayona,
 the CineChavacano 2016 Grand Winner
for the Live Action Category

BEST SCREENPLAY – LIVE ACTION
- Tirador by Lee Why Halasan
- Past Sense by Gustavo Lorenzo Oraa
- Utas by Al Enriquez
- Next Time by Kim Tayona and John Renzo Wee (Winner)

BEST STORY – ANIMATION
- Escogido by Ian Victor Moritcho (Winner)
- Poaching by Wella Lynne Saclolo
- Strings by Rafael Daniel Evangelista V
- Kit by by Ryan Covarrubias
- Twist by Carl Laroco

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – LIVE ACTION
- Glenn Marco San Agustin - Tiempo
- Shone Mallari - Utas
- Next Time - John Renzo Wee (Winner)
- Gustavo Lorenzo Oraa, Mark Dominique Badiang, and Deomart Fergio Ramosar - Past Sense

"Escogido" by Ian Moritcho was
awarded Best Original Story for Animation

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – ANIMATION
- Ian Victor Moritcho - Escogido
- Emmanuel Buenvenida - Queue (Winner)
- Jeremias Dulaca II - Out of the Paper
- Joshlyn Natielle Mei Hussin - Hurgesa

BEST EDITING – LIVE ACTION
- Past Sense by Jeremias Dulaca II (Winner)
- Subang by Christian Alan Toring
- Next Time by Kim Tayona

BEST EDITING – ANIMATION
- Escogido (Chosen) by Ian Victor Moritcho
- Queue by Emmanuel Buenvnida
- Kit by Ryan Covarrubias (Winner)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – LIVE ACTION
- Tiempo by Tennyl Dehm Canlas (Winner)

The only nominee and awardee for
Best Visual Effects for Live Action
"Timepo" by Tennyl Dehm Canlas

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – ANIMATION
- Out of the Paper by Jeremias Dulaca II (Winner)
- Endeavor by Kendrick Rico

BEST CULTURE-SENSITIVE FILM – LIVE ACTION
- No Olvida by Dwight Anthony Yu
- Utas by Al Enriquez
- Ang Ikadukhang Pagbabalik by Jeffrie Po
- Lengua Pranka by Pristine Padua (Winner)

BEST CULTURE-SENSITIVE FILM - ANIMATION
- Poaching by Wella Lynne Saclolo (Winner)
- Strings by Rafael Daniel Evangelista V
- Divided by Aljhun Rey Canillo

VIEWERS' CHOICE – LIVE ACTION
- UTAS (Snap) by Alexander Ramiso (Winner)
- Tirador by Lee Why Halasan
- No Olvida by Dwight Yu

"Dividido" by Aljhun Canillo
got the Viewers' Choice Award on.
It received the same award in the
CineChavacano 2016,

VIEWERS CHOICE – ANIMATION
- Dividido (Divided) by Aljhun Rey Canillo (Winner)
- Juego (Game) by Abraham Ysmael Alvarez
- Strings by Rafael Daniel Evangelista V

BEST ACTOR – LIVE ACTION
- Cassey Bayot as Nonoy - Tirador (Winner)
- Jonahue Potenciano as Jo - Next Time
- Monchito Ventura as Older brother - Utas
- Justin Cabaira as Bicycle Driver - Suban

BEST ACTRESS – LIVE ACTION
- Kaye Alfaro as the Girl - Utas
- Rochelle Coscolluela as Sam - Tiempo
- Darla Sheen Malampo as Yen - Next Time
- Mika Perez as Mia - Cinco Mes (Winner)
- Nikki Coleen Gutierrez as Diasy - Past Sense

BEST DIRECTOR – LIVE ACTION
- Lee Why Halasan - Tirador
- Jeffrie Po - Ang Ikaduhang Pagbalik

"Utas" by Al Enriquez bagged the most
awards: Best Director, Viewers' Choice
and the most coveted Best Film
for the Live Action Category

- Kim Tayona - Next Time

- Alexander Ramiso - Utas (Winner)

BEST ANIMATOR - ANIMATION
- Kendrick Rico - Endeavor
- Jeremias Dulaca II - Out of the Paper (Winner)
- Rafael Daniel Evangelista V - Strings

BEST FILM – Live Action
- Tirador by Lee Why Halasan
- Past Sense by Jeremias Dulaca II
- Subang by Christian Alan Toring
- Next Time by Kim Tayona
- Utas by Al Enriquez (Winner)
- Ang Ikadukhang Pagbabalik by Jeffrie Po


BEST FILM - Animation
- Strings by Rafael Daniel Evangelista V (Winner)
- Out of the Paper by Jeremias Dulaca II
- Queue by Emmanuel Buenvenida
- Twist by Carl Laroco

"Strings" by Rafael Evangelista V,
the grand winner of Animahenasyon 2016,
the Philippine Animation Festival,
was awarded Best Film for Animation

- Kit by Ryan Covarrubias

The Grand winners received a plaque and P15,000 in cash, while minor awardees received a plaque and P3,000. Congratulations to all winners, nominees, finalists and organizers for the successful event! For more information and updates on the activities of the City Government of Zamboanga, like the official facebook page: Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, and follow @zambocitygovt at Twitter and Instagram.
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