Two Award-Winning Filipino Movies Featured this Week- October 9-15, 2023

Continuing the celebration of Filipino-American History Month, Eric Cox from the THD staff, ask me for my recommendation of two movies to be featured this week. I suggested several titles of award-winning Filipino movies and Eric was able to obtain two movies as follows.

1.  Metro Manila ( Crime/Drama) will be shown Thursday Night , Oct 12 at 7PM. I have seen this movie twice, but I may watch it again. The movie had 10 nominations and 9 awards in BAFTA. IT is a British-Filipino creation worthy of your time. Here's some information from Wikipedia.  

Critical reception

Rotten Tomatoes lists an approval rating of 94% based on 33 reviews. The consensus reads "Infusing thriller tropes with a searing glimpse of modern-day corruption, Metro Manila is just as gripping as any action blockbuster ⁠— and twice as thought-provoking."

After winning the Film Critic Award at the 2013 Filmfest Hamburg, the jury said of the film: "The themes of our times are what define this film: rural exodus and impoverishment, exploitation and poverty in the Moloch of overcrowded metropolises. Director Sean Ellis filmed this story in a language that is foreign to him - and yet still always manages to hit the right tone. He is emotional, yet never impassioned; poetic, yet never tawdry; raw without any hint of cynicism. A social drama that becomes a thriller, breathless and unstoppable. 'Metro Manila' deserves to be seen by many. This film belongs in the cinema. ..."

Acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar listed the film as one of his personal favorite films of 2013.

Accolades

At the 2013 British Independent Film Awards, Metro Manila was nominated in five categories and won awards for Achievement in Production, Best Director and Best British Independent Film.

List of Accolades
Award / Film Festival	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
British Academy Film Awards	Best Film Not in the English Language	Sean Ellis, Mathilde Charpentier	Nominated
Sundance Film Festival	Audience Award: World Dramatic	Sean Ellis	Won
	Grand Jury Prize: World Dramatic		Nominated
Filmfest Hamburg	Hamburg Film Critic Award		Won
Polar Festival de Cognac	Grand Jury Prize		Won
Seminci	Espiga de Oro: Gold Spike		Nominated
	Espiga de Plata: Silver Spike		Nominated
	Best Director		Nominated
	Best Script		Nominated
	Best Cinematography		Nominated
Amazonas Film Festival	Best Director		Won
	Best Script		Won
	Audience Award		Won
British Independent Film Awards	Best British Independent Film		Won
	Best Director	Sean Ellis	Won
	Best Supporting Actor	John Arcilla	Nominated
	Most Promising Newcomer	Jake Macapagal	Nominated
	Best Achievement in Production		Won
Satellite Awards	Best Foreign Language Film		Nominated
World Soundtrack Awards	Public Choice Award	Robin Foster	Nominated

2. The second movie is Lola Igna(Comedy/Drama)- Lola is Grandma in Tagalog. This movie has also several nominations and awards, I have not seen this movie. All dialogs are in Tagalog but there is an English subtitles. It will be shown on Saturday, Oct 14-7PM . I plan on watching this movie. Here are information from Wikipedia.    

Critical reception

The film has received critical acclaim in the 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino's Awards Night on September 16, 2019. It was awarded the coveted "Best Picture", Best Screenplay, Best Musical Score and Best Actress for Angie Ferro.

A review excerpt published by GMA News and written by J. Neil Garcia stated: "What an ordinary, straightforward, and given the recent spate of miserablist and ‘poverty-porny’ films entirely refreshing vision of our people’s inner truth—indeed, of all of humanity’s inner and most resplendent truth: while everyone and everything passes, what will remain of us is love. Kudos, hence, to Lola Igna’s producers, writers, cast, and crew, for such a touching and memorable film. Congratulations to Roy, who is moving from strength to strength as a director, and who is definitely one of our cinema’s bright new lights. And of course, hats off and immense respect to the great Angie Ferro, whose dignified and poignantly human ‘enfleshment’ of Lola Igna will doubtless be a touchstone performance for other actors for many generations to come."

Meanwhile, Oggs Cruz of Rappler.com commented that, "Eduardo Roy, Jr.’s Lola Igna is an absolute charmer. Society still plays a crucial part in this otherwise private concern, and Roy doesn’t just understand that, he fully comprehends that everything is interconnected. The film instinctively balances the inhumanity of being a world record and the profoundness of the pleasures of death after living a life fully lived, resulting in a truly tender portrait of this world’s most subtle and mysterious injustices."

Miggy Ramos of Cinema Bravo writes a review entitled, "Beautiful, heartfelt lessons in life (and death)", praising the film favorably and stating that, "Lola Igna gives us a chance to revisit our purpose in life: the very reason for our existence. It tells us that life is precious and that we have to be thankful for it every day. We may not know what the future would bring but living in the present is much more important. Lola Igna, as a character and a film, could help us move on from our struggles in life by simply living more and loving the people around us to the fullest."

Accolades

Year	Award-giving body	Recipient(s)	Award	Result
2019	3rd Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino	Lola Igna	Best Picture	Won
		Angie Ferro	Best Actress	Won
		Andrew Florentino	Best Musical Score	Won
		Eduardo Roy, Jr. and Margarette Labrador	Best Screenplay	Won
		Maria Isabel Lopez	Best Supporting Actress	Nominated
2020	7th Urduja Heritage Film Awards	Lola Igna	Best Heritage Film	Won
		Yves Flores	Best Supporting Actor	Won
		Angie Ferro	Best Actress in Comedy or Musical	Won
		Eduardo Roy, Jr.	Best Director	Won
		Meryll Soriano	Best Actress in a Cameo Role	Won

Our THD Movie Flyer this week Recognizing Filipino-Americans exemplary contribution to American arts and culture, science, national defense and achievements in industry.