MEET THE JURY MEMBERS OF THE SINAG MAYNILA AWARDS

Meet the esteemed members of the Jury for #SinagMaynila Gabi ng Parangal happening tonight at the SM Aura SkyPark.

sinag maynila jurors

F. (FRANCISCO) SIONIL JOSE
National Artist, Philippine Literature
F. Sionil Jose is acknowledged with high honor as National Artist for contemporary Philippine Literature. As novelist, author, playwright and essayist, he has received numerous recognitions headlined by a Pablo Neruda Centennial Award in 2004, the National Artist in 2001, and a Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts in 1980.
F. Sionil Jose, an educator with academic honors of Ph.D. Honoris Causa in Humanities from the University of the Philippines-Manila, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University, Foundation University–Dumaguete and University of Pangasinan, is a graduate of University of Sto. Tomas, College of Philosophy and Letters.
He was the editor of several publications such as Equinox, Asian P.E.N Anthology, and A Filipino Agenda for the 21st Century. His popular novels, the five-part Rosales Saga – Po-on, The Pretenders, My Brother My Executioner, Mass, Tree, were translated in 22 languages by publishing houses in Jakarta, Lisbon, Moscow, Madrid, Paris, Hanoi, New York, Amsterdam, Brussels, Prague, Tokyo, London and Sydney. Most of his award-winning works also include short stories, drama and non-fiction masterpieces.
F. Sionil Jose is a three-time first prize recipient of National Press Club Annual Journalism Awards for his articles on social change, and a three-time first prize recipient of Palanca Annual Memorial Award for English Short Story. His works received high honors from City of Manila Award for Literature (1979), Cultural Center of the Philippines Award for Novels (1979, 1989, 1999), Tawid Award for Literature (1980), Fulbrighters Award for Literature (1988), Chevalier dans L’Orde des Arts et Letters–France (2000), Kun Santo Zuiho Sho–The Order of Sacred Treasure, Japan (2001), Order des Arts et des Letters –France (2014)
He is currently the publisher of Solidaridad Publishing House and the Founder and National Secretary of The Philippine Center for International P.E.N.


BIENVENIDO LUMBERA
National Artist, Philippine Literature

Bienvenido Lumbera, a Filipino poet, critic, dramatist and educator, is a National Artist of the Philippines for contemporary literature. He is also a recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communications. His contributions to Philippine letters were given high honors from National Book Awards of the Manila Critics Circle, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award and the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts,
Lumbera taught Literature, Philippines Studies and Creative Writing at the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines Diliman, University of Sto. Tomas, Osaka University of Foreign Studies and the University of Hawaii.
One of the pillars of Philippine literature, cultural studies and film, Lumbera is currently the editor of Sanghaya, the publication of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. He is also a Professor at Ateneo de Manila University, Emeritus Professor at UP Diliman, and a Professor of Literature at De La Salle University.


ARMANDO YASIN LAO
Screenwriter/Director

Armando Y. Lao, a professional screenwriter, had won the Best Screenplay Award from the Manunuri Ng Pelikulang Pilipino (URIAN) five times for the films Takaw-Tukso, Itanong Mo Sa Buwan, Pila-Balde, Tuhog and La Vida Rosa. He also wrote Minsan Pa which won Best Picture in the 2006 Young Critics Circle Awards.
Lao was the screenwriter of Serbis, adjudged the 2008 Best Picture also by URIAN. The film made it to the main competition of the 61 Cannes Independent Film Festival, the first for a Filipino film after 24 years. And for the first time ever for a Filipino film, Serbis was invited to the 2008 New York Film Festival. The same film won the Golden Kinnaree award for Best Picture in the Southeast Asian competition held at the 2008 Bangkok Independent Film Festival. Serbis also competed in the 2008 Vladivostok Independent Film Festival in Russia and in the Hong Kong Independent Film Festival for which Gina Pareno won her second international Best Actress trophy.
Pila-Balde was awarded the NETPAC Jury Award in the first CineManila International Film Festival in 1999. Tuhog was an official competition entry in the Cinema of the Present section of the 2000 Venice IFF.
His screenplay Kinatay which duplicated the feat of Serbis when Kinatay made it as well to the main competition of the 62 Cannes Independent Film Festival. His first screenplay Pinilakan, on which Tuhog was based—was a grand winner in the 3rd Experimental Cinema of the Philippines scriptwriting contest in 1984, the year Lao started writing professionally for the local film and TV industry. Two other screenplays—the period piece Quiere Co Ycao (I Like You) and Pag Tinimbang Ang Puso, were finalists in the Film Development Council of the Philippines scriptwriting competition in separate years.
Lao had won awards for Best Screenplay for his other films from various award-giving bodies like the Film Academy of the Philippines, Philippine Movie Press Club, Catholic Mass Media Awards and Young Critics Circle, to name some.
In the past ten years or so, Lao had served as script and creative consultant for the following independent films—Masahista (The Masseur), Kaleldo (Summer Heat), Manoro (The Teacher), Kubrador (The Best Collector), Foster Child, Tribu (Tribe), Jay, Baseco Bakal Boys and Buwaya among others–practically all of which had won various awards locally and abroad.
Lao is the recipient of the Gawad Balagtas for Filipino screenplay from the Unyon ng Manunulat na Pilipino (UMPIL) in 2008 and of the Local Fellow for Drama from the UP Creative Center in 1998.
In 2009, Lao directed his first film Biyaheng Lupa under Quantum Films, completing his personal education as a total filmmaker. The debut film is an official entry in the Digital Lokal section of the 2009 CineManila IFF in which it won the Jury prize. It also won the Best Screenplay and Sound Design awards from the Young Critics Circle.
In 2012, Lao directed his second film Ad Ignorantiam also under Quantum Films which participated in the Metro Manila Filmfest of that year in the New Wave section. It won the Jury prize.
His third directorial film Dukit was an official entry in the New Wave section of the 39th MMFF. It won Best Picture, Best Actors for Willy Layug, Bor Ocampo and Bambalito Lacap and Best Director for Lao. It also merited ten nominations from the URIAN.
Lao taught film writing at the University of the Philippines MassCom Department to both undergrad and graduate students from 1992 to 2007. He also teaches at Asia Pacific Film Institute as guest instructor.
Lao is the only teacher in town who has codified an original and alternative screenwriting manual that is customized to Philippine reality. Labeled the FOUND STORY school of film writing, the new narrative paradigm espouses authenticity and cultural correctness. He conducts regular writing workshops as his way of propagating the school.
Lao was born in Davao but grew up in General Santos City where he finished his primary and secondary education. He took up Commerce at the University of the East.


 

JOHN BADALU
Film Producer

John Badalu has been working in the film industry since 2000. He is one of the founders of Q! Film Festival in Indonesia. He has co-produced a few films: Parts of The Heart (Paul Agusta, 2012), Peculiar Vacation and Other Illnesses (Yosep Anggi Noen, 2012) and What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love (Mouly Surya, 2013). He just finished producing a Japanese film For A Little Bit Of Love Just For This Little Instance (Toshi Fujiwara). He is the Festival Delegate for Southeast Asia for Berlin Film Festival and Shanghai Film Festival. He is also the programmer for Bangkok Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and work as a consultant for Film Development Council of the Philippines.


PAOLO BERTOLIN
Producer/Film Critic
Paolo Betolin is a festival programmer, film critic and producer. He joined Venice International Film Festival as a member of the selection committee and regional consultant in 2008. Since 2010, he retained his position as correspondent, covering diverse territories like South Korea, South and Southeast Asia, Oceania and Turkey. He works for events such as Beijing International Film Festival, Udine Far East Film Festival, Nyon Visions du Réel, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Cannes Critics’ Week, International Film Festival Bratislava. In 2013, he joined the Doha Film Institute as Programme Advisor for the Asia Pacific region. As a film critic, he wrote for several Italian and international publications, such as Il Manifesto, Cineforum, Segnocinema, Cahiers du cinéma, Positif and Senses of cinema. He has producer credits on the Berlinale 2015 competition entries Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories, and Chitrashala.


TITO GENOVE VALIENTE
Anthropologist/Poet/Art Critic/Film Educator

Tito Genova Valiente is a public anthropologist, poet, art critic and film educator. He did his post-graduate studies in Cultural Anthropology under the Ford Foundation Scholarship in Ateneo de Manila. He further specialized in Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan under the Japanese Ministry of Education Scholarship. He was a Fellow of Japan Foundation. Valiente is co-editor of the books Transnationalizing Culture of Japan in Asia; Dramas, Musics, Arts and Agencies; and War Memories, Monuments and Media: Representations of Conflicts and Creation of Identities in Asia. He has read papers in different conferences in Asia. He is a Lecturer on Japanese Culture and Politics, Philippine-Japan Relations, Japanese Cinema, and Japanese Literature and Arts at the Japanese Studies Program of the Ateneo de Manila University; and Lecturer on Political Science and Philosophy at Ateneo de Naga University. He was a Research Associate at the Institute of Philippine Culture in Ateneo de Manila. At present, he is the Director of the Institute of Bikol History and Culture at Ateneo de Naga University. He writes for Business Mirror, where he maintains an opinion column every Sunday on culture and a column called Reeling. He is the resident media and art critic of Business Mirror. Valiente is a member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the oldest critics group in the country. He has judged in various film festivals and competitions.


Check out the Sinag Maynila trophy designed by world-class artist Otto Bjornik that will be given on the Gabi ng Parangal on March 21, Saturday. Seven trophies are about to be handed out in the following categories: Pinakamahusay na Pelikula, Direksyon, Aktor, Aktres, Dulang Pampelikula, Sinematograpiya, at Disenyong Pamproduksyon.

Sinag Maynila Trophy
Sinag Maynila Trophy

 

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