It was a triumphant year for the Kapamilya directors and writers who joined the recent Cinemalaya 2019 as their films “John Denver Trending,” “Iska,” and “F#*@BOIS” bagged the most coveted awards in the annual film festival.
This year’s Best Feature Film and NETPAC Jury Prize “John Denver Trending” was written and directed by ABS-CBN TV production head writer Arden Rod Condez and produced by writer, director, and producer Sonny Calvento. Another homegrown writer-director Eduardo Roy Jr. took home the prestigious Best Director award for his eye-opening film “F#*@BOIS.” Box-office Kapamilya director Theodore Boborol and screenwriter Mary Rose Colindres, on the other hand, collaborated on the film “Iska,” which nabbed the Best Actress, Best Sound and Best Screenplay Awards.
According to Ruel S. Bayani, the newly appointed ABS-CBN Head of Scripted/Narrative Programs, this victory further empowers ABS-CBN creatives to express their unique vision as creators and gain more valuable experience in producing compelling content for every kind of audience.
“In ABS-CBN TV Production we celebrate victories big or small. We congratulate Arden, Sonny, Edong, Rose, and Ted not only with the success of their award-winning films in Cinemalaya, but also for inspiring the rest of the Kapamilya creatives in pushing narrative boundaries regardless of genre or platform".
For more than a decade, Kapamilya directors, writers, and producers have been joining the annual Cinemalaya film festival. In celebration of its 15th year, the film festival has sailed nationwide as screenings opened in Visayas and Mindanao.