Ruby Ruiz named best actress at Harlem International Film Festival 2020 for role in ‘Iska’

FILE: For ISKA❤️ (Photo: @rubyruizzz/Instagram)

Filipina actress Ruby Ruiz was named as Best Actress in the recently held 15th Harlem International Film Festival in New York, United States.

Ruiz was recognized internationally for her titular role in the 2019 Cinemalaya Film Festival entry “Iska” helmed by Theodore Boborol.

The actress’s victory was announced by Cinemalaya on its Facebook page, congratulating Ruiz, Boborol, and the rest of the “Iska” team.

“Nanalo si Ate Iska as best actress (Ate Iska won as best actress)!” it said.

https://www.facebook.com/CinemalayaOfficial/posts/3630216596988908

The Film Development Council of the Philippines also delivered the good news via its Facebook page.

“Ipinagmamalaki ka namin (We are proud of you)!” it said, referring to the actress.

https://www.facebook.com/FDCP.ph/posts/3252021958196361

Learning about the award, the actress took to Instagram to express, “My heart is full of gratitude, thank you Lord for this wonderful blessing.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFZC3GIjq_m/

Ruiz earlier bagged the Best Actress award in the 2019 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival for her role in “Iska” as a “loving but impoverished grandmother of an autistic child tragicomically loses everything and turns into someone society reckons her to be,” according to the film’s synopsis in Cinemalaya’s website.

Aside from Ruiz, the film also casts Soliman Cruz, Pryle Gura, Angie Castrenece, Jonic Magno, RK Bagatsing, Ricky Rivero, Jomari Angeles, Ana Abad Santos, and Beauty Gonzales, among others.

Ruiz announced that “Iska” will be shown in the streaming service Netflix starting October 8, 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhOeiZDd3p/