The Philippines bagged 10 awards of recognition in the recently concluded U.S. International Film & Video Festival. Eight of these were awarded to GMA-7, while two went to ABS-CBN.
The GMA-7 or Kapuso Network, received two prestigious Gold Camera Awards this year: One for Brigada: “Gintong Krudo” (“Black Gold”) in the Television Documentary: Social Issues category; and the other for Wagas: Mga Kuwento ng Totoong Pag-ibig in the Television: Docudrama category.
“Gintong Krudo,” is a documentary on the lives of impoverished children, who swim in the severely polluted waters of the Navotas Fish Port to collect and sell spilled oil.
Wagas received the award specifically for the episode entitled “Walang Imposible: Mary Grace and Ron Sapinoso Love Story,” in which Sid Lucero re-enacted a portion of the life of Ron Sapinoso, a man with cerebral palsy, and his pursuit of his love interest, Mary Grace (played by Gwen Zamora).
Silver Screen Awards were likewise given to three GMA News TV programs: Reel-Time: “Dungkoy” in Television: Documentary Biography; Reel Time: “Silang Wala sa Mapa” (“Off the Grid”) in Television: Documentary Health, Medical; and State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (Super Typhoon Yolanda Coverage) in the category of Television Continuing News Stories.
Reel-Time tells the story of Dungkoy, a 10-year-old boy who takes care of his paralyzed grandmother, and “Silang Wala sa Mapa” is about the B’laan tribe in the remote areas of Sarangani.
Additionally, the network snagged Silver Screen Awards for Front Row (“Ulilang Lubos”) in Television: Social Issues Documentary and for Reporter’s Notebook (“Bakas ng Trahedya” / “Scars of Tragedy”) in Television: Current Affairs Documentary.
“Ulilang Lubos” tells the tale of a 10-year-old girl who is the breadwinner of her family while “Bakas ng Trahedya” takes a look at Yolanda survivors in Eastern Samar and Tacloban, Leyte.
Picture! Picture! was also honored with a Certificate for Creative Excellence in the Television: Game Show category.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN was awarded the Silver Screen Award for Agosto Beinte Uno: Ang Pagpatay Kay Nonoy Aquino in the category of Television: Documentary Biography. The Kapamilya Network also received a Certificate for Creative Excellence for “Yolanda” in the category of Craft/Production Techniques: Cinematography.
The US International Film & Video Awards was founded in 1967 to acknowledge creative excellence in Corporate, Education, Entertainment, Documentary and Student productions.