Cinemalaya 2023 Winners Unveiled; Mikoy Morales, Pat Tingjuy Win Top Acting Awards

Dolly de Leon wins Best Supporting Actress

The animated film “Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing)” was chosen as the Best Film among the full-length film entries that competed at Cinemalaya 2023.

The awarding ceremony of the 19th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was held at the lobby of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) earlier today, August 13, 2023.

The entries of Kroma Entertainment’s film studio, ANIMA Studios, which are “Rookie” and “When This Is All Over,” also received numerous awards from the film festival.

Mikoy Morales won Best Actor for his performance in “Tether” while Pat Tingjuy is awarded Best Actress for “Rookie.”

Jasmine Curtis served as the host of Cinemalaya 2023. One segment of the evening paid tribute to those who passed away recently such as JM Canlas and Robert Arevalo.

When Bon Andrew Lentajas of “Huling Palabas” received his trophy as Best Supporting Actor, he said that he was dedicating his award to the memory of the late actor JM, the younger brother of Elijah Canlas.

Dolly de Leon won the Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of a mother in “Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing).” The Golden Globe nominee extolled the fact that this was her first time to give a speech at an awards ceremony in the Philippines as she did not have the chance to do this in her FAMAS win.

Here are the Cinemalaya 2023 winners:

Best Full-length Film: Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing)

Best Short Film: Sibuyas ni Perfecto

Netpac Award for Full-length Film: Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing)

Netpac Award for Short Film: Hinakdal

Special Jury Prize for Full-length Film: Ang Duyan ng Magiting

Special Jury Prize for Short Film: Hm Hm Hm

Best Director (Short Film): Mike Cabarles for Makoko sa Baybay (I Am Going to the Beach)

Best Actress: Pat Tingjuy of Rookie

Best Actor: Mikoy Morales of Tether

Best Supporting Actress: Dolly de Leon of Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing)

Best Supporting Actor: Bon Andrew Lentajas of Huling Palabas

Best Screenplay (Full-length): Gitling

Best Screenplay (Short Film): Hinakdal

Best Cinematography: When This is All Over

Best Editing: Rookie

Best Production Design: When This is All Over

Best Original Musical Score: When This is All Over

Best Sound: Tether

Audience Choice Award (Short Film): Hinakdal (With cash award of P50,000)

Audience Choice Award (Full-length): Rookie

Cinemalaya 2023

Cinemalaya XIX: IlumiNasyon took place from August 4-13, 2023 at the PICC and select cinemas of Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Glorietta, UP Town Center and Trinoma.

This year’s full-length feature film entries were:

“Ang Duyan ng Magiting” by Dustin Celestino
“As If It’s True” by John Rogers
“Bulawan Bulawan Nga Usa (Golden Deer)” by Kenneth dela Cruz
“Gitling” by Jopy Arnaldo
“Huling Palabas” by Ryan Espinosa
“Iti Mapupukaw (The Missing)” by Carlo Joseph Papa
“Maria” by Sheryl Rose Andes
“Rookie” by Samantha Lee
“Tether” by Gian Arre
“When This is All Over” by Kevin Mikhail Mayuga

The 10 short films that competed this 2023 were:

“Tong Adlaw Nga Nag-snow Sa Pinas” by Joshua Caesar Medroso
“HM HM MHM” by Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan
“Golden Bells” by Kurt Soberano
“Hinakdal” by Arvin Belarmino
“Kokuryo: The Untold Story of Bb. Undas 2019? by Diokko Manuel Dionisio
“Ang Kining Binalaybay kag Ambahanon ko para sa imo” by Kent John Desamparado
“Maudi Nga Arapaap (Last Dream)” by Daniel James Magayon
“Makoko Sa Baybay” by Mike Cabarles
“Sibuyas Ni Perfecto (Perfecto’s Onion)” by Januar Yap
“Sota” by Mae Tanagon