ILLUSTRATION BY RENE ELEVERA
Filipino stars who bagged major acting awards in Portugal鈥檚 biggest film festival led the actor honorees at the 10th Inquirer Indie Bravo! Awards held on Nov. 26.
For playing a wheelchair-bound beggar enmeshed in a child-trafficking syndicate in 鈥淪chool Service,鈥� Ai-Ai delas Alas was hailed best actress in the Director鈥檚 Week section of the Oporto International Film Festival 鈥� or Fantasporto 鈥� in February.
鈥淧eople know me for my comedy work. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 happy that I鈥檓 getting recognition for doing more dramatic and serious roles,鈥� she said.
Sharing similar honors was Ina Raymundo, as a conflicted housewife who catches the fancy of a timid clerk at a remittance center.
Seasoned artist Dante Rivero won best actor, also in the Director鈥檚 Week section.
He plays a jaded man who swallows his pride and asks help from the woman he had wronged after getting diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.