Filipino director Brillante Mendoza (left) and actress Nora Aunor flash a thumb-up sign in Davao City after they were informed they won awards at the annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Australia, Friday. — Inquirer photo
MANILA — Filipino actress Nora Aunor won the best actress prize while Brillante Mendoza bagged the best director award for “Thy Womb” in the 6th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards held in Brisbane, Australia, Friday. Mendoza and Aunor were ecstatic about their movie's latest triumph, the Philippine Daily Inquirer online said Friday. “After winning abroad, we hope our countrymen would become more curious to watch our films so that indie films will be recognized not only by foreigners, but by Filipinos as well,” it quoted Mendoza as saying. In September, “Thy Womb” won three awards at the 69th Venice International Film Festival: Bisato D'Oro, La Navicella or Venezia Cinema prize and the P. Nazareno Taddei Award Special Mention. Aunor and Mendoza were informed that they won while at the Philippine premiere of “Thy Womb,” held during the second Sineng Pambansa at the SM Lanang in Davao City, the Inquirer said. They chose to hold the local premiere of “They Womb” in Davao because the film was set in Tawi-Tawi. Chris Martinez, who attended the event in Brisbane, told the Inquirer that Marlon Rivera, the director of “Septic Tank,” was awarded the APSA Netpac award which comes with a film development cash prize of $5,000. — SG
