LIST: Winners of CCP’s 34th Gawad Alternatibo

Entries streaming for free until October 31

MANILA -- The Cultural Center of the Philippines through the 34th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video recognized some of the country’s best alternative storytelling in an awarding ceremony last August 13.

The annual independent film competition, more commonly known as Gawad Alternatibo, seeks to provide a space for filmmakers and artists tackling stories that “incisively yet creatively tackle social issues.”

This year, it adopted the theme “Giya” or guide, to show the ability of films to act as a guide for people as they navigate through life changes.

The contest was held in four categories: animation, experimental, documentary, and short feature.

Here’s a list of winners and special awardees: 

ANIMATION
1st Place

• “Ang Amomonggo sa Aton” by VinJo Entuna
• “I, Labyrinth” by Jose Antonio Garcia

2nd Place

• “Black & White Road” by Jericho Cedric Nepomuceno Maravilla
• “Maris” by John Gabriel Gantala

3rd Place

• “Ang Liwanag ng Bakunawa” by Alvin Joshua A. Gasga and Elisha Shem E. Domingo
• “Daligmata Delivers One Last Time” by Minnesota S. Flores

Honorable Mentions – Experimental Animation

• “Ang Mga Sisiw Sa Kagubatan” by Vahn Leinard C. Pascual
• “Hazmat” by Noli Agbayani Manaig

Best Regional Entries

• “Maris” by John Gabriel Gantala
• “Si Biboy Kag Ang Sigbin Sa Siudad” by Hannah Britanico
• “SPACEBOUND” by Stephanie Gwen C. Toribio

Best Musical Score

• “I, Labyrinth” by Jose Antonio Garcia

Special Citation: Works for/by/on Children

• “Ang Liwanag ng Bakunawa” by Alvin Joshua A. Gasga and Elisha Shem E. Domingo
• “Somewhere I Belong” by Jyrah G. Dotarot and Shamy Rasma C. Jailani
• “Wetsitales: Aponibonilayen and the Sun” by Jade Dandan Evanglista

Special Citation: Experimental Animation

• “Black and White Road” by Jericho Cedric Nepomuceno Maravilla
• -“Hazmat” by Noli Agbayani Manaig

EXPERIMENTAL

1st Place

• “Kasikas sa Ganiha ng Unya” by Eric Bico and Kuda Bux
• “Letters to Our Little Brown Brothers” by Noli Agbayani Manaig
• “READ-ONLY MEMORY” by David R. Corpuz and Kristine Camille Sulit

Jury Special Citation

• “Pagtatapos” by Jhonny M. Bobier II

Honorable Mentions

• “Lumalabas” by Mico Bondoy Tagulalac
• “I wanna be a Tutubi” by James Benedict Calleja 

DOCUMENTARY

• 1st Place – “pasilong” by Toni Cañete
• 2nd Place – “River of Tears and Rage” by Maricon Montajes
• 3rd Place – “Palengke Day” by Mervine Aquino

Honorable Mentions

• “Lingkis” by Yvonne Elizabeth G. Salazar and Isabel Margarita P. Valenzuela
• ”Rocks in a Windless Wadi” by EJ Gagui

    
Best Regional Entry

• “Ang Pinanggang Anak ni Julieta (Julieta’s Beloved Child)” by Marco Romas

SHORT FEATURE

• 1st Place – “A Sabbath on the Longest Day of the Year” by Edmund M. Telmo
• 2nd Place – “Pagbilang Kong Tatlo” bu Xzy Dumabok
• 3rd Place – “Dosena” by Kyla Romero

Honorable Mentions 

• “This is Not A Coming Out Story” by Mark Felix Ebreo 
• “Don’t Touch the Bay-ags” by Allyssa Marielle S. Garcia 

Jury Special Citation

• “Black Sheep” by Jay Ruiz

Special Citation for Cinematography

• “Clairvoyant” by John Luke Miraflor

Special Citation for LGBTQIA+ Narrative Film

• “Cut/Off” by Von Victor Rivera Viernes and Sean Russel Romero

Special Citation for Screenplay

• “Itom nga Bugas Kanaryo nga Ugat” by Leonard Ian Blancada Billones

Special Citation for Regional Comedy

• “Ang Bunga sa Tiyan ni Adam” by Ella Louise Salomon

Special Citation for Regional Drama

• “Tiempo Suerte” by Jonathan Jurilla

The winners and finalists of this year’s Gawad Alternatibo are available to watch online until October 31.

The CCP partnered with alternative media platform Cinemata to stream over 60 films and videos from the competition.

“We chose Cinemata because of their digital rights advocacy and commitment in providing a safe online space for alternative media and content to flourish,” said Mae Urtal Caralde, the head of CCP’s Film, Broadcast, and New Media division.

Cinemata said it is an online space that is “free from censorship, profiteering, and algorithmic control of Big Tech video platforms.” It is managed by EngageMedia, a non-profit that that promotes digital rights and open and secure technology.

Apart from the films in the four categories, Cinemata also carries Gawad Alternatino’s curated list which is “a cut-above-the-rest selection of films from this years’ entries.”

See the playlists here: animation, experimental, documentary, short feature, curated section. 

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