Cebuano film “Patay Na Si Hesus” wins two awards at Qcinema film fest

Jaclyn Jose (right) leads the cast of “Patay Na Si Hesus”

“Patay Na Si Hesus,” a Cebuano dark comedy-drama, has received two awards at this year’s QCinema International Film Festival.

The film directed by Victor Villanueva won the Audience Choice Award and the Gender Sensitive Film Award during the awarding ceremony held at QCX, Quezon Memorial Circle Wednesday (Oct. 19) night.

Aside from the two trophies, the “Patay Na Si Hesus” team will bring home P50,000 cash from each recognition, as announced byQcinema’s official Twitter page.

“I am thrilled that we won the Audience Choice (Award) considering this is Manila crowd and that some of the humor might have been lost in translation,” Cebuana actress Chai Fonacier told Cebu Daily News via Facebook chat.

The Cebuano film is about a family’s road journey–led by single mother Iyay–from Cebu to Dumaguete, on board their multicab, to attend the funeral of her estranged husband Hesus.

With Iyay, played by award-winning actress Jaclyn Jose, are her four children after she forces them to join the long trip, which yields unexpected stopovers, detours and revelations.

Her four children are Judith (a lesbian who lives with her unfaithful partner), Hubert (her second child with Down Syndrome) and Victor (the engineering degree holder,) who keeps failing the board exam).

The cast includes Melde Montanez, Angelina Kanapi and Vincent Viado.

The film is produced by Bianca Balbuena and Moira Lang and is written by Fatrick Tabada.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Audience Choice Award (QCShorts) – “Contestant #4” by Jared Joven and Kaj Palanca
Audience Choice Award (Circle Competition) – “Patay Na Si Hesus” by Victor Villanueva
Gender Sensitivity Award – “Patay Na Si Hesus” by Victor Villanueva
Best Supporting Actress Award – Vangie Labalan for “Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B”
Best Supporting Actor Award – Taha Daranda for “Women of the Weeping River”
Best Screenplay Award – Joseph Laban and Denise O’Hara for “Purgatoryo”
Pylon Award for Best Artistic Contribution: Cinematography – RaphaelMeting and Mark Limbaga for “Baboy Halas”
Best Director Award – Prime Cruz for “Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B”
Special Citation – Anocha Suwichakornpong for “By The Time It Gets Dark”
Asian Next Wave Best Film Award– “The Apprentice” by Boo Junfeng (Singapore)
Jury Prize Award – Inshallah Montero for “Papa’s Shadow”
Best Actress Award – Laila Ulao for “Women Of The Weeping River”
Best Actor Award– JC de Vera for “Best. Partee. Ever.”
Best Film Award – “Hondo” by Aedrian Araojo
NETPAC Jury Prize Award – “Baboy Halas” by Bagane Fiola
Circle Competition Best Picture Award – “Women of the Weeping River” by Sheron Dayoc