(from L-R) Best Director Mark Meily for "Donor", Best Actor John Arcilla for "Halaw", Best Editor Chuck Gutierrez for "Pink Halo Halo", and Cinemalaya 2010 awards night performers Christian Bautista and Ogie Alcasid (Photo by JUDE BAUTISTA)

Mark Meily’s “Donor” was hailed as “Best Film” of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition’s newest category, the Directors Showcase, at the event’s awards night held on July 18 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The Directors Showcase is a category that pits mainstream movie directors’ works against each other.

The jury picked the film “for its mastery of nearly all the technical elements of filmmaking, its all-too-real depiction of the compromises and sacrifices that Filipinos go through to get out of the poverty trap, and its engaging portrayal of a woman forced to donate a part of her body in order to discover herself.”

Pam Miras’ “Wag Kang Titingin” and Sheron Dayoc’s “Halaw” were named best films in the New Breed Short Feature and New Breed Full Length Feature categories, respectively.

Mainstream thespians also dominated the best actors and actresses categories in the Directors Showcase, Full Length, and Short Feature. Baron Geisler and Meryll Soriano added another Best Actor and Best Actress awards in their resume for their portrayal in “Donor.”

Veteran actor Tirso Cruz III was named as Best Supporting Actor for Joel Lamangan’s “Sigwa.” John Arcilla (“Halaw”) and Emilio Garcia (“Rekrut”) were cited as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, in the Full Length category.

In the same category, young actress Lovi Poe got the Best Actress trophy for “Mayohan,” while LJ Reyes (“The Leaving”) won Best Supporting Actress.

Named as best directors were Gil Portes (“Two Funerals,” Directors Showcase), Sheron Dayoc (“Halaw”, Full Length), and Rommel “Milo” Tolentino (“P,” Short Feature).

Award-winning actor Ricky Davao, acclaimed director Jose Javier Reyes, film critic Joselito Zulueta, Japanese filmmaker Ishizaka Kenji and Italian director Italo Spinelli composed Cinemalaya 2010’s jury.

Screening for 24 feature films were held from July 9 to 18 at the CCP. For six years now, the digital film fest showcased various works that “aims to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers and seeks to invigorate the Philippine film industry by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers.”

Here’s the full list of winners:

Director's Showcase Category
Best Film: “Donor”
Special Jury Prize: “Two Funerals”
Best Director: Gil Portes (“Two Funerals”)
Best Actress: Meryll Soriano (“Donor”)
Best Actor: Baron Geisler (“Donor”)
Best Supporting Actor: Tirso Cruz III (“Sigwa”)
Best Screenplay: Enrique V. Ramos (“Two Funerals” )
Best Editing: Chuck Gutierrez (“Pink Halo Halo”)
Best Production Design: Aped Santos (“Donor”)

New Breed Full Length Feature Category
Best Film: “Halaw”
Special Jury Prize: “Sampaguita, National Flower” (Francis Xavier Pasion)
Best Director: Sheron Dayoc (“Halaw”)
Best Actress: Lovi Poe (“Mayohan”)
Best Actor: John Arcilla (“Halaw”)
Best Supporting Actress: LJ Reyes (“The Leaving”)
Best Supporting Actor: Emilio Garcia (“Rekrut”)
Best Screenplay: Paul Sta. Ana (“Mayohan”)
Best Cinematography: Dan Villegas (“Mayohan”), Rommel Andreo Sales, Jr. (“The Leaving”)
Best Production Design: Syrel Lopez and Ivan Zaldarriaga (“The Leaving”)
Best Editing: Lester Olager and Chuck Gutierrez (“Halaw”)
Best Original Music Score: Emerzon Texon (“Mayohan”)
Best Sound Recording: Albert Michael Idioma (“Rekrut”)

Short Feature Category
Best Film: “Wag Kang Titingin” (Pam Miras)
Special Jury Prize: "P"
Best Director: Rommel 'Milo' Tolentino ("P")
Best Screenplay: Mikhail Red (“Harang”)