GMA 7 Sindie Awards Night

Shocked. "Congratulations Don and Jheck for winning Best Story," was the message I received from Anjo tonight. "Totoo ba ito," ang tanging naibato kong sagot sa kanya. Frankly speaking, I was shocked. Paano nangyari 'yun? How could we have been nominated in the first place in the said category when it wasn't our story to begin with? Was there a mix-up of some sort? Best Story ba talaga o Best Screenplay? But Anjo made it clear that we really won the Best Story category.

Confused. With that being said, I got confused. Ano ba ang dapat maramdaman sa pagkakataong ito? It was supposed to be a "winning" moment yet it doesn't feel so. As I've said, screen writers lang kami. Hindi kami ang pinagmulan ng kuwento. However, even if we have won Best Screenplay, parang mali pa rin since what was seen on screen was not our writing. Napalitan na nga on the day of the shoot without our (Don and I) prior knowledge. I'm not the kind of person na mag-eepal para sa isang bagay na hindi ko naman talaga kinarir. Unless magiging true to its form ang judging at screenplay talaga "namin" ang pagbabasehan.

Weirded Out. Sabi ko kay Don na ang weird ng feeling. Was it a mistake? A consolation? Or a vindication? Ito ba ang sagot sa lahat ng dusa na naranasan namin before, during, and after the shoot? I swear, kahit na pilit na namin siyang tinalikuran, sinusundan pa rin niya kami, nagpi-feeling Sukob girl! (Just to make it clear, Kasal ang title ng aming short film.)

Whose winning is it, anyway? Thank heavens that we didn't attend the awards night. (At one point parang ginusto kong umaten if not for what happened to me last Friday -- for a later post 'yun.) I wouldn't know how to react once on stage or what to say. I wouldn't want to fully claim it as my own and I wouldn't want to mention the name-that-we-shouldn't-speak-of, as well. I wouldn't want to give him any satisfaction.

But what could the name-we-shouldn't-speak-of have felt too upon learning such winning? Matutuwa ba siya kahit na hindi pangalan niya ang binanggit? This could have been his ticket to whatever fame he is aiming at. But no! Tulad ng dati, kami na naman ng humarang sa kanyang mga pangarap. In his story, we are the antagonists. In our story, he is the devil! Kanya-kanyang POV (point of view) lang 'yan.

Grinned. Still, masarap pa rin ngumiti. The award was in our names and not his. Hindi ko siya aangkinin. Nakakatawang isipin lang na kami pa rin ang pinangaralan at hindi siya.

So it is but right to say

Belat.

P.S. I haven't seen our finished project yet. Siguro it's time to watch it. Bago man lang magtapos ang showing on July 10. So invite ko na rin kayo to watch Sindié: Sa Pagsisismula ng Indie at Robinson's Galleria Cinema 8, 12-10 PM. Tickets are at PhP100.00 for all short films.

The 14 featured short films are: Katha, Saka, Mga Kuwento Kong Sana, Taong Grasa, Otra Ves, Sidewalk, Kasal, Baritada, and In A Flash (8 minutes); Lea, Batang Bato, Binhi, and Photo Express (20 minutes); and Glen Con Banyo (3 minutes).

P.P.S. Siguro ang magiging acceptance speech ko ay "Acy, Don, and Len, congratulations sa 'tin! May saysay rin pala lahat ng naging hirap natin! At sa lahat ng naging kontrabida. . . Ewan ko sa n'yo!"

;)