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LIST OF ‘GAWAD URIAN AWARDS’ NOMINEES

Quezon City, Feb. 14, 2000 - The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the society of respected film critics, has released the nominees for the 23rd Gawad Urian, with four films vying for Best Picture: "Bayaning Third World," "Pila Balde," “Bulaklak ng Maynila," and "Saranggola."

"Bayaning Third World" (Cinema Artists), the celebrated movie about the country's national hero by reclusive filmmaker Mike de Leon, is nominated for director, screenplay (Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. and de Leon), actor (Cris Villanueva), supporting ctor (Ed Rocha), cinematography, production design, editing, music scoring, and sound.

"Bulaklak ng Maynila" (Viva Films), a scathing social drama, received 10 nominations: Best Picture, direction (Joel Lamangan), screenplay (Domingo Landicho and Ricky Lee), actress (Elizabeth Oropesa), actor (Christopher de Leon), cinematography, production design, editing, music, and sound.

"Pila Balde" (Good Harvest), a poignant look at tenement life, garnered seven nominations: director (Jeffrey Jeturian), screenplay (Armanda Lao), actress (Ana Capri), supporting actress (Estrella Kuenzler), cinematography, production design, and editing.

"Saranggola" (GMA Films), RP’s entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Oscar awards, was nominated for Best Picture, direction (Gil Portez), screenplay (Butch Dalisay and Portez), actor (Ricky Davao and Lester Llansang), and editing.

"Muro Ami" (GMA Films), the underwater drama, received eight nominations: actor (Cesar Montano), direction (Marilou Diaz Abaya), supporting actor (Pen Medina and Jhong Hilario), cinematography, production design, music, and sound.

"Sa Paraiso ni Efren" (Good Harvest), about the unorthodox relationship between a male prostitute and a gay social worker, also received eight nominations, for direction (Maryo J. de los Reyes), actor (Allan Paule and Anton Bernardo), supporting actress (Ynez Veneracion and Ana Capri), supporting actor (Alison Seven), cinematography, and editing.

Superstar Nora Aunor is nominated for Best Actress for "Sidhi" (Viva Films), playing a mute in the socially explosive Central Luzon of the '50s. Nominated for supporting actress for the same film are Glydel Mercado and Caridad Sanchez.

Lorna Tolentino and Madeleine Nicolas are nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for "Luksong Tinik" (Regal Films).

Veteran actress Mona Liza is nominated for Best Actress for "Mother Ignacia," the film biography of the founder of the largest indigenous congregation of nuns in the Philippines.

Maricel Soriano is nominated for Best Actress in her role as an old maid in the May-December movie, "Soltera" (Star Cinema). Raymund Bagatsing, who plays a gay artist in the same movie, is nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

The awarding ceremonies of the 23rd Gawad Urian will be on March 11, at 6 p.m., at the University of the Philippines Theater.

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