NEWSFLASH 

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‘KAHAPON MAY DALAWANG BATA’ TOPS IN NEWPORT FILMFEST

Quezon City, April 15, 2000 - Film director Carlitos Siguion-Reyna constantly brings honor to the Philippines, with his movies reaping awards in many international film festivals around the world.

His most recent work, last year’s Kahapon May Dalawang Bata (Yesterday’s Children), was chosen Best Foreign Film at the Newport Beach Film Festival in California, USA last April 6, besting some 45 feature films from all over the world.

Kahapon’s competition included You Can Thank Me Later (Canada), The Limit of Time (Mexico), Harrington’s Notes (Canada), Under The Sun (Sweden), Manuelita (Argentina), Ave Maria (Mexico), Shi Ri (Korea), Clandestine Marriage (UK), A Reasonable Man (South Africa), Oriundi (Brazil), Never Be Apart (China), Seducing Mariya (Canada), Water, Mud & Factories (Cuba), and Same Rain, Same Love (Argentina).

This is Kahapon’s second international award. It won People’s Choice second runner-up in last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Because Carlitos was not on hand to accept the award, the trophy, a replica of a sandcastle standing on top of a film can, will be sent to Manila via courier. This is Carlitos’ second award from the Newport Beach Film Festival. In the same festival in 1998, Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya (The Man in Her Life) was named Best Asian Film.

From Newport, Kahapon will go to the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival, and then to the Seattle Film Festival (May 18-June 11), the largest festival in the US. It has been screened in Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, and Hawaii.

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