Director Joel Lamangan And Allen Dizon Celebrate Birthdays With International Awards As Birthday Gifts

DIRECTOR JOEL LAMANGAN is turning 60 this Sunday, September 21, and he got an early birthday gift when his socially relevant drama about greed and corruption, “Kamkam” (graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board), won as best picture at the Harlem International Film Festival in New York a few days ago. He was there to personally receive the award, along with its lead actor, Allen Dizon, who won the best actor award for another movie, “Ang Magkakabaung (The Coffin Maker)”, which was filmed in Kapampangan by Director Jason Paul Laxamana of “Babagwa”.

It’s likewise an early birthday gift for Allen, who’s also celebrating his natal day on October 3. Allen has won several acting awards from local award-giving bodies for such films as “Twilight Dancers”, “Paupahan”, “Dukot” and “Sigwa”, but the best actor trophy he won for “Magkakabaung” is his first international acting award.

Film Critics are raving about Allen’s performances in both “Magkakabaung” and “Kamkam”. A French reviewer tagged Allen as his "festival discovery" after watching him in the two films shown at the Montreal World Filmfest in Canada last month. Another writer writes about his acting in “Magkakabaung”: “It's his most honest, most subdued and heartfelt performance to date. He's not acting in the movie. What I saw in the movie is Randy, the lowly coffin maker and guilt-ridden father who accidentally killed his own daughter.” Congratulations to both Direk Joel and Allen. Wishing you more international honors to come.