Fil-Am composer Robert Lopez’s “Let It Go” from the animated movie “Frozen” won an Oscar for best song and became a big big hit worldwide.
Rachelle Ann Go made waves as Gigi in the London revival of “Miss Saigon” while Mark Bautista got acclaim as Ferdinand Marcos in the rock musical “Here Lies Love” at London’s National Theatre.
Vilma Santos won the best actress award at the Dhaka International Filmfest for her touching title role performance in “Ekstra, the Bit Player”.
Allen Dizon won best actor “Magkakabaung” at the Harlem International Filmfest in New York and the Hanoi International Filmfest in Vietnam. The film by Director Jason Paul Laxamana also won the Netpac Award in Hanoi.
Child actress Sandy Talag won best actress for a movie about child trafficking, “Lilet Never Happened”, at the Jaipur International Filmfest in India while child actor Miggs Cuaderno won best actor as the precocious adopted son of a transgender in the movie “Quick Change” at the Cherries Cheris International Filmfest in France. The film, directed by Eduardo Roy Jr. also won as best picture at the Copenhagen Filmfest in Denmark and the Netpac Award in Taipei, Taiwan.
Jun Lana won best director for “Mga Kuwentong Barbero” in the Madrid International Filmfest in Spain. The film also won the Audience Award and Crystal Mulberry Award at the Udine Far East International Filmfest in Italy. Jun also won the best screenplay award for “Bwakaw” in Pyongyang International Filmfest in North Korea.
Director Joel Lamangan’s “Kamkam” won best film at the Harlem Filmfest in New York. Diane Ventura won as best director and Jake Cuenca as best actor for “Mulat” in International Filmfest Manhattan, with Liza Dino as best actress for “In Nomine Matris”. Director Maryo de los Reyes’ “Bamboo Flowers” won the Audience Favorite Award at the Silk Road International Filmfest in China.
Director Francis Pasion’s Cinemalaya entry “Bwaya” won best film at Tokyo Filmex Filmfest. Director Lav Diaz’ “Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon” won the Pardo d’Oro Golden Leopard Award at the Locarno Filmfest in Switzerland, which comes with a $100,000 cash prize. His lead actress Hazel Orencio won as best actress.
The Cinema One movie, “Shift”, directed by Siege Ledesma and starring Yeng Constantino and Felix Roco, won best picture at the Osaka International Filmfest and was eventually given a rare theatrical release in Japan.
Mikhail Red’s “Rekorder” won the Special Jury Prize in Annonay Filmfest in France and its star Ronnie Quizon won Excellence in Acting Award in Barcelona Filmfest.
Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes won the best foreign face (female and male) awards while “Be Careful with My Heart” won as best foreign show in Vietnam.
And let's not forget Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao who lorded it on the ring, first against Timothy Bradley and later, Chris Algieri.
Stars who scored an achievement in the field of academics is led by Gov. Vilma Santos who got an honorary doctorate degree in Humanities from the Batangas State University. And the rare actors who got a college degree are led by Dingdong Dantes, who obtained a degree in business administration from the West Negros University. Diana Zubiri finished theatre arts at Miriam College and Joross Gamboa graduated with a degree in mass communications from Southville International School.
And here are the showbiz denizens who bid us goodbye in 2014: actors Mark Gil, Tiya Pusit, Tado (Arvin Jimenez), Roy Alvarez, Ramil Rodriguez, Roy Rustan, Roldan Aquino, Fred Galang, Pepe Pimentel, 50s actress Cielito Legaspi (mother of Rowell, Randy and Raymart); Sampaguita Pictures producer Azucena Vera Perez, Mang Gerry (the dad of Regine Velasquez), Mommy Zenaida (mother of Cherry Pie Picache who was the victim of a violent crime), Aida Fandialan (most trusted assistant of Gov. Vilma Santos), movie writers Fely Igmat and Ernie Pecho, scriptwriter-columnist Dinno Erece, newscaster Harry Gasser, TV host Lito Gorospe, scribe Donnie Ramirez, Sheryl Ann Reyes (wife of Wowie de Guzman), Mommy Elaine Cuneta (mother of Sharon Cuneta), and Gonzalo Dacumos (Vice Ganda’s ailing grandpa who passed on Christmas Day.) Let’s all pray for the repose of their souls.
And to end on a bright note, here are the promising young stars who made their presence felt in 2014: James Reid and Nadine Lustre in “Diary ng Panget”, Liza Soberano in “Forevermore”, Sofia Andres in “Relaks, It’s Just Pag-ibig” and “Forevermore”, Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali in “Nino”, Barbie Forteza, Thea Tolentino, Derrick Monasterio and Andre Paras in the hit afternoon soap “The Half Sisters”, Alex Gonzaga and Yen Santos in “Pure Love”, Nash Aguas and Alexa Ilacad in “Bagito”. Let’s see if they would truly fulfil their promise this year to shine brighter in 2015.
