Nora Aunor Dedicates Her Venice Award to the Filipino People

Acclaimed actress Nora Aunor and award-winning director Brillante Mendoza are now back in the Philippines after the successful screening of their movie, Thy Womb (Ang Sinapupunan), at the 69th Venice International Film Festival in Italy.

The movie, which received a five-minute standing ovation, won the P. Nazareno Taddei Award, a special mention given to films that express authentic human values. Mendoza was also recognized with the the La Navicella Venezia Cinema Award for affirming human values through his film. Nora, who portrayed an infertile Badjao midwife in the movie, lost in her bid for festival’s best actress plum, but was still handed the Bisato d’Oro award by the jury of independent film critics.

"Masayang-masaya po [ako], at ito ay para sa sambayanang Pilipino (I’m very happy, and this is for the Filipino people),” the Superstar was quoted as saying in an article by ABS-CBNNews.com.

"Inaalay ko sa lahat ito, lalung-lalo na ang mga fans, at sa lahat ng mga kaibigan na naniniwala at may tiwala pa rin sa 'kin hanggang ngayon, sa amin. Lahat 'nung nangyari ay kakaiba sa akin, dahil unang-una ko naka-attend ng ganitong klaseng festival, tulad ng Venice, kaya hindi maipaliwanag 'yung kaligayahan na nadarama ko ngayon (I’m dedicating this to everyone, especially to the fans, and to all my friends who believed in me and trusted me and the rest of us. This has been a new experience to me, because this is my first time to attend a festival like this, like Venice, so I couldn’t explain the happiness I’m feeling right now.)."

However, the veteran actress also said that it would be better if the Filipinos would show more support for the local independent film industry.

"Pasensya na ho kung sino masasaktan, pero kailangan na po malaman nila na kailangan ho 'yung industrya ng ating pelikulang Pilipino ay suportahan naman nila (I apologize for those who might get offended, but they need to know that the Philippine film industry needs their support)," she was quoted as saying in a separate article.


(Photo courtesy of PEP.ph)