Philippine Cinema 2015: 10 Best First Features

In a close three-way battle for the top spot, Ara Chawdury’s Miss Bulalacao edged out Bor Ocampo’s Dayang Asu and Carlo Enciso Catu’s Ari: My Life with a King for Best First Feature. The three films, along with two other first features (Sleepless and Patintero) are also in the Top 20 Best Films of 2015, a good sign that new filmmakers have what it takes to come up with quality outputs given the right opportunities. The future is bright indeed.

1 – Miss Bulalacao (Ara Chawdhury) 38 points, 13 votes, 3 first-place votes

2 – Dayang Asu (Bor Ocampo) 38 points, 13 votes, 1 first-place vote

3 – Ari: My Life with a King (Carlo Enciso Catu) 38 points, 11 votes

4 – Iisa (Chuck Gutierrez) 21 points

5 – Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo (Mihk Vergara) 17 points, 6 votes

6 – Sleepless (Prime Cruz) 17 points, 5 votes

7 – Tandem (King Palisoc) 15 points

8 – Toto (John Paul Su) 13 points

9 – Waves (Don Gerardo Frasco) 10 points

10 – Old Skool (Cia Hermosa-Jorge) 4 points

INDIVIDUAL BALLOTS »

MAYK ALEGRE (Cinemaddict)

1. Iisa
2. Miss Bulalacao
3. Ari: My Life With A King
4. Tandem
5. Dayang Asu

EDUARDO DAYAO (Piling Piling Pelikula)

1. Manang Biring
2. Miss Bulalacao
3. Patintero

JAMES ESPINOZA (Film Police Reviews)

1. Ari: My Life with a King
2. Dayang Asu
3. Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo
4. Tandem
5. Miss Bulalacao

JONELL ESTILLORE (Cinema Bravo)

1. Miss Bulalacao
2. Iisa
3. Dayang Asu
4. Ari: My Life With A King
5. Tandem

RICKY GALLARDO (Business Mirror)

1. Bor Ocampo, Dayang Asu
2. Ara Chawdhury, Ms. Bulalacao
3. John Paul Su, Toto
4. Carlo Encisu, Ari Life with A King
5. Cia Jorge, Old Skool

EMIL HOFILEÑA (Cinemil Writes)

1. Ari: My Life with a King
2. Tandem
3. Toto

KAYO JOLONGBAYAN (Film Police Reviews)

1. Patintero
2. Dayang Asu
3. Waves
4. Miss Bulalacao
5. Tandem

SKILTY LABASTILLA (Pinoy Rebyu)

1. Ari: My Life with a King (Carlo Enciso Catu)
2. Sleepless (Prime Cruz)
3. Waves (Don Gerardo Frasco)
4. Iisa (Chuck Gutierrez)
5. Dayang Asu (Bor Ocampo)

LYNDON MABURAOT (Table Stretcher)

1. Dayang Asu
2. Sleepless
3. Toto

MACKY MACARAYAN (Death of Traditional Cinema)

1. Bor Ocampo, Dayang Asu
2. Mihk Vergara, Patintero
3. John Paul Su, Toto

RENELSON MORELOS (Ramblings of a Film Urchin)

1. Ari: My Life with a King, Carlo Enciso Catu
2. Tandem, King Palisoc

NOOD.PH

Dayang Asu, Bor Ocampo

MANUEL PANGARUY (Tagailog Special Presents)

1. Ari (Carlo Enciso Catu)
2. Waves (Don Gerardo Frasco)
3. Dayang Asu (Bor Ocampo)
4. Of Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, and Sashimi (Perry Dizon)
5. Miss Bulalacao (Ara Chawdhury)

CATHY PEÑA (Make Me Blush)

1. Ara Chawdhury, Miss Bulalacao
2. Chuck Gutierrez, Iisa
3. Cia Jorge, Old Skool
4. Carlo Enciso Catu, Ari My Life with a King
5. Mihk Vergara, Patintero Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo

NICO QUEJANO (Cinephiles!)

1. Sleepless
2. Dayang Asu
3. Miss Bulalacao
4. Iisa

BERNARD SANTOS (My Movie World)

1. Sleepless
2. Dayang Asu
3. Miss Bulalacao
4. Toto
5. Iisa

NAZAMEL TABARES (Movies in the Philippines)

1. Miss Bulalacao
2. Ari: My Life With A King
3. Dayang Asu
4. Tandem
5. Toto

JOHN TAWASIL (Present Confusion)

1. Ari
2. Iisa
3. Miss Bulalacao
4. Sleepless
5. Tandem

EMIL NOR URAO (The Movie Bud)

1. Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo, Mihk Vergara
2. Toto, John Paul Su
3. Tandem, King Palisoc
4. The Comeback, Ivan Andrew Payawal
5. Miss Bulalacao, Ara Chawdhury