The accolades received by Christian Bables for his performance as a scene-stealing transgender in Jun Lana’s Die Beautiful is no fluke. His latest film, Chito Roño’s Signal Rock, an entry at the recent Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), again finds the 25-year old rising, young actor at the center of critics’ attention as both the film and his sensitive portrayal of the lead character drew unanimous raves.

CHRISTIAN Bables was honored with the Special Jury Award for Outstanding Acting for his performance in ‘Signal Rock.’ YUMMIE DINGDING At the PPP’s Gabi ng Pasasalamat at Whitespace Manila in Makati City, Bables received another well-deserved honor as he was presented with the Special Jury Award for Outstanding Acting among the festival’s eight official entries.

Not surprisingly, Signal Rock also won the festival’s Critics Choice award.

Another big winner that emerged in the festival is indefatigable director Jason Paul Laxaman, whose two films, Bakwit Boys and The Day After Valentine’s won the Audience Choice award, the former via the Pistapp mobile app and the latter for emerging as the festival’s top-grosser.

The feature film entries were chosen and honored by a selection committee composed of cinematographer Lee Briones, film editor Manet Dayrit, actress Cherie Gil and directors Sheron Dayoc, Jose Javier Reyes and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna.

Unlike other festivals, the PPP, by design, is not actually a competition among its official entries. But just like last year when it was inaugurated, special awards were given to selected entries.

Also awarded with an Audience Choice award among the six films in the PPP’s Special Feature Section is Thop Nazareno’s Kiko Boksingero, which last year won three awards, including Best Actor for lead star Noel Comia, Jr. and Best Supporting Actress for Yayo Aguila.

Several awards were also handed out to the competing films in the festival’s Sine Kabataan short film section. The Best Short Film award went to “Bato Bato Pik” by Ardinian Jaq Sanque and Lorys Plaza. Daniel Delgado and Tiara Angelica Nicolas won Best Director for “Masaya Ako.” “Koleksyong Pamalo” by Len Frago clinched the Special Jury Prize, “Alas Nuebe ng Tanghali” by Enalyn Legaspi won Audience Choice while the #GlobeOfGood award went to “Runner” by Levi Jun Miscala.

The selection committee for Sine Kabataan were composed of Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair and chief executive officer Liza Diño, United Nations Children’s Fund adolescent and HIV officer Emee Lei Albano-Valdehuesa, producer Bianca Balbuena, actress Angeli Bayani and filmmaker Mikhail Red.

Presented by the FDCP, the PPP film festival ran from 15 to 21 August. FDCP chair Liza Diño, however, said that at least two films, possibly the Audience Choice winners may extend their theatrical run while a third PPP entry may also be allowed to extend its screenings.