DIREK SIGRID BERNARDO HOPES FOR MORE PROJECTS FOR KRYSTEL GO AFTER ‘I’MPERFECT'

After watching Krystel Go in Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s “I’mPerfect,” it wasn’t hard to see that she just might pull off an upset against the acting heavyweights in the Best Actress race at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.

- By NATHALIE TOMADA

The cast members of 'I'mperfect' celebrate their Gabi ng Parangal wins, including Best Ensemble and First Best Picture, with director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo (rightmost), co-actor Zaijian Jaranilla (standing, rightmost), and producer and co-star Sylvia Sanchez (standing, in black).

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And she did, dedicating her award to her parents in what became one of the most touching moments in the MMEFF Gabi ng Parangal history.

“Di po ako makapaniwala na nanalo ako. Mommy and daddy, para po sa inyo ‘to, Best Actress na po ako,” she said in her acceptance speech. “Maraming salamat po, Lord, tinupad mo po ang pangarap ko, naming lahat na maging artista.”

Being a person with Down syndrome (DS), her big win in a film about a romance between two people with DS was later hailed by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) as “an affirmation of a truth long championed by the disability community: that persons with disabilities are capable of excellence and deserve to take center stage in Philippine cinema.” They also noted that the recognition sends a strong message that disability-inclusive storytelling is not just socially relevant, but artistically outstanding.

There were comments, though, that suspected it was a sympathy vote or a statement about inclusivity rather than a judgment of acting performance. But as someone who was part of the jury, led by highly esteemed screenwriter, film writer and academic Clodualdo “Doy” del Mundo Jr, it can now be said that during deliberations, the words “inclusive” or “inclusivity” never even came up. The open, collegial back-and-forth focused squarely on the merits of her and the other nominees’ performances.