'Sugat sa Dugo' young stars Khai Flores and Shira Tweg score acting awards

Director Danny Ugali's advocacy film about HIV/AIDS (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome), "Sugat sa Dugo (Wounded Blood)," was the acting debut of both of its young stars, Khai Flores and Shira Tweg.

- By LEAH C. SALTERIO

The upstarts gave their acting best in their respective portrayals after internalizing the roles assigned to them. What they didn't expect were the awards accorded to them in the recent Star Awards for Movies of the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC).

"Sugat sa Dugo" was shown online in 2022, but up to now, the film does not cease to create its ripple effect to the public because of its universal theme.

The film romped off with five trophies from the Star Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Janice de Belen; Best Indie Theme Song, Hindi Ka Kulang by Myra Aquino; Best New Actor for Khai Flores; Best New Actress by Shira Tweg and Christa Jocson.

"Hindi pa rin tapos ang 'Sugat,'" Janice told "Sugat sa Dugo" executive producer, Bambbi Fuentes, and associate producer, Christine Areola of Dragon Entertainment Productions.

"Hindi pa," agreed Bambbi. "Hanggang end of the world, hanggang buhay tayo. Buhay pa rin ang 'Sugat sa Dugo.'"

"Sugat sa Dugo" is about life, love, survival and death of a family member.

Janice even bagged the Best Actress trophy at the Manhattan International Film Festival Autumn in 2021 for her portrayal of a mom of an AIDS victim in "Sugat sa Dugo."

"We want to include 'Sugat sa Dugo' in the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) and Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), so they can consider our film, but we do not know how to go about it," lamented Bambbi. "We do not know how."