INTERNATIONALL acclaimed indie movies "Kubrador" and "Kaleldo" lead the best picture race in the 30th Gawad Urian to be given out by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pililipino, the society of film critics, on Sept. 13, 7 p.m., at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater of the Ateneo de Manila University.
     "Kubrador," about the struggles of a bet collector working for the underground jueteng operations, swept the nominations, easily garnering nominations for director Jeffrey Jeturian and lead actress Gina Pareno. It is also nominated for best supporting actor (Domingo Landicho), screenplay, production design, cinematography, editing, music and sound.
     Pareno is also nominated for best supporting actress for "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo."
     "Kaleldo," a poetically charged film about a Kapampangan patriarch and his three daughters living in post-lahar Pampanga, also leads the race with nominations for its director, Brillante Mendoza, and its actresses: Cherrie Pie Picache and Angel Aquino are nominated for best actress. It also got nominations for best supporting actor (Lauren Novero), screenplay, production design, cinematography, music, and sound.
     The best picture race is dominated by independent movies. Also nominated are "Huling Balyan ng Buhi," which won the Cinemaone festival grand prize last year; "Manoro," the internationally acclaimed semi-documentary feature on the Aytas of Central Luzon; "Todos, Todos, Teros," a surprising tale on terrorism; and "Rome and Juliet," a sensitive take on lesbian love.
     The only studio movie nominated for best picture is "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo," the highest grossing movie of the 2006 Metro Manila Film Festival.
     The awarding ceremonies will be produced by APT Productions and will be broadcast on Channel 9.
     The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino is chaired by Mike Rapatan of the Department of Communication of De la Salle University. The members are National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chair Nicanor Tiongson, columnist and broadcast personality Butch Francisco, Malaya editor and MTRCB member Mario Hernando, UP College of Mass Communication professor Gigi Alfonso, UP professor Rolando Tolentino, and Inquirer editor and UST professor Lito Zulueta.

FILM industry stalwart Marichu P. Maceda will receive the Natatanging Gawad for lifetime achievement from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino during the 30th Gawad Urian on Sept. 13 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater of the Ateneo de Manila University.
     The Manunuri, the society of film critics, is giving the award to Maceda for her long years of leadership in the movie industry, resulting in the institution of policies, programs and even agencies catering to the needs and interests of movie professionals.
     Maceda, "Manay Ichu" to movie workers, was behind the establishment of the Film Academy of the Philippines in the 1980's. She worked tirelessly for the formation of guilds covering the different aspects of the movie profession. These guilds now form the FAP.
     Maceda was also instrumental in the passage of Republic Act 9167, the law that created the Film Development Council of the Philippines, which formulates programs and grants incentives to improve the quality of Filipino movies.
     The council has formed the Cinema Evaluation Board, which evaluates and grades films submitted to it and depending on the ratings, grants them incentives.
     Belonging to the Vera-Perez clan, the family behind Sampaguita studios, Maceda was also a producer. She produced Mike de Leon's "Batch '81," one of the greatest Filipino films of all time.
     The 30th Gawad Urian ceremonies will be produced by APT Productions and will be broadcast on Channel 9.
Nominated for best picture are "Huling Balyan ng Buhi" (CPI/Cinemaone Originals); "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo" (Star Cinema); "Kaleldo" (Centerstage Productions); "Kubrador" (MLR Films); "Manoro" (Centerstage Productions); "Todos, Todos, Teros" (John Torres); "Rome and Juliet" (CPI/Cinemaone Originals).