Birdshot is still flying high and gaining accolades, this time from The Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd) at the 2018 Entertainment Editors Awards. Birdshot’s Mary Joy Apostol went home with the Best Actress Award for her portrayal of the 14-year-old Maya, whose coming-of-age story fuels the movie. The actress was ebullient about receiving the award, declaring that one should “never stop chasing your dreams and always believe [that] the Lord has a good plan for us.”
The Best Director award was given to Mikhail Red, whose work on Birdshot was hailed by Variety magazine critic Richard Kuipers as “wonderfully directed and performed” and a “… a compelling study in the loss of innocence while offering potent commentary on the state of things in the Philippines.” Best Cinematography also went to Birdshot, with Myco David winning the prize.
“[I’m] really proud of our triple win at the Eddys!” Red says. “It’s always an honor to have your film recognized by local award-giving bodies and appreciated by local audiences. I am deeply encouraged as a Filipino filmmaker.”
Birdshot also got its share of praise abroad, winning Best Picture in the Asian Asian Future category at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival, and Best Actress at the first ASEAN film awards in Vietnam. Earlier this year, Birdshot was able to reach a worldwide audience when it was launched on the top video streaming platform, Netflix. “It is partnerships like what we have with Birdshot and its producers, TBA Studios, that inspire us to keep creating world-class projects that reach people around the world,” says Globe Studios Head Quark Henares.