John Lloyd Cruz bagged the Boccalino d’ Oro prize or Golden Jug award for best actor at the 76th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland!
The “King of Contemporary Cinema” received this prestigious award for his performance in Lav Diaz’s Essential Truths of the Lake, which is the country’s main representative in the film festival.
Photo: Bianca Balbuena
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) shared the news on Friday, August 11, through an Instagram post. It also released a congratulatory message from the national agency’s Chairman and CEO, Tirso Cruz III.
“It is with great joy and pride that I congratulate one of the most talented artists of our country, Mr. John Lloyd Cruz, for having won the Boccalino d’Oro prize (Golden Jug Award) for Best Actor at the 76th Locarno Film Festival (LFF) in Switzerland. This award is much deserved by an artist of his caliber. Lloydie, congratulations, and thank you for bringing honor to our country,” the post read.
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The Boccalino d’ Oro prize was given by the Independent Critics Jury of Italy. According to Epicmedia Productions, here’s the award citation, “An extraordinary actor, in a role far removed from the Hollywood forerunners, draws with class the figure of a policeman attentive to the moral and civil value of his being at the service of the people and not of oppressive power. An actor capable of illuminating the cinematic work of a master like Lav Diaz.”
ALSO READ: John Lloyd Cruz, Shaina Magdayao Grace “Essential Truths of the Lake” Premiere at Swiss Film Fest
Essential Truths of the Lake follows the story of a police officer, Lieutenant Hermes Papauran, portrayed by Cruz, who resolves a 15-year-old murder case linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war involving a model performer named Esmeralda Stuart, played by Shaina Magdayao. The film also stars Hazel Orencio, Bart Guingona, and Agot Isidro.
Cruz is the second Filipino actor to win the Boccalino d’ Oro prize, following Orencio in 2014 for her performance in another Diaz’s film Mula sa Kung Ano Ang Noon.
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