Sigrid Andrea Bernardo is a Filipino film director, screenwriter, producer, and actress best known for directing the highest-grossing Philippine independent film Kita Kita (2017).
In 2023, she is set to direct the cross-country film of Thai superstar Metawin Opas-iamkajorn and Filipino actress-singer Janella Salvador titled Under Parallel Skies. [1]
Bernardo is a graduate of Theater Arts at the University of the Philippines and pursued a scholarship at the Tanghalang Pilipino under the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
She continuously makes films with passion for human rights, women, political, social issues and on culture.
Career
editBernardo's first feature length film Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita (2013) was selected at the Produire au Sud in France Nantes and also bagged Best Picture at the CineFilipino Film Festival.
Her 2017 film Kita Kita, starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez and set in Sapporo, Japan was deemed a sleeper hit.[2][6] In its third week it reached ₱300 million, making it the highest-grossing Philippine independent film.[7] It had its world premiere in Japan at the 12th Osaka Asian Film Festival in March 2017 before expanding to a wider release in the Philippines on July 19, 2017 to highly positive reviews.[8] In 2017, Kita Kita was selected as the best romantic-comedy film in the last 25 years, as polled by CNN Philippines.[9]
She got to work again with de Rossi and Marquez in the movie Walang Kaparis which was released on Amazon Prime Video in March 2023. It became the No. 1 movie in the Top 10 Movies in the Philippines on its release week.[10]
Among her other films include Untrue (2019), Mr. and Mrs. Cruz (2018), and Lorna (2014).
Bernardo bagged the Movie Director of The Year award for Untrue at the 37th Star Awards for Movies. The film was also hailed as Movie of the Year at the awards ceremony.[11]
In July 2023, it was announced that Bernardo would be directing the cross-country film Under Parallel Skies starring Metawin Opas-iamkajorn of Thailand and Janella Salvador of the Philippines. The movie was shot in Hong Kong and co-produced by 28 Squared Studios and Two Infinity Entertainment.
"With this cross-country collaboration, the actors can bring their own unique skill sets and experiences, which can help enrich the story and give more authenticity to the characters they play," she said about directing the cross-border movie.[12]
"I aim to create a film that celebrates the unique identities and traditions of each culture while also exploring common themes and experiences that unite us as human beings," she added.
Bernardo also directed short films including Babae (2005), Little (2009), Au Revoir Philip (2010), and Ang Paghihintay sa Bulong (2012).[13]
She won Best Director in Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival for her directorial work in Babae. The short film also won Best Short Film in Cinemagaylesbico International Film Festival in Milan, Italy.
Ang Paghihintay sa Bulong was selected for the Cinemalaya Film Festival and bagged the Best Screenplay award. It also won the honorable mention at the Exground Film Festival in Wiesbaden Germany.
Filmography
edit| Year | Film | Role | Cast(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Rights | Director, writer | Lilia Corpuz, Ernesto Corpuz ("Lost and Found"); Hershey Abarico, Herson Abarico ("Bangka o Eroplano") | "Lost and Found" and "Bangka o Eroplano" segments |
| 2013 | Ang Huling Cha-cha ni Anita | Director, writer | Angel Aquino, Therese Malvar, Jay Bordon | Selected at Produire au Sud in Nantes, France, won Best Picture and Best Ensemble at the CineFilipino Film Festival, and Special Mention award at the Osaka Asian Film Festival |
| 2014 | Lorna | Director, writer | Shamaine Buencamino, Maria Isabel Lopez, Raquel Villavicencio | Selected as a finalist for Cinema One Originals |
| 2017 | Kita Kita | Director, writer | Alessandra de Rossi, Empoy Marquez | Won Star Awards for Movies 2018 for Movie Director of the Year and Movie Screenwriter of the Year |
| 2018 |
Mr. & Mrs. Cruz | Director, writer | Ryza Cenon, JC Santos | Its lead star Ryza Cenon received the Yakushi Pearl Award from the Osaka Asian Film Festival |
| 2019 | UnTrue[14] | Director, writer | Christine Reyes, Xian Lim | Premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival; Won Movie Director of the Year at 37th Star Awards for Movies |
| 2023 | Walang Kaparis | Director, writer | Alessandra de Rossi, Empoy Marquez | Became No. 1 on Prime Video's Top 10 Movies in the Philippines on its release week [15] |
| 2024 | Pushcart Tales | Director, writer | Nonie Buencamino, Shamaine Buencamino | Entry to the 1st Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival |
| Under Parallel Skies | Director, Writer | Janella Salvador, Metawin Opas-iamkajorn |
References
edit- ^ "Janella Salvador, Thai actor Win Metawin to star in new movie". abs-cbn news.
- ^ Flores, Karen (August 4, 2017). "Go on a Kita Kita tour of Sapporo, Japan". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
- ^ San Diego Jr., Bayani (July 27, 2017). "Sleeper hit surprises indie director". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ "Like Kita Kita, 7 other local films that became surprise blockbusters". ABS-CBN News. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ Lopez, Jacinda A. (August 1, 2017). "Kita Kita Stars Alessandra + Empoy Have A New Film In The Works". Cosmopolitan Philippines. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ [3][4][5]
- ^ "'Kita Kita' passes 'Heneral Luna' as PH's top grossing indie movie". ABS-CBN News. August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
- ^ "9 PH films in Osaka fest". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ "The 25 best Filipino rom-coms of the last 25 years". CNN Philippines. August 4, 2017. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "Walang Kaparis, No. 1 sa Prime Video Top 10 in The Philippines".
- ^ "John Arcilla, Sylvia Sanchez, Alessandra de Rossi bag acting awards at Star Awards for Movies".
- ^ "Win Metawin and Janella Salvador Star in New Romance Film, 'Under Parallel Skies'".
- ^ "Meet the director behind 'Kita Kita,' the Philippines' highest grossing indie film". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ "Untrue | Viva Communications Inc". viva.com.ph. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
- ^ "Walang Kaparis, No. 1 sa Prime Video Top 10 in The Philippines".