INT’L HONORS – Many people thought all along that the best supporting actor trophy for “Dayang Asu” (Dog Nation) was Ricky Davao’s first international award.
It was from the 3rd ASEAN Int’l Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia last May 4-6.
Actually it was his third.
The veteran actor won it first for Gil Portes’ “Saranggola” in 1999, best actor at Cinemanila Int’l Filmfest, second for Aloy Adlawan’s “Signos” in 2007, best supporting actor at the United Kingdom Int’l Filmmakers Filmfest.
Directed by Bor Ocampo, a native of Pampanga, “Dayang Asu” is focused on small-town politics, with Ricky playing the henchman of the mayor, doing dirty jobs for his boss.
For the part, Ricky spoke in kapampangan, not an easy feat for a Visayan like him.
Ricky thanked direk Bor who “….from the start believed in me, our producers, and the jury of the prestigious ASEAN cinema event.”
Incidentally, Ricky himself served as jury member of the first AIFFA in 2013.
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EXPOSURE – While at it, may as well list down some of Ricky Davao’s exposure abroad, starting with “Saranggola,” the Philippines’ official submission to the Oscars, and entry to the Moscow International Film Festival. Another starrer, Carlitos Siguion Reyna’s “Ang Lalake sa Buhay ni Selya,” won the Teddy Award (LGBT category) at the Berlin Int’l Filmfest.
In Malaysia, people recognized him from way back, thanks to his role in the soap “Pangako sa ‘Yo,” which was hugely popular in Kuala Lumpur. Ricky played a mean guy in the soap, “Kaya masama ang tingin sa akin,” he laughed.
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LOCAL AWARDS – Needless to say, Ricky’s won local awards, for both screen and stage.
Aside from those earlier mentioned, Ricky merited awards for such exceptional films as “Abot Hanggang Sukdulan,” “Ipaglaban Mo,” “Minsan May Isang Puso”. He merited good reviews in “Azucena,” “White Slavery,” “Nagbabagang Puso,” “Pusang Gala,” among others.
He also won trophies and accolades for his stage roles, including “Insiang,” “Bongbong at Kris,” “Felipe de las Casas,” “Larawan.”
Ricky’s busy directing for television but in his own words, “I’ll always be an actor.”
Ricky and this columnist go back a long way, since the early 80s when he was studying at Mapua, taking up industrial engineering, which he finished. I introduced him to the best manager in showbiz, the late beloved Bibsy Carballo. But that’s for another column.