FILIPINO filmmaker Alvin Yapan?s ?Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe (The Rapture of Fe)? topped the Digital Competition section of the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival held from Nov. 10-20.

The Filipino film won the Golden Award which comes with a cash prize of $10,000 from one of the top-ranked festivals in the world.

The silver prize went to films from India (?First Time?) and France (?Exile in Paris?). The Golden Pyramid in the main section went to a film from Finland (?Letters to Father Jacob?).

A Special Jury Prize co-winner in this year?s Cinemalaya, ?Fe? was cited by Cairo jurors ?for its sensitive portrayal of a woman (Irma Adlawan) caught between an abusive husband and an impotent lover... [and for] illuminating our understanding of human relationships.?

The festival?s website noted that the film ?stood out for its unflinching realism and strong performances that brought alive the complexity of a woman?s quest for fulfillment.?

Other Cinemalaya 2009 entries have won in festivals like Venice (?Engkwentro?), Lyon (?Sanglaan?) and Pusan (?Astig?).

The last time the Philippines won in Cairo was in 1995, when Joel Lamangan?s ?The Flor Contemplacion Story? brought home the Best Picture and Best Actress (for Nora Aunor) trophies in the fest?s main competition.

Yapan previously won acclaim for his earlier efforts, the short film ?Rolyo? in 2007 and the feature film ?Huling Pasada? (which he co-directed with Paul Sta. Ana) in 2008. ?Fe? is his first solo feature film.

Before leaving for Cairo, Yapan told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (mother company of INQUIRER.net): ?Getting support and approval from the international scene is very important considering the gloomy forecast for the future of our film industry.?

He called the prospect of winning ?a grace from God.?

?It?s a great time to make films now,? he said. ?New paths are being discovered. New methods are being explored.?

For ?Fe,? he used an HPX 500 HD camera. ?Since I am aiming for a poetic narrative, I wanted the film quality, in terms of the aesthetics, to veer toward the classical, almost mainstream. I wanted to trick the audience into believing that what they?re seeing is conventional when it?s really not.?

Prior to Cairo, ?Fe? was screened in New Delhi and Chicago fests. Next stop for ?Fe? is the Bahamas fest where it will be competing again next month.

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