OVERHEARD at the first Inquirer Indie Tribute ceremony recently are the various ?indie? ways to express gratitude from the night?s honorees (or their representatives), as they made their individual acceptance speeches.

Take a bow, guys. And a million thanks to you, too.

Mike Sandejas: ?It?s always a great highlight of my life to read my name and my films? titles in the Inquirer.?

Khavn de la Cruz: ?Mabuhay ang mga patay! Long live the dead: John Doliente, Miguel Fabie, Ka Elmo Redrico who represented the true meaning of the indie spirit: the selfless art of giving oneself wholly. Mabuhay ang mga maliliit na cinema clubs! Long live the small movie clubs: Mogwai Cinematheque, Titus Brandsma, Tioseco-Bohinc Film Series at Fully Booked, without which there wouldn?t be real audience development. Mabuhay ang mga buhay! Long live my partners-in-crime: Kristine Kintana, Lawrence Ang, Albert Banzon and all the film workers who have been part of my rather long journey. Mabuhay ang mga patay! Mabuhay ang mga buhay! Mabuhay tayong lahat! Wazak!?

Auraeus Solito: ?After the revolution comes evolution ... We are on the verge of something big as attested to by new indie films like ?Mondomanila,? ?Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria Kirschbaum,? ?Limbunan? and ?Baseco Bakal Boys.??

Ralston Jover: ?Salamat sa aking mentor, si Bing Lao. Salamat sa Inquirer at dinamay niyo ako kahit first film ko pa lamang ang ?Baseco Bakal Boys.??

Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil: ?Inquirer wrote that indie filmmakers showed the fierce nobility of Filipinos living and working under the most difficult conditions. Is it fierce nobility or fierce insanity? But if you have a powerful media institution, committed not only to truth but to change, backing you up ... it?s not so crazy, after all.?

Adolfo Alix Jr.: ?Thank you to the Inquirer for recognizing the movement. Thanks to the institutions that helped me start: Cinemalaya, Cinema One. And to the people I?ve worked with and the actors I?ve directed, especially Ms Anita Linda who continues to be an inspiration to all of us.?

Milo Sogueco: ?Because of filmmakers like Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz and Jeffrey Jeturian, even new Filipino filmmakers like me are mobbed abroad. Even young girls have their photos taken with me!?

Lav Diaz, as delivered by actress Angeli Bayani: ?Salamat, salamat sa Inquirer at mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino!?

Jeffrey Jeturian, courtesy of actress Cherry Pie Picache: ?Bonggang bongga ang parangal na ito. He really used the term bonggang bongga.?

John Torres, courtesy of dad Rodolfo Torres: ?John is in Dubai, but he is here in spirit. You may be wondering: The night?s honorees are all young. Bakit biglang may matanda? Kasalanan ng Inquirer. Had it been around more than 25 years ago, I could?ve been an indie filmmaker, too.?

Mes de Guzman, as delivered by actor Edwin Nombre: ?Malakas ang ulan sa Nueva Vizcaya kaya hindi nakapunta si Mes. I am excited. I used to watch the films of the directors in this room when I was young.?

Ato Bautista: ?You were all my idols when I was a kid.?

Erik Matti: ?In my mind, I am a mainstream filmmaker, but maybe my heart is really in the indies all along. I?m glad to be recognized among the top indie filmmakers of this generation.?

Raymond Red: ?We?re not part of history. My career as filmmaker goes way back, older than the Inquirer, back when indie was called alternative cinema. But I?m not the oldest filmmaker in this group.?

Ellen Ramos on sharing the award with partner Paolo Villaluna: ?There should be 26 filmmakers. But Paolo and I are sharing this: Tig-one-half kami.?

Paolo Villaluna: ?If not for PDI, the public wouldn?t accept indie films this way. Let us (the indie filmmakers) not forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants. We dedicate this honor to the pioneers: Kidlat Tahimik, Nick Deocampo and Tikoy Aguiluz.?

Sherad Anthony Sanchez: ?This is for the regional filmmakers who keep persevering.?

Alvin Yapan: ?Thanks to my producer Alem Ang. We made ?Gayuma? in Bicol to advocate regional filmmaking. We need more producers who will courageously invest in indie films.?

Raya Martin: ?I forgot to wear a belt. My first job was in the Inquirer, in the youth section.?

Pepe Diokno: ?I got my first real job in the Inquirer. I was 17 and I still remember coming to the office every week. Tonight I?m grateful to the Inquirer for that, and for this honor. It feels humbling to be in the company of good people.?

Jon Red: ?I always tell friends: Indie filmmaking is like crime; it does not pay. Thanks to the Inquirer, tonight it paid off.?

Rico Maria Ilarde: ?I hope my fellow filmmakers would notice the tremendously talented actors in our films. They deserve the attention, too. Mabuhay ang PDI!?

Brillante Ma. Mendoza: ?Thank you to PDI and to all the artists who are here tonight. Congratulations to all of us!?

Francis Xavier Pasion: ?It?s a big thrill for filmmakers to read reviews of our films in the Inquirer. Thank you to the PDI writers who wrote about my films.?

Chris Martinez: ?I?ve only done two films, tribute agad. Seriously, I thank the Inquirer for its active support of Pinoy indies. What an honor! Sobra!?

Jerrold Tarog on the Guyito stuffed toy award: ?Wala pang pumuna kung gaano ka-cute ?yung kasama ng trophy. While the whole night is about the international festivals we?ve been to, the ultimate dream is still to reach the Filipino audience.?