SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a resolution commending the monumental triumph of filmmaker Carl Joseph Papa for winning the Best Animated Film award in the 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) held last November 30 in Gold Coast, Australia.
Papa’s “Iti Mapukpukaw” (The Missing), a 90-minute Filipino-Ilocano rotoscope animated film, bested four other films from Japan and France, Australia, and Korea.
“Papa’s accomplishments, expertise, and passion in filmmaking significantly contribute to the development of the local animation industry and enrich the slim catalog of Filipino animated films that is still finding its unique style and identity when compared to the more established and Hollywood counterparts,” Estrada said in Senate Resolution No. 1249.
The film also bagged the Best Feature Film award at the 17th International Animated Film Festival (IAFF) Animator held from June 25 to 30, 2024 in Poznan, Poland.
Aside from critical acclaim from local award-giving bodies such as Gawad Urian which awarded the Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Animation trophies to the film, and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) which bestowed the Best Editing award, “Iti Mapukpukaw” became the Philippines’ entry to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.
Papa, as the director and head animator, initially shot the lead actors against a green screen for four days, and later on translated the frame-by-frame sequences into animation with the help of 90 animators for eight months.
He previously directed “Manang Biring,” which became the first Filipino animated film showcased at the 2015 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
“His masterful employment of rotoscope and 2D animation can be considered an achievement in Philippine cinema as an innovative way of storytelling,” Estrada said.
“The successes and accolades received by ‘Iti Mapukpukaw’ in the international film circuit marks a significant milestone for Filipino animators, demonstrating their exceptional talent, technical proficiency, and ingenuity to the world, and brings immense pride and honor to the country,” the veteran lawmaker added.
APSA is an international cultural program presented by the Asia Pacific Screen Academy that honors filmmaking that best reflects its cultural origins, region diversity, and cinematic excellence. Founded in 2007, it has gained international status and following in the film community as it invites submissions from 78 countries.