SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a resolution congratulating and commending multi-awarded film and television actress Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo for bagging the Best Actress trophy in the recently concluded Portuguese film festival.
“Santos-Agoncillo is inarguably a master of her craft honed by almost four decades of dedication, hard work and passion for the arts. Her significant accomplishment before the international film circuit stands as an enduring testament to the world-class artistry and exceptional talent of Filipino creative workers. Her most recent triumph not only gives the nation immense pride and joy, but also brings hope for the ailing Philippine cinema that is reeling from low audience turnout, online piracy, and deluge of Hollywood franchises,” Estrada said in his filed Senate Resolution No. 1320.
“Her victory in the international stage deserves to be celebrated by the Filipino people and merits commendation from the Senate,” he added.
Santos-Agoncillo is the fourth Filipino actor to bag the award at the annual Fantasporto, the 45th edition of which took place from February 28 to March 9, 2025, at Batalha Centro de Cinema, for her lead performance as Monet in the film “Espantaho,” titled “Scarecrow” in the international film festival.
Previous winners were Barbie Forteza who won the Philippines’ first Fantasporto win for her performance in the 2016 film “Laut.” She was followed by Ian Veneracion two years later for his movie “Ilawod,” and Cristine Reyes in 2020 for the film “UnTrue.”
Santos-Agoncillo’s recognition at the Porto International Film Festival marks her second Best Actress win for the same movie, which was also part of the 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Dubbed as the country’s “Prime Superstar” and “Queen of Pinoy Soap Opera,” she is a young icon who helped shape today’s entertainment landscape and contributed to the advancement of the film and TV industries, Estrada said.
“Espantaho,” a 90-minute horror film, was directed by Chito S. Roño and written by Chris Martinez, also starred Lorna Tolentino and Chanda Romero. It was selected to compete with 22 other films from different countries in the Fantasy Feature Films (Cinema Fantastico) section.
Fantasporto is one of the leading and most popular annual film festivals in the world organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. It is best known for showcasing films under fantasy, science fiction, and horror genres.
-end-