Director Auraeus Solito's "Busong" wins another award in New Zealand

Internationally acclaimed Filipino director Auraeus Solito has another award to add to his numerous accolades, this time an award that he received at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival in New Zealand.

Solito's film "Busong" bagged the International Indigenous Award of the festival on June 1.

Each award winner received a trophy and cash prizes of various amounts, depending on the type of honor. Solito, as the winner of the International Indigenous Award, received $500.

The event was sponsored by the Embassy of Brazil in New Zealand. On his Facebook page, Solito posted a picture of him and "Busong" executive producer Jong de Castro. They received the award from Brazil Ambassador Eduardo Gradilone.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival started in 2005 "with the purpose of supporting, recognizing and presenting the indigenous storyteller narrative."

"Busong" is the first Palawanon indigenous film. The title refers to the Pala'wan concept of fate or karma, focusing on the consequences of people's disrespect towards nature and fellow humans.

The other winners in the film festival were the following:

Audience Award Short Film - "I'm Going to Mum's" by Lauren Jackson

Audience Award Short Film - Best Actor - Duane Wichman Evans in "I'm Going to Mum's"

Audience Award Short Film - Best Actress - Jahna Batt in "Butterfly"

WIFT Mana Wahine Award - Keri Kaa

Best Documentary - Aotearoa - "Allan Baldwin in Frame" by Tearepa Kahi

Mana Wairoa Award - Best Overall Festival Entry - "Maori Boy Genius" by Pietra Bretkelly & Ngaa Rauuira Puumanawawhiti

Solito provided an account of his experience on his Facebook page.

"From Auckland, we had an eight-hour bus ride to Wairoa and the view of the landscape was breathtaking. We arrived by sunset and were greeted with traditional chanting before we entered the Marae, the most sacred place in Maori culture. Then the tribal leaders and elders greeted us inside and a Tohunga, a Maori shaman, introduced me and my executive producer, Jong de Castro, who came from the US," Solito narrated.

"I led the line to greet the leaders and elders where we were greeted with a hongi, the traditional Maori greeting of pressing noses and foreheads. But what was magical was that all the films were screened inside the Marae,” he said.



In 2011, the film won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) International Critics Prize at the Eurasia International Film Festival (EIFF) held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Also in 2011, Busong was among 21 feature films in the Cannes Directors' Fortnight.

In 2012, it bagged the grand prize at the National Geographic Society's All Roads Film Festival in Washington, D.C. - Gian C. Geronimo/VVP, GMA News