Nora Aunor bags int'l critic's award at the 69th Venice film fest

Superstar Nora Aunor bagged a coveted critic’s award Friday for her performance in Brillante Mendoza’s “Thy Womb." The prize was awarded a day before the end of the 69th Venice International Film Festival. Aunor, whose other critically-acclaimed starer "Himala" is also being exhibited in the festival under the “Venice Classics” category, won the Bisato d’Oro Award from the Premio Della Critica Indipendiente, an independent film critics’ group in Italy. Bisato d’Oro translates to Golden Eel in English. The Premio Della Critica Indipendiente is not affiliated with the Venice film festival’s award giving body, but Aunor’s recognition is seen as a vote of confidence, and bolstered the Pinay actress’ chance at bagging the Volpi Cup, the Venice film fest’s best actress prize at the awarding rites on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). In “Thy Womb” (Filipino title: Sinapupunan), Aunor portrayed the role of a barren Badjao midwife who puts a nubile young woman in her husband’s bed. The film by award winning director Brillante Mendoza was lauded by foreign critics, and is in the running for the Il Leone d’Oro, or the Golden Bear, the highest prize to be awarded in the festival. Along with director Brillante Mendoza, Aunor was joined in Venice by castmates Lovi Poe and Mercedes Cabral. Poe posted a picture on her twitter account congratulating the Superstar for winning the award. Poe's gown was also voted 'most beautiful' in the festival. All four received a five-minute standing ovation after the red carpet premiere of the film. — LBG, GMA News