BY MARIO E. BAUTISTA

INDEPENDENT digital films dominated the Entertainment Press Society’s 4th Golden Screen Awards held at the Carlos Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza on Saturday night. Best drama picture is "Kubrador," an indie digital film produced by Atty. Josabeth Alonzo that has won many international awards. It also bagged the trophies for best original screenplay for Ralston Jover, best direction for Jeffrey Jeturian and best drama actress for Gina Pareño, who tied with Maricel Soriano for "Inang Yaya," another digital film.

Gina played the title role of the exploited jueteng bet collector who’s so wounded and harassed by her impoverished life but does not even realize it. Maricel also played the title role as the mother and babysitter-housemaid who is torn between her real daughter and the ward she has been taking care of since infancy. Both of them deserve to win.

The best drama actor is Alcris Galura, who was absent. He won for his performance as an Ifugao teenager who dreams of having a new pair of rubber shoes in "Batad sa Paang Palay," another indipendent digital film. He earlier won for the same movie in the CineMalaya Digital Filmfest last July.

The best comedy-musical picture was won by "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo," a mainstream film that was named only second best picture in the controversial Metro Manila Film Festival last December. This is a vindication of sorts for the movie, whose director, Joey Reyes, received the trophy and dedicated it to the late Director Joey Gosiengfiao. The film also garnered the best comedy-musical actress award for Judy Ann Santos, who also won best actress in the Metro filmfest as the feisty young wife who has no qualms about confronting her husband and his mistress when she discovers their affair.

The best comedy-musical actor went to Piolo Pascual for his role as a folk singer in Baguio in "Don’t Give Up On Us." Piolo was having a concert with Sam Milby at the Music Museum so he was not there to receive his award.

Nonie Buencamino won the best supporting actor award for his role as the father of Alcris in "Batad." Cherry Pie Picache won best supporting actress for her role as the black-hearted, foul-mouthed, sex-hungry powerbroker in "Twilight Dancers."

The award for best breakthrough performance by an actor went to Sid Lucero for his role as a whale shark guardian who falls in love with a dying woman in "Donsol," another indie film. Best breakthrough performance by an actress went to Maja Salvador for her portrayal of a teenager with a third eye in "Sukob."

Here are the other winners. Best screenplay adaptation - Dinno Erece in "Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah." Best visual effects - Larger Than Life in "Ligalig." Best sound- Ditoy Aguila in "Kubrador." Best musical score - Sr. Belinda Salazar in "Batad." Best original movie theme song - "Ikaw ang Superhero ng Buhay Ko" from "Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah." Best editing - Jay Halili in "Kubrador." Best production design - Abet Santos and Noel Navarro in "Batad." Best cinematography - Eli Balce in "Donsol."

The recipient of the Lino Brocka Lifetime Achievement Award was Gina Alajar, who has won numerous awards both as best supporting actress ("Biktima," "Mulanay") and best actress ("Salome," "Brutal," "Kapit sa Patalim").

The main hosts for the evening were Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Raymond Gutierrez and Heart Evangelista, with Aga Muhlach and Maricel Soriano as trivia hosts who paid tribute to local cinema’s best actresses. Juday and Ryan delighted the audience with their quips on stage, especially when Ryan told Juday: "Ang ganda mo. I feel like I’m the luckiest man alive."

The Enpress decided to make the awards night an informal one with a summer motif. The performers and presentors came in flowery Hawaiian outfits and the stage was set up like a luau by Rico Ancheta, making the atmosphere very relaxed and casual.