Arjo Atayde’s Famas win highlights Nathan Studios’ filmmaking excellence

August 26 ------ Several Kapuso stars and shows were recognized at the 37th Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for television. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde’s Best Actor win at the 73rd Famas awards has brought prestige not only to his name but also to Nathan Studios, underscoring the company’s growing reputation for producing world-class films.

Atayde, the leading actor in the action-packed film “Topakk,” portrayed the role of an ex-military officer before becoming a security guard who is dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after losing his fellow soldier friend in a mission.

Famas cited Atayde’s strong and compelling portrayal that blended well with co-actors Julia Montes and Sid Lucero’s performances. Aside from Best Actor, Topakk also won Best Sound. Atayde shared the Best Actor recognition in a tie with comedian Vice Ganda.

The film’s acclaim extended beyond the Philippines. Topakk earned international recognition at the 78th Cannes and 76th Locarno Film Festivals in early 2024, after already being featured in festivals in Austin, Texas, and Catalonia, Spain in 2023.

It later joined the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award, Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence, and Best Float Award. These honors further cemented Nathan Studios’ standing as a premier Filipino production house with global appeal.

Atayde, Topakk’s director Richard Somes, and Nathan Studios thanked Filipino soldiers who fight for the country’s sovereignty and promote peace, saying their everyday efforts need to be recognized as well. “To all our soldiers who inspired us to create the story, hindi lahat ng may topak, may topak naman [not all crazy is crazy naturally]. We are all leading in our own ways, most of the time it is misunderstood,” Atayde said during his speech. “To anyone and to everyone who is experiencing mental health issues, know that you are loved and you are never alone,” the Quezon City first district congressman added. “We do not work for this, but we work to tell a good story, and this is what happened.”

Source: manilatimes.net