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Factsheet

• Won a FOCUS (Films of College and University Students) Award in 1989 for his New York University thesis film Patas Lang.
• Made his debut with the movie Misis Mo, Misis Ko (1988).
• Was named as one of the Outstanding Young Filipinos in the field of Arts/Cinema in 1995.
• Won the Best Movie for Television Award at the Singapore International Film Festival for his film Aangkinin Ko ang Bukas (1996).
• Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya (1998) won a Special Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Best Asian Film at the Newport Beach International Film Festival.
• Won the Best Foreign Film Award at the Newport Beach International Film Festival for his movie Kahapon May Dalawang Bata (1999).
• Received the Grand Jury Award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival for Azucena (2001).
• Played a major role in writing the law creating the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
• Has taught film direction at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, the Directors' Guild of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the Mowelfund Film Institute.
• Was elected president of the Directors' Guild of the Philippines for three terms.
• Is the vice president for external affairs of Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Pelikulang Pilipino (United Cinema Workers of the Philippines).
• Is a faculty member at the NYU Tisch School of Arts Asia in Singapore.