Area wins Special Jury Prize in Eurasia International Film Fest

The Filipino film "Area" earned the Special Jury Prize in the 12th Eurasia International Film Festival.

Lead stars AiAi delas Alas and Allen Dizon personally attended the awarding ceremony held on September 30 in Kazakhstan.

This indie film directed by Louie Ignacio competed against 12 other entries in the feature films category.

AiAi is cast as an aging prostitute while Allen's character runs the brothel where she works. In the trailer of the movie, AiAi's character can be seen having sex with an old man.

The film's title, Area, refers to an infamous location in Pampanga where mature sex workers offer their services at a bargain.

AiAi's son Sancho is also a cast member along with Sue Prado.

Hours before the awarding, Ai-Ai told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) that she was moved by the praise she heard from foreigners who watched Area in Kazakhstan.

The film Area is described in the Eurasia IFF as follows:

'A short distance from the city’s red-light district is Area, a neighborhood of brothels where over-the-hill sex workers can be had for a can of sardines or even on credit.

'During its heyday, Area had up to 700 brothels servicing thousands of low-income men, hormonally active boys and society misfits–all taking advantage of the bargain price of sex available only at Area. One of the last remaining brothels is operated by Ben, whose family of former pimps and subversives depends on the brothel for survival.

'Hillary, one of the sex workers, keeps her life-savings to fulfill a dream to travel to the United States to find a son she said she lost during the panic caused by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Her skeptical co-workers bully her by dumping on her all the clients they reject, including a freak and a penniless old man who pays with stolen appliances.

'Hillary’s world collapses when her money is stolen and Ben refuses to file charges, because the suspect is a village watchman whom Ben cannot afford to displease. The story happens during the Holy Week, when the residents of Area perform rituals of penitence to wash away their sins and be ready for another year of business as usual.'

In a previous interview with PEP, AiAi said about her character, 'Lahat naman na mga Area girls ganun, e. Wala silang inhibitions, kaya ganundin ako. Hindi naman puwedeng kikiyeme-kiyeme ka rito, kasi pokpok ako dito, di ba? Dapat kung ano ang nararapat na arte sa role ko, yun na yun.”

Area is the closing film of the 2016 QCinema International Film Festival that will kick off on October 13.
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