Kaladkaren nagulat sa pagkapanalo sa Summer MMFF ng Best Supporting Actress

HISTORY na maituturing ang pagkapanalo ni Kaladkaren sa katatapos na Gabi ng Parangalan ng Summer Metro Manila Film Festival noong Miyerkoles ng gabi sa New Frontier Theater dahil siya ang kauna-unahang transgender woman na nanalo ng Best Actress in a Supporting Role award.

Gulat na gulat at halos hindi makapaniwala si Kaladkaren nang tawagin ang kanyang pangalan bilang winner sa naturang kategorya. Si Kaladkaren ay sumikat sa panggagaya kay ABS-CBN broadcaster Karen Davila. Isa sa bida si Kaladkaren sa pelikulang  Here Comes the Groom kasama sina Enchong Dee, Maris Racal at marami pang iba.

Nakakuha ng 13 nominasyon ang pelikulang Here Comes the Groom na handog ng Quantum Films, Cineko Productions, at Brightlight Productions.

Emosyonal nang tanggapin ni Kaladkaren ang tropeo bilang Best Actress in a Supporting Role at ibinahagi iyon sa ilang special people na kaibigan niya tulad ni Vice Ganda at mga kasamahan sa pelikula na sina Maris, Nico Antonio, at Awra Briguela.

Ani Kaladkaren nang tanggapin ang tropeo, “Oh my God. Alam niyo po, itong parangal na ito ay hindi lamang recognition ng aking trabaho, kundi pati na rin ng aking pagkatao. When I entered showbusiness I never thought na makakakuha ako ng award kasi as a transgender woman, I thought I would never be enough. Kaya napakahalaga ng award na ito para sa akin. And I want to share this with all transgender people, drag artists, members of the LGBTQIA+ community whose lives and existence are being threatened in the world right now. Para sa inyong lahat ito. And I want to remind all of you, that we are more than enough.

“Gusto ko rin pasalamatan ‘yung jury ng MMFF. Ms. Dolly (de Leon), direk Joey (Javier Reyes), maraming, maraming salamat dahil kinilala niyo ang aking trabaho and it only goes to show that there is diversity, inclusion, and equity in Philippine cinema.

“Nais ko ring pasalamatan ‘yung bumubuo ng pelikula namin, direk Chris Martinez maraming maraming salamat po. Atty. Jojit (Lorenzo) thank you for this chance and thank you for hiring a transgender actress to play a transgender character. Thank you for being truthful. Maraming, maraming salamat. My co-actors, Enchong (Dee), I love you so much, I couldn’t have done this without you, mama Iyah (Mina), our first ever Best Actress na transgender, thank you.”

Pinasalamatan din ni Kaladkaren ang ginagaya niyang si Karen. 

“Ma’am Karen Davila, if not because of your support, I don’t think KaladKaren would fly. And to meme Vice Ganda, thank you for opening so many doors for us so we can enter. You’re one of the reasons why I’m here tonight. And to the love of my life, Luke, kung nasaan ka man, for 11 years, you have showed me and you have made me feel that I am more than enough. I love you from the bottom of my heart. He’s my husband-to-be, ang suwerte niya noh? 

“Thank you also sa lahat ng mga batang nangangarap, mga LGBTQIA+ na kids, mga bata thank you. Huwag kayo matakot maging kayo at huwag kayong matakot mangarap kasi one day, hindi niyo alam, kayo rin ang nandirito. At sana huwag natin kalimutan ‘yung mensahe ng aming pelikula. Hindi po ang inyong itsura at kasarian ang mahalaga kundi ang inyong puso at kaluluwa. Maraming salamat po!”