Filipino actor John Lloyd Cruz bagged the Boccalino d'Oro prize or Golden Jug Award for Best Actor at the prestige 76th Locarno Film Festival held in Switzerland.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) shared the good news in a Facebook post last Friday, August 11.
The 40-year-old seasoned actor bagged the award for his distinguished acting in "Essential Truths of the Lake", a film written and directed by acclaimed Filipino independent filmmaker Lavrente 'Lav' Diaz.
"With this prize, Cruz becomes the second Filipino actor to have received such an award after Hazel Orencio in 2014 for another Diaz's film "Mula sa Kung Ano Ang Noon" (From What is Before)," the FDCP said.
FDCP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tirso Cruz III applauded John Lloyd for taking home the award.
"This award is much deserved by an artist of his caliber. Lloydie, congratulations and thank you for bringing honor to our country," Cruz said as quoted by the FDCP.
The actor also shared photos and videos of himself holding the prize on his official Facebook page.
“Para sa Pilipinas. Para sa Pilipino. Para sa mga namatay at mga naiwan nila," John Lloyd said during his brief speech upon receiving the coveted award.
The "Essential Truths of the Lake" is the only Southeast Asian film that entered the main competition.
The 3 hours and 35 minutes film centers on issues during the Duterte administration's bloody drug war.
