Will Eugene Domingo win Best Actress at Asian Film Awards?

MANILA, Philippines – As the 8th Asian Film Awards (AFA) approaches, Filipino viewers are eagerly awaiting news of another honor for the local film industry.  

Actress Eugene Domingo is nominated for the Best Actress award at this year’s AFAs, to be held on March 27 in Macau. 

Eugene is nominated for her work in Jun Robles Lana’s Mga Kuwentong Barbero (Barber’s Tales), where she plays Marilou, a barber’s widow who continues her husband’s work after he dies. The film is set during Ferdinand Marcos’ presidency, and the political tension finds its way to peace-seeking Marilou, who’s only trying to lead a quiet life. 

Watch the trailer for Barber’s Tales here: 

This time, Eugene is up against Yoko Maki (Japan, The Ravine of Goodbye), Han Hyo-joo (Korea, Cold Eyes), Zhang Ziyi (Mainland China, The Grandmaster) and Hee Ching Paw (Hong Kong SAR, Rigor Mortis). 

Though she’s up against some very accomplished actresses, Eugene and the movie have been getting positive buzz, which may help her snag a win. 

Eugene previously picked up the Best Actress award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for the same role. 

She is also nominated in the Best Lead Actress in a Foreign Language Film category in the upcoming Madrid International Film Festival. Mga Kuwentong Barbero is nominated for 4 awards in all, including Best Director for a Foreign Language Feature Film for Jun Robles Lana, Best Producer of a Feature Film for Ferdinand Lapuz, and Best Foreign Language Feature Film.

The actress is no stranger to the AFAs, either. She was previously nominated in the Best Actress category in 2012 at the 6th Asian Film Awards for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank), and won the Most Popular Actress award via online voting, though Hong Kong’s Deanie Ip took home the award for her role in A Simple Life. 

Last year, veteran actress Nora Aunor picked up the Best Actress award at the 7th Asian Film Awards for her role in Brillante Mendoza’s Thy Womb while Eddie Garcia won Best Actor for Jun Robles Lana’s Bwakaw. – Rappler.com