Max Eigenmann, daughter of Bing Pimentel and the late actor Mark Gil, bagged the Best Actress award at the just concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival for her performance in "12 Weeks."
The story revolves around a 40-year-old single woman who discovered that she is pregnant after breaking up with her boyfriend.
In her acceptance speech, Max thanked the staff and crew of the movie for allowing her to go on an "adventure" with them.
She also expressed her gratitude to the cast.
Max then paid tribute to Bing, whom she worked in the film, and her father's sister, Cherie Gil, who succumbed to cancer recently.
"(To) my mother Bing, being your daughter onscreen is almost as cool as being your daughter in real life," she said, adding: "Tita Cherie, this is for you!"
"Mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino!"
In an interview backstage, Max couldn't help but feel emotional.
According to her, she never expected anything.
Note that she also appeared in another entry, "Kargo."
Max also talked about how she and Cherie always had a "very close relationship."
"I guess... sobrang thank you lang talaga Tita Cherie because she's always been one of my biggest inspirations, so para sa kanya talaga ito," she said.
https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/08/cherie-gils-children-love-you-mom/
Max paid tribute to Cherie on social media prior.
Her full post:
"To everyone else, she is Cherie Gil. The OG kontravida, the one who'll tell you you're nothing but a second rate, trying hard copy cat.
"Not to me.
"To me, she is my aunt. My Tita Cherie. The one I'd usually call when her brother (my father) pissed me off. Or anything that made me feel bad, for that matter... i called Tita. Cos she always knew what to do to make me feel better.
"It was usually a yoga practice or a glass of wine.
"And I loved that. It was our thing. We could talk for hours about anything over a good meal. After a sweaty session at our favorite yoga studio. Followed by a drive to her place where we continue on with the day with more stories and little reminders of how much we appreciate and love each other. She was truly one of my best friends. I realize now that I only ever enjoyed drinking wine because of her.
"SHE was my glass of wine.
"She was always the hug I needed when I thought so ill of myself. Assured me that it's only because I was young and that I'd grow out of those feelings in time. And I did. Cos she was right. She was also the one who assured me there was nothing wrong with being the crazy little girl that I was / am... cos she adored every bit of it. And that taught me to appreciate myself too. She was always a call away and no matter how busy she was, she ALWAYS picked up for me.
"Tita Cherie will always be the most empathic, kind and loving person in my eyes... with the most bad ass swag, class and elegance to match.
"What would life be without you now? I still don't know. but I am comforted by the many many many memories we share. I will surely miss cooking for you.
"Thank you for loving me the way you did.
"I love you too so so so much, Tita Cherie. Kiss Daddy for me."