Jon Jon Briones won the Best Performance award, listed in French as Meilleure interprétation, for the short film Veterano at the 30th Fantasia International Film Festival.
Fantasia, based in Montreal, is one of the best-known genre film festivals in North America, founded as a showcase for fantasy, horror, action and other bold independent films. The award was presented during the festival’s International Short Film Competition, which highlights standout work from around the world.
Briones was recognized for his role as Valentino, an aging Filipino World War II veteran living in 1981 San Francisco, in the short film directed by Patrick Epino. The performance adds another notable credit to the Filipino American actor’s long and varied career across stage, television and film.
A veteran of Broadway and screen, Briones is best known for his portrayal of The Engineer in Miss Saigon, a role he played in the 2014 West End revival and again in the 2017 Broadway production. His work earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and helped establish him as one of the most respected Filipino performers working internationally.
He later joined the Broadway cast of Hadestown as Hermes, appearing alongside his daughter, Isa Briones, in a production that drew attention for its family connection as much as for its performances. The run further underscored his range across classic and contemporary musical theater.
Briones has also built a significant screen career, including roles as Dr. Richard Hanover in Netflix’s Ratched, Gabriel Alonto in FX’s Class of ’09, and appearances in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and American Horror Story. On film, he appeared in The Last Voyage of the Demeter in 2023.
Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Briones left at age 23 to join the original London cast of Miss Saigon, launching an international career that has made him one of the most visible Filipino American actors in entertainment.
The Fantasia honor adds to Briones’ growing list of milestones in independent film and festival work.
He won the TOFA Award in 2017 in the Entertainment category at Carnegie Hall in New York and was later named to the #TOFA100 list for the organization’s 10th anniversary in October 2020.
