The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (also known as the FAMAS Awards) are the annual honors given by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), an organization composed of award-winning writers and movie columnists, for achievements in

Philippine cinema The Cinema of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Pelikulang Pilipino'' or ''Sine Pilipino'') began with the introduction of the first moving pictures to the country on August 31, 1897, at the ''Salón de Pertierra'' in Manila. The following year, local ...

for a calendar year. Members of the academy including avid movie viewers, fans or enthusiasts cast their votes on who should win the statuettes in the different categories they were nominated. Established in 1952, it is the oldest existing film industry award-giving body in the Philippines (as of 2013) and one of the oldest in Asia. The FAMAS Award, from 1952 to 1982, was the highest Filipino film award a filmmaker or artisan could receive in the local movie industry. In 1982, after the inception of the

Film Academy of the Philippines Established in 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) is the Philippines' official counterpart of the United States' Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The FAP was founded through Executive Order 640-A issued by the President o ...

(Luna) Awards, the Philippine equivalent of the

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

(where academy members are film professionals who nominate and choose awardees of the year) was mandated by the

Philippine government The Government of the Philippines ( fil, Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas) has three interdependent branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Philippines is governed as a unitary state under a presidential representative and d ...

, FAMAS was unofficially relegated as secondary to Luna Awards, but is still held in high regard because of its age and prestige. The FAMAS Award is one of the highly distinguished film award bodies in the country. Others included are the ''

Luna Awards The Luna Awards are awards given annually by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) to recognize the outstanding achievements of the Filipino film industry. The first awards were presented in 1983 in Pasay. It is considered to be the Philippine ...

'' (Film Academy), the ''

Gawad Urian Award The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines held since 1977. It is given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP, "the Filipino Film Critics") and is currently regarded as the counterpart of the United States' New York Fi ...

s'' of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics), and the ''Star Awards for Movies and Television'' by the Philippine Movie Press Club. Winning all four of the awards in one category for the same work is considered as winning a "

Grand Slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

History

The Maria Clara Awards

The forerunner of the FAMAS Award was the

Maria Clara Awards The Maria Clara Awards is the first formal film industry Film awards bodies in the Philippines, award-giving body of the Philippines. It was established in 1950 by a group of writers from the Manila Times, Manila Times Publishing, Co., which inclu ...

, established by the

Manila Times ''The Manila Times'' is the oldest extant English-language newspaper in the Philippines. It is published daily by The Manila Times Publishing Corp. (formerly La Vanguardia Publishing Corporation) with editorial and administrative offices at 2/F ...

Publishing, Inc. under the tutelage of Dr. Alejandro Roces in 1951. The first awards in the Philippine movie industry were doled out for the movies of 1950-1951 and for the year 1952. The award statuette, which bore the figure of

Maria Clara Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial * 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, d ...

, a character in

Dr. José Rizal Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...

's novel '' Noli Me Tangere'', was sculpted by National Artist for Sculpture

Guillermo Tolentino Guillermo Estrella Tolentino (July 24, 1890 – July 12, 1976) was a Filipino sculptor and professor of the University of the Philippines. He was designated as a National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture in 1973, three years before his dea ...

. For two years, the Maria Clara Awards honored the Philippine movie industry's cinematic achievements.

Establishment of FAMAS

Due to the complaints that the Maria Clara Awards were irrelevant because movie writers and not film artisans and filmmakers were the ones voting on the awards, seven writers (Flavio G. Macaso, Vic Generoso, Mario Mijares Lopez, Clemente Roxas, Paulo Dizon, Amado Yasoma and Eddie Infante) established the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences. The FAMAS Awards formally replaced the Maria Clara Awards. In its inception, FAMAS had movie writers, columnists and studio publicists as its voting members. The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestows the FAMAS Award of Merit to individuals who have used their skills and craftsmanship to the best of their abilities for the development and creation of a Filipino motion picture. FAMAS was somewhat designed after the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

(AMPAS) of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and was originally named ''Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the Philippines'' before AMPAS protested against the usage of their name.

The statuette

The FAMAS Award of Merit

statuette A figurine (a diminutive form of the word ''figure'') or statuette is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with cl ...

was modeled from the movie legend and FAMAS Award-winner

Rosa Rosal Florence Danon Gayda (born Florence Lansang Danon; October 16, 1928), better known as Rosa Rosal, is a FAMAS award-winning Filipina film actress dubbed as the "original femme fatale of Philippine cinema." She is also known for her work with the ...

. The varnished gold-painted wood statuette boasts of a Balintawak-clad woman whose raised hands hold a four-spoke

film reel A reel is an object around which a length of another material (usually long and flexible) is wound for storage (usually hose are wound around a reel). Generally a reel has a cylindrical core (known as a '' spool'') with flanges around the end ...

. She stands on a black cylindrical pedestal, which is encircled with a thin gold leaf that bears the initials and full name of FAMAS in big black letters, the awards ceremony, the category in which it was won, the name of the winner, the place where it was given and the signature of the FAMAS President. The statuette design itself has never changed over the years. The figure was designed by Manuel Barreiro.

Prestige

The FAMAS was the sole award-giving body for film in the Philippines from 1952 until 1976. Within that period, FAMAS alone has awarded the most outstanding performers and craftsmen of Filipino films, from screen legend

to master director

Gerardo de Leon Gerardo may refer to: People Given name Gerardo is the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of the male given name Gerard. * Gerardo Amarilla (born 1969), Uruguayan politician * Gerardo Bonilla (born 1975), Puerto Rican-born professional race ca ...

. Winning a FAMAS Award became the motivation for many film craftsmen, for it was the Philippines' only counterpart of the Oscars. The awards itself, then held mostly at the

Manila Hotel The Manila Hotel is a 550-room, historic five-star hotel located along Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines.

, the oldest premiere hotel of Manila, became the biggest annual event in the Philippine movie industry.

First major controversy

In 1960,

Sampaguita Pictures Sampaguita Pictures was a Philippine film production company. It was named for the Philippine national flower, sampaguita. Though no longer functioning, the company's Sampaguita Compound remains in Quezon City. History Sampaguita Pictures was es ...

and Vera-Perez Productions withdrew their participation from the Academy because the agreement between producers on who receives the FAMAS Awards was not followed. The agreement was that each of the Big Four studios ( LVN Pictures, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions, and Lebran International) would receive the top awards. For example, if the Best Picture goes to one studio, the acting awards should go the other three studios and the directing award should go to another studio. The 1960 FAMAS Awards, nevertheless, failed to honor Sampaguita Pictures with an award, so Sampaguita Pictures and its sister company Vera-Perez Productions withdrew from the Academy. In addition, Sampaguita's mogul, Dr. Jose Perez, returned all of the FAMAS Awards that the studio has won so far by placing them on public view in his Vera-Perez Gardens. Other movie studios also withdrew from the Academy, though they did not return their statuettes. Because of this, in 1961, the FAMAS revamped its membership rules and removed studio representation membership, which left the FAMAS with solely movie writers and columnists.

Emergence of other awards

After a Best Actress tie controversy in 1973 which drew dissension from the public (see '' FAMAS Records'' below), FAMAS invited

film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outlets ...

s as members of its nominating and awarding committee. These critics left FAMAS in 1976 to form the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) (or the Filipino Film Critics) and subsequently established the

s. The FAMAS's epithet, "Philippines' counterpart of the Oscars", was rescinded by the government in 1981, when it established the

(FAP) under ''Executive Order No. 640-A''. The FAP was patterned after the

AMPAS The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...

. FAP created awards which aims to counter FAMAS' which was embroiled back then in vote-buying and campaigning scandals. Other award-giving bodies have sprung up over the years, among the most notable are the Star Awards for Movies in 1985, the

Catholic Mass Media Awards The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a p ...

of the Catholic Church, the

Young Critics Circle The Young Critics Circle - Film Desk is a society of film critics and an award-giving body for cinema in the Philippines. It was established in 1990 and had its first awarding in 1991.

Film Desk in 1990, and recently, the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press.

Restructuring of 2003

In 2003, the Best Actress Award of the 51st FAMAS Awards went to

Aleck Bovick Maria Teresa Bovick Tambis (born May 18, 1984), better known by her screen name Aleck Bovick, is a Filipino actress. Personal life Her father was Filipino and her mother was half-German. She was in a relationship with Filipino actor Carlo Ma ...

for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie, ''Tampisaw'', much to the chagrin of some people in the industry. Many people, including previous FAMAS winner

Amalia Fuentes Amalia may refer to: People *Amalia (given name), feminine given name (includes a list of people so named) * Princess Amalia (disambiguation), several princesses with this name Films and television series * ''Amalia'' (1914 film), the first ...

, felt FAMAS had killed itself when it gave a FAMAS to Bovick. Nevertheless, FAMAS did its own cleansing. FAMAS President Art Padua restructured the FAMAS by inviting more Palanca Award-winners (

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

of the Philippines) to the Academy and dismissing members who have gone

AWOL Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or Military base, post without permission (a Pass (military), pass, Shore leave, liberty or Leave (U.S. military), leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with u ...

Leadership Crisis and Revocation of SEC

On May 6, 2003, due to non-compliance with reportorial requirements, the corporate charter of the FAMAS was revoked by the

Securities and Exchange Commission The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...

(SEC). This move of the SEC gave FAMAS three years to wind-up its activities. This move also prohibited the staging of an awards night, which is the major activity of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, under the presidency of Art Padua, the FAMAS was able to stage the 52nd and 53rd FAMAS Awards. In 2004, fifteen new members of the FAMAS were allowed by FAMAS president Art Padua to vote on the annual elections. This was questioned by some members of the FAMAS, some of which are lifetime members of the corporation, who then walked out of the election. FAMAS president Art Padua considered this as a resignation from the corporation, which sparked further unrest in the corporation. On June 25, 2005, Col. Jimmy Tiu was elected unanimously by 34 of the 53 members of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, Art Padua did not acknowledge the results of the voting, and he considered the elected officers as the "FAMAS breakaway group". This leadership crisis would have a tremendous effect on the 54th FAMAS Awards. In April 2006, the FAMAS, as represented by Art Padua, released the Official Nominees for the Awards, and on the next months had released the date and venue of the awards. On July 15, the day of the awards night, a 72-hour

temporary restraining order An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in par ...

was issued by Judge Felixberto Olalia of Manila Regional Trial Court against Art Padua and his set of officers from holding the 54th FAMAS Awards Night. The ruling favored Col. Tiu, the president of the breakaway group. The order was issued because, as presented by Col. Tiu, FAMAS ceased to exist as a registered organization of the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2003. As a SEC non-registered organization, all the FAMAS could do was to hold "winding-up activities" which does not include an awards night. This led to the postponement of the 54th FAMAS Awards night. In order to go around the SEC restriction of holding the FAMAS Awards, FAMAS decided to resurrect the Maria Clara Awards in order to continue the long legacy of the still-beleaguered FAMAS and to continue awarding Filipino motion picture excellence. In holding the Maria Claras instead of the FAMAS, the FAMAS indeed does not hold its primary and only function, which is the holding of an awards night, which is not therefore a violation of the SEC ruling. The Maria Clara Awards were held on October 13, 2006, in a simple and humble event at Golden Fortune Restaurant in Manila. In retrospect, the FAMAS would not be awarded until the leadership crisis and the registration revocation issues of the corporation are not resolved. Nevertheless, the group of Art Padua still held the 54th FAMAS Awards on November 12, 2006, at the Main Hall of the National Broadcasting Network Building in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

, despite the SEC ruling against holding an awards night. The awards night set a trend because it is the first awards night in Philippine history to be shown as a feature of another TV program (Pilipinas, Ngayon Na of NBN Channel 4) instead of being a

television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...

. In 2007, just right before the 55th FAMAS Awards, the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

finally resolved the leadership crisis of FAMAS and handed the leadership to Art Padua, who is currently the longest-reigning president in the history of the Academy. An appeal to the

Court of Appeals A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

by Col. Tiu is still pending though.

FAMAS Rebirth (FAMAS 2018 66th Gabi ng Parangal)

In 2017, FAMAS partnered with MEGAVISION, headed by Donna Sanchez, to uplift the aging award-giving body. The challenge was to reinvent and rebrand FAMAS to fit into the 21st century. Award-winning screenwriter Ricardo “Ricky” Lee, agreed to be the jury chairman. Under his leadership, an independent jury of respected film practitioners and academicians was created. There were separate juries for feature-length movies, short films and documentaries, totaling to sixteen (18) juries previewed almost two hundred films. The nominees were feted at a Nominees’ Victory Celebration held on May 22, 2018. Each nominee received a personalized citation and made them all feel like winners. The FAMAS thus became a celebration (and not a competition) of Filipino film artists for cinematic excellence. The 66th FAMAS Gabi ng Parangal hosted by Piolo Pascual, Kim Chiu and Robi Domingo was held on June 10, 2018, at the Theater at Solaire. Among the highlights and memorable moments included: Lav Diaz, the internationally renown director for more than two decades, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Charo Santos, the independent film “Balangiga: Howling Madness” winning Best Picture, the announcement of the First Place Grand Jury Prize for “Tu Pug Imatuy” and the Second Grand Jury Prize for “Respeto;” the introduction of the Best Adapted Screenplay category, won by “Changing Partners,”. The 67th FAMAS Gabi ng Parangal was hosted by Xian Lim and was held on April 28, 2019 at the Meralco Theater, Pasig. This year marked the celebration of 100 years in Philippine cinema. This momentous occasion in the film industry called for a special edition FAMAS trophy entitled “Centum Maria”. Moreover, recognition of female icons in the film industry, in line with the worldwide “We Too” movement, such as Lifetime Awardees: Charo Santos-Concio,Laurice Guillen, Marilou Diaz-Abaya. Other highlights of the awards night were the winners of Best Picture, Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus and Special Jury Award Ang Panahon ng halimaw ; Best Documentary Film All Grown Up ; Best Short Film Siyudad sa Bulawan (City of Gold) and Special Jury Award Balai ( Home ) ; Best Director, Dwein Baltazar of Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus ; Best Actor Eddie Garcia of ML &Victor Neri of A Short History of A Few Bad Things and Best Actress, Nadine Lustre of Never Not Love You.

Gabi ng Parangal (The Awards Night)

The FAMAS' Gabi ng Parangal (Awards Night) is the most colorful night of the Philippine motion picture industry. It is here where the bigwigs of the movie industry, the brightest stars and the most talented artisans of the industry gather together and showcase their best clothing finds right in front of their fans and televiewers. Various Filipino famous fashion designers have clothed the best of Philippine cinema during these events. This is also the night when movie kings and queens finally get their due for their artistry in the field of acting, and where the greatest minds of Filipino film finally get their own "Oscar", or in this case, their FAMAS. The Gabi ng Parangal has been hosted by various locations such as the Manila Hotel,

Araneta Coliseum The Araneta Coliseum, also currently known by naming rights sponsorship as Smart Araneta Coliseum, is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena that is part of the Araneta City in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines. Nicknamed as "the Big Dom ...

, the

Cultural Center of the Philippines The Cultural Center of the Philippines ( fil, Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.Presidential Decree No. ...

and the Manila

Hilton Hotel Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton. The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...

, to name a few. It has also been carried by different television networks such as RPN-9 and ABS-CBN 2. It was televised live from the carrier station until the 21st century, when it was aired at delayed telecasts due to difficulties in airing the program live.

Awards

Current Awards

FAMAS Awards of Merit

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

: since 1952 ** ''divided into Best Drama Picture, Best Comedy Picture and Best Action Picture in 1988'' *

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

: 1952 to present * Best Screenplay: 1952 to present * Best Story: 1952 to present *

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to th ...

: 1952 to present *

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...

: 1952 to present * Best Supporting Actor: 1952 to present * Best Supporting Actress: 1952 to present * Best Child Actor: 1955 to present * Best Child Actress: 1963 to present ** ''both Child Performance categories are usually joined as "Best Child Performer" in some years'' * Best Cinematography: 1952 to present ** ''divided into Black-and-White and Color categories before the 1970s'' * Best Art Direction/Best Production Design: 1952 to present * Best Editing: 1952 to present * Best Sound: 1952 to present ** ''as Best Sound Engineering during the FAMAS' early years'' * Best Musical Score: 1952 to present * Best Theme Song: 1963 to present * Best Visual Effects: 1984, 1997 to present * Best Special Effects: 1997 to present

Special Awards

The FAMAS also awards thirteen special awards, the most for any award-giving body in the Philippines. These awards, except for the Hall of Fame, Circle of Excellence, ''Natatanging Alagad ng Sining'' and ''Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS'' awards, are awarded annually: * FAMAS Hall of Fame Award is bestowed to a person who has won five FAMAS Awards in a certain category. * FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award is the highest award the FAMAS can bestow on an individual, given to a Hall of Fame inductee who had given a performance that was worthy of a FAMAS Award. * FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Award is given to motion picture performers and artisans who have made indelible and lifelong contributions to the development of the Filipino motion picture industry, and first awarded in 1989. * FAMAS Grand Award is given to an individual or an organization who have supported and helped the FAMAS throughout the years and was first awarded in 2005. * Attorney Flavio G. Macaso Memorial Award is awarded to FAMAS members who have shown utmost loyalty and service to the Academy. Named in honor of the first president of the Academy, it was first awarded in 1998. * Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award for Journalism is given to managers, public relations officers, entertainment columnists and starbuilders who have demonstrated great mastery and professionalism in handling the biggest stars of the Philippine movie industry, as well as advancing the state of the Filipino motion picture industry through the use of journalism. The award was named after the Sampaguita Pictures' mogul. It was first awarded in 1984, and from 1997 to present. * Fernando Poe, Jr. Memorial Award is given to an outstanding action movie star whose overflowing charisma, great physique and loyal following in the action genre has made him a great icon of the genre. It was named in honor of the King of Philippine movies,

Fernando Poe, Jr Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...

. * German Moreno Youth Achievement Award is given to a pair of young male and female stars who have shown great promise as a motion picture artisan and actor in the past calendar year. Award is decided by

German Moreno German Molina Moreno (; October 4, 1933 – January 8, 2016), also known as Kuya Germs ( or ) and dubbed as "The Master Showman", was a Filipino television host, presenter, actor, comedian, talent manager, producer, writer, and director. Early ...

, one of Philippine show business' best known talent discoverer and developer. * Golden Artist Award is given to performers who have gained local recognition for their cinematic and/or artistic excellence. * International Artist Award * Posthumous Award gives recognition to recently deceased motion picture artisans' exemplary achievements in the motion picture industry. First awarded in 2007. * Presidential Award gives recognition to an individual who has helped the cause of the FAMAS or of the motion picture industry as a whole greatly on a certain calendar year or any given time through any way possible. * Special Citation Award: given to certain individuals' exemplary achievements in the performing arts and the motion picture industry, whose achievements may or may not be a contribution to the motion picture industry but to the arts as a whole. * Dolphy Memorial Award gives recognition to an individual who has helped a lot in the development of FAMAS and the comedic arts. Named in honor of

Dolphy Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (; July 25, 1928 – July 10, 2012), better known by his stage names Dolphy, Pidol, and Golay, was a Filipino comedian and actor. He is widely regarded as the country's "King of Comedy" for his comedic talent embodied ...

, and the award itself is presented by his family.

Retired Awards

* Best Featurette (1955) * Best Short Film (1958) * Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award was given as a recognition to an exemplary comedic motion picture thespian who has established a great career and following through astounding comedic prowess onscreen. Awarded from 1998–2004. * Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS Award honored a motion picture thespian who has shown great charisma, incredible acting prowess, exemplary social skills off-camera and loyal following over a long-spanning career filled with memorable and award-winning performances in Philippine Cinema's greatest screen classics and/or profitable releases. Awarded from 2002–2003, and in 2009. *

Dr. Ciriaco Santiago Memorial Award The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, on behalf of the Santiago family, bestowed the Dr. Ciriaco Santiago Memorial Award to performers, producers, and directors of productions that have gained international recognition for their cinematic ...

honored performers and directors of productions who have gained international recognition for their cinematic excellence. The award, named after the studio chief of Premiere Productions, was awarded in 1958, 1963, and from 1998–2000. *

International Prestige Award of Merit The International Prestige Award of Merit was given to Filipino film productions that have been recognized internationally for their superior cinematic quality and artistry. Recipients * 5th FAMAS Awards, 1957 Badjao: The Sea Gypsies, Badjao (LVN ...

was given to Filipino film productions that have been recognized internationally for their superior cinematic quality and artistry. The award was given in 1957, 1958 and 1961. *

Gregorio Valdez Memorial Award The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestowed the Gregorio Valdez Memorial Award to Filipino producers and film industry leaders of distinction whose body of films produced and/or film industry achievements have given merit to the Filipin ...

* Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Special Award was given to either honor the singular achievement of an individual in raising the standards of Philippine motion pictures or to recognize any achievement of an individual that was worth a worthy recognition from the Academy.

One-time FAMAS Awards

Centennial Award The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestowed a Centennial AwardThere are other Counties and Organisations who have a Centennial Award system. in the 46th FAMAS Awards (1997) in 1998 to celebrate the centennial of Philippine independence. ...

was given in the 46th FAMAS Awards (1997) in 1998 to films that honestly reflected Philippine culture and traditions in its entirety and celebrated patriotism, in celebration of the centennial of Philippine independence. The winners of the award were ''Rizal sa Dapitan'' (1997) and ''Damong Ligaw'' (1997). * Bukas Palad Award was given in the 47th FAMAS Awards (1998) in 1999 to honor the generosity and indelible contributions of the Philippines' original Queen of Talk,

gossip columnist A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine. Gossip columns are material written in a light, informal style, which relates the gossip columnist's opinions about the personal li ...

and TV host

Inday Badiday Maria Lourdes Jimenez Carvajal (August 6, 1944 – September 26, 2003), popularly known as Inday Badiday, was a Filipino TV host and journalist who was known as Philippine television's "queen of showbiz talk shows" and "queen of intrigues". B ...

, to the Philippine motion picture industry. * Bituin ng FAMAS Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon Award was given in the 50th FAMAS Awards (2001) in 2002 as a part of its Golden Jubilee celebration. This was given to former FAMAS winner

, as a recognition of his almost six decades in show business, his indelible contribution to the Philippine motion picture industry and his status as the Philippine King of Comedy *

Natatanging Alagad ng Sining Award The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences awards the Natatanging Alagad ng Sining to honor the achievements of the King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr., who died just six months prior to the awards. Background of Recipient Fernand ...

was given in 2004 to honor the achievements of the King of Philippine Movies,

Fernando Poe, Jr. Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...

, who died just six months prior to the awards ceremony.

FAMAS Hall of Famers

"Best Directors" *

Eddie Garcia Eduardo Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 20, 2019), known colloquially as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, film director and producer. With almost 600 film and television roles and a career spanning seven decades, he ...

(1991) *

Lino Brocka Catalino Ortiz Brocka (April 3, 1939 – May 22, 1991) was a Filipino film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of Philippine cinema. He co-founded the organization Concerned Art ...

(1992) **Posthumous Award for Brocka because he died in 1991. "Best Actors" *

Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice preside ...

(1983) *

Fernando Poe Jr. Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...

(1988) *

Christopher De Leon Christopher Strauss de León (born October 31, 1956) is a Philippine film actor and politician. He is recognized as the “''King of Philippine Drama''” has appeared in over 120 films since the early 1970s. Regarded as an "acting genius" and ...

(1993) *

(2004) *

Allen Dizon Allen Dizon (born on October 3, 1977), is a Filipino actor, model and producer in the Philippines. A former member of the Viva Hot Men, Dizon has transitioned from his early years in daring roles to become an independent film actor and producer ...

next Hall Of Famer "Best Actress" *

Charito Solis Rosario Violeta Solís Hernández, better known as Charito Solís (October 6, 1935 – January 9, 1998), was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipina film actress, in addition to being the first Philippine woman who have bared her chest in ...

(1985) *

Vilma Santos Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto (, born November 3, 1953) is a Filipino actress, singer, dancer, TV host, producer, and politician. She served as a House Deputy Speaker since 2019 to 2022 and as the Representative of Batangas' 6th district since ...

(1990) *

Nora Aunor Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (born May 21, 1953), professionally known as Nora Aunor (), is a Filipino actress, recording artist, and film producer. Aunor has also appeared in several stage plays, television shows and concerts. She is known as Ph ...

(1992) "Best Screenplay" *

Eddie Romero Edgar Sinco Romero, (July 7, 1924 – May 28, 2013), commonly known as Eddie Romero, was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter. Early life Romero was born on July 7, 1924. His father was José E. Romero, the first Philipp ...

(1986) "Best Supporting Actor" *

(1975) "Best Story" *

Carlo J. Caparas Carlo Magno Jose Caparas (born December 15, 1948) is a Filipino comic strip creator and writer-turned film director and producer. He is best known for creating such Filipino superheroes and comic book characters as ''Panday'', '' Bakekang'' ...

(2012) "Best Editing" * Edgardo Vinarao (1994) "Best Musical Score" *

George Canseco George Masangkay Canseco (April 23, 1934 – November 19, 2004) was a Filipino composer and former politician. He composed numerous popular Filipino songs. Early years Canseco studied and graduated with a Liberal Arts degree at University of t ...

(1989) * Jesse Lucas (2010) "Best Producer" *

(1983) "Best Sound Recording" * Angel Avellana (1982) "Best Cinematographer" * Carlo Mendoza (2015)

FAMAS records

* In 1973, FAMAS awarded the first tie in the history of Philippine cinema. The tie was in the Best Actress category, with both

Boots Anson-Roa Maria Elisa Cristobal Anson-Rodrigo (née Anson; born January 30, 1945), better known as Boots Anson-Roa, is a Filipina actress, columnist, editor, and lecturer. Early life and education Anson-Roa, a Bicolana, is the eldest daughter of post-w ...

and

sharing the honors. *

Dawn Zulueta Marie Rachel Salman Taleon-Lagdameo (born March 4, 1969), known professionally as Dawn Zulueta (), is a Filipino actress, host and commercial model. She was recognized as the only Filipino actor to win two different major accolades in acting cat ...

is the only person in Philippine movie history to ever bag two acting awards in a single ceremony from any awards night, having won the Best Actress award for the film ''

Hihintayin Kita sa Langit ''Hihintayin Kita sa Langit'' (') is a 1991 award-winning Filipino romantic drama film directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna based on a screenplay by Raquel Villavicencio, and starring Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta. The film is a loose adaptation of ...

'' and Best Supporting Actress award for ''

Una Kang Naging Akin ''Una Kang Naging Akin'' (International title: ''When You Were Mine'' / ) is a 2008 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Based on a 1991 Philippine film of the same title, the series is the tenth instalment of '' ...

'' at the 1992 FAMAS Awards. *

is the only individual inducted in three ''Hall of Fame'' categories:

, Best Supporting Actor, and

. *

and

won the award more than any actors with 5 wins. The four of them are inducted to the FAMAS Hall of Fame. Because of that, the three of them will no longer be nominated to any award. * Three actors have won the award consecutively. They are

(in 1991 and 1992),

(in 2010 and 2011), and

ER Ejercito Emilio Ramon Pelayo Ejercito III (; born October 5, 1963), commonly known as E. R. Ejercito, is a Filipino people, Filipino actor and former governor of Laguna (province), Laguna from 2010 until his removal in 2014. Prior to his election as gove ...

(in 2012, 2013 and 2014) * The longest FAMAS Awards telecast was in 2002 when FAMAS celebrated its

golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...

. The awards night, which was held at the FAMAS Awards' original home, the

Manila Hotel The Manila Hotel is a 550-room, historic five-star hotel located along Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines.

, was held from 9 PM to 3 AM. * The first major acting award for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie was awarded in the 2003 FAMAS Awards to

for the movie ''Tampisaw''. (See '' Restructuring of 2003'' above) * For the 53rd FAMAS Awards (2004), FAMAS partnered with the

ABS-CBN Channel 2 DWWX-TV, Channel 2, was the flagship VHF station of Philippine television network ABS-CBN. The station was owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation with its studio and transmitter located at the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center, Sgt. Esguerra Ave ...

for the production of the annual awards night on June 26, 2005. As a result, the show became the first awards night in the Philippines to be telecast all over the world through one of its international satellite stations, Pinoy Central TV.

Superlatives

References

External links

Official Website of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences

The Unofficial Website of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences

IMDB of FAMAS Awards
{{National Cinema Awards Awards established in 1952 Philippine film awards Lifetime achievement awards Performing arts trophies Award ceremonies in the Philippines