The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The festival, which runs from December 25 (
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
) through
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on Filipino films. During the course of the festival, movie theaters show only films that are approved by its jurors and exclude foreign films except in 3D theaters and
IMAX theater
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating.
Graeme F ...
s. Since 2010s, film entries were played in select 3D cinemas that it can show movies in 2D format. It is one of the two Filipino major film festivals to exclude movies out of the country in a week-long period, the other being the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino happening during August.
The annual event began with the 1975 Metro Manila Film Festival, during which ''Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa'' ("''Water the Thirsty Earth with Dew''") by Augusto Buenaventura won the best film award.
One of the festival highlights is the parade of floats at the opening of the festival. The floats, each one representing a movie entry with their respective stars, parade down usually
Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard is a popular waterfront promenade in Metro Manila in the Philippines. The boulevard, which runs along the shores of Manila Bay, is well known for its sunsets and stretch of coconut trees. The divided roadway has become a tradema ...
, as was the case in many of the previous awards. Beginning in 2017, however, the float parade is now usually hosted by each of the 17 local governments of the capital region. On the awards night, a Best Float award is also announced along with the major acting awards.
A sister festival which is a spin-off of the MMFF, the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival, was supposed to have its first edition in April 2020. However, it was canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
History
A precursor the current festival began in 1966. Then-
mayor of Manila
The City Mayor of Manila ( fil, Punong Lungsod ng Maynila, sometimes referred to as, ''Alkalde ng Maynila'') is the head of the executive branch of Manila's city government. The mayor holds office at Manila City Hall. Like all local government he ...
Antonio Villegas
Antonio de Jesus Villegas (January 9, 1928 – November 16, 1984) was a Filipino mayor of Manila from 1962 to 1971. His term was after the term of Arsenio Lacson as mayor of Manila, and before the period of martial law in the Philippines.
Poli ...
inaugurated the "Manila Film Festival" ("Manila Tagalog Film Festival"). It was set up in order to get Philippine films screened in "first-run" theaters which at that time only screened American films. It was a 12-day event from June 14 through June 24, Manila's birthday, during which only locally produced films could be shown in the theatres. The festival featured a parade in downtown Manila of actors and the featured films. In addition, in an effort to promote Philippine films,
Antonio Villegas
Antonio de Jesus Villegas (January 9, 1928 – November 16, 1984) was a Filipino mayor of Manila from 1962 to 1971. His term was after the term of Arsenio Lacson as mayor of Manila, and before the period of martial law in the Philippines.
Poli ...
banned the showing of foreign films at movie houses during the Manila Film Festival. Most of the first batch of the festival films came up with English titles. Despite the lack of support, there were different changes in making the festival flourish.
The best films of Manila Film Festival included ''Daigdig ng mga Api'' (1966), ''Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak'' (1967), ''Manila, Open City'' (1968), ''Patria Adorada'' (1969), ''Dimasalang'' (1970), ''Cadena de Amor'' (1971), ''Elias, Basilio at Sisa'' (1972), ''Nueva Vizcaya'' (1973) and ''Alaala mo Daigdig Ko'' (1974). Starting in 1975, Manila Film Festival was discontinued as Metro Manila Film Festival took over.
In 1973, the Manila Film Festival was discontinued as Martial Law was imposed in September the year before. On September 21, 1975, during the Marcos Presidency, the filmfest was expanded to include all the other cities and towns in the newly formed
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
and began under the name "1975 Metropolitan Film Festival" (MFF). In 1977, name was changed to "Metro Manila Film Festival".
After Villegas' death in 1984, a special award in the Metro Manila Film Festival, the
Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award
Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award is an annual event created by the Metro Manila Film Festival in honor of former mayor (''gatpuno'') Antonio Villegas. It awards lifetime achievement awards to films in the annual film festivals, and t ...
, was created in his honor and is given to the best film that best portrays Philippine culture and Filipino people to the world. MRN Film International's ''
Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina?
''Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina?'' ''(Andrea, How Is It Like to Be a Mother?)'' is a 1990 Filipino film and an official entry to the 1990 Metro Manila Film Festival.
The film won for Aunor all the Best Actress Awards given by the five ann ...
'' was the first one to receive the lifetime achievement award in 1990. Since then, it has been awarding prestigious films that deserves the honors.
In 2010, the film festival underwent some changes. First, the commercial viability criterion (box-office performance of the entries) was removed. As of 2010, the criteria for the selection of Best Picture(s) are: artistry; creativity and technical excellence; innovation; and thematic value. Entries are also judged for global appeal (70 percent) and Filipino cultural and/or historical value (30 percent). In addition, the festival format gave a tribute to independent "indie" films. Lastly, the established board of jurors was expanded to include housewives, drivers, students, teachers, etc. The festival logo was changed to feature a map of the Metropolis of Manila, based on the old seal of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority with seventeen stars on it symbolizing the 17 cities and municipality of Metro Manila. The logo for the first 35 festivals featured a torch.
In September 2011, Atty.
Francis Tolentino
Francis N Tolentino (; is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a Senator since 2019. He served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2010 to 2015 and was the Mayor of Tagaytay from 1995 to 2004.
For ...
, then-chairman of the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Pagpapaunlad ng Kalakhang Maynila) is a government agency of the Philippines responsible for constituting the regional government of Metro Manila, comprising the capital ...
(MMDA) changed the category name of "indie" films to "New Wave" films to make it sound better and more attractive to hear, as well as including "Student Short Film Category" for the first time. Consequently, the next year, the 38th Metro Manila Film Festival held in 2012 became the highest earning MMFF to date with 767 million pesos, 21% higher than that of 2011.
In January 2013 Interaksyon.com review, writer
Jessica Zafra
Jessica Zafra (; born 1965) is a fiction writer, columnist, editor, publisher, and former television and radio show host.
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 ...
walked out of the awarding ceremonies at the Metropolitan Theater when Celso Ad. Castillo's ''Burlesk Queen'' starring
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 ...
won eight of the ten awards including the
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 ...
award during the 3rd Metro Manila Film Festival. Mr. Brocka reportedly threw invectives at Rolando Tinio, who was the chairman of the panel of judges of the festival.
In 1978, the board of jurors decided to not award honors for Best Actor,
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 aw ...
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 ...
, whom fortune-tellers on the talk show of ''
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 ...
'' and many moviegoers predicted would win the award for her role in the movie ''Rubia Servios''. When Nora accepted her award, she cried "Mama, mali ang hula nila" ("Mama, their prediction is wrong") apparently because fortune-tellers incorrectly predicted the outcome.
In 1983, during the awards night of the
9th Metro Manila Film Festival
The 9th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in 1983. Only eight movies participated.
Cine Suerte's ''Of the Flesh, Karnal'' won the Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture, Best Picture and four other awards. The major individual awards, ...
, many were surprised after
Coney Reyes
Constancia Angeline Reyes Nubla (born May 27, 1954), better known by her screen name Coney Reyes, is a Filipina film and television actress, comedian, television host and producer.
Coney made her debut on the silver screen in the 1975 film '' ...
won the
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 aw ...
award for the movie ''Bago Kumalat ang Dugo'' and
Anthony Alonzo
Antonio Viana Hernandez (April 2, 1948 – October 9, 1998), also known as Anthony and Tony, was a Filipino actor, singer, and councilor of Quezon City.
Early life
He was born as Antonio Viana Hernandez on April 2, 1948, in Quezon City to Alfred ...
is given the Best Actor award for the same movie, besting acting greats
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 ...
,
Phillip Salvador
Phillip Mikael "Ipe" Reyes Salvador (born Felipe Reyes Salvador; August 22, 1953) is a three-time FAMAS award-winning Filipino film and television actor.
Acting career
Salvador made his film debut in 1971 with ''Adios Mi Amor''. He toiled in m ...
, and Vic Silayan, who were all in the movie ''
Karnal
Karnal ( is a city located in the state of Haryana, India and is the administrative headquarters of Karnal District. It was used by East India Company army as a refuge during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in Delhi. The Battle of Karnal between ...
''. In addition, juror's standards of giving Willie Milan the
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 ...
award against
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 ...
Tingting Cojuangco
Margarita "Tingting" de los Reyes Cojuangco (born Margarita Manzano de los Reyes on April 29, 1944) is a Filipina politician, philanthropist and socialite. She was the former Chairman of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party and a mem ...
stated: "No one of the seven entries deserved these awards..." She added that they: "...would like to express heirconcern over the current state of the Philippine movie industry as reflected in the entries to the year's MMFF... he entriesfailed to reinforce and inculcate positive Filipino values by portraying negative stereotypes, imitating foreign films and perpetuating commercially-oriented movies...".
In 1988 during the award-giving ceremony of the
14th Metro Manila Film Festival
The 14th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in 1988.
An unheralded and obscure movie, ''Patrolman'' was named the Best Picture in the 1988 Metro Manila Film Festival. The lead star, once unknown stuntman-actor Baldo Marro won the Best Actor awa ...
, stuntman and character actor-turned-filmmaker Baldo Marro won the Best Actor for ''Patrolman'' film, which also won him the
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 ...
award. In fact, he was not known before this. He bested prizewinning director
Chito Roño
Chito may refer to:
*Chito Calvo (1903–1977), Filipino basketball player, swimmer, and coach
*Chito Garcia (1924–2015), Mexican baseball outfielder and manager
*Chito Gascon, Filipino lawyer, civil organizer, and human-rights activist
*Chito J ...
of ''Itanong Mo Sa Buwan'' in the division, sending uproar from well-meaning critics and regular local film observers. Nevertheless, the announced
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 ...
award goes to
Laurice Guillen
Laurice Ilagan Guillen-Feleo (born January 31, 1947) is a Filipino actress, film and television director, and college professor.
Early life and acting career
Guillen studied at St. Theresa's College, Cebu City, earned an AB English degree before ...
Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Awards
Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award is an annual event created by the Metro Manila Film Festival in honor of former mayor (''gatpuno'') Antonio Villegas. It awards lifetime achievement awards to films in the annual film festivals, and t ...
,
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 ...
, and Best Screenplay) were not given as Alejandro Roces, chairman of the Board of Jurors announced that "none of the entries was deserving". On the side note, the Manila Film Fest (MFF) had a similar, but different case in which both the Best Actress and Best Actor awards were given to
Ruffa Gutierrez
Sharmaine Ruffa Rama Gutierrez (born June 24, 1974) is a Filipino model, beauty queen, host and actress. She was the 1992 Look of the Year - Philippines, Binibining Pilipinas World 1993 and Second Runner-up to Miss World 1993.
Career
Gutier ...
and
Gabby Concepcion
Gabriel Arellano Concepcion (born 5 November 1964) is a Filipino actor, singer and businessman. He began his show business career in the 1980s as a teen commercial model and is known for his debonair career in Philippine cinema, spanning severa ...
Cesar Montano
Cesar Manhilot (born August 1, 1962), known professionally as Cesar Montano (), is a Filipino actor, film producer and film director.
Montano started in show business as a commercial model.
, although he received the Best Actor award, expressed his disappointment that his film, ''
Bagong Buwan
''Bagong Buwan'' () is a 2001 Filipino drama film co-produced and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and written by Diaz-Abaya, Ricky Lee, and Jun Lana. It is about the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao, Philippines and its effect on civilians. It has b ...
'' did not receive the
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 ...
award. He states: "For me, ''
Bagong Buwan
''Bagong Buwan'' () is a 2001 Filipino drama film co-produced and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and written by Diaz-Abaya, Ricky Lee, and Jun Lana. It is about the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao, Philippines and its effect on civilians. It has b ...
'' is still the best picture. No offense meant, but for others, '' Yamashita'' may be the best picture. Kanya-kanya 'yan. Wala nga lang kaming trophy. Bibili na lang kami ng trophy sa Recto. (To each his own. We just don't have a trophy. We'll just buy one in Recto)." referring to a strip on C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila notorious for manufacturing fake diplomas, certificates and trophies.Ranoa-Bismark, Maridol. "Montano, De Rossi, Yamashita top awardees at Metro Filmfest". ''The Philippine Star''. December 29, 2001. Newspaper Print.
In 2002, first, the cast of the film '' Dekada '70'' walked out of the award ceremonies after
Lualhati Bautista
Lualhati Torres Bautista (born December 2, 1945) is a Filipina writer, novelist, liberal activist and political critic. Her most popular novels include '' Dekada '70''; '' Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa?''; and '' ‘GAPÔ''.
Biography
Bautista was ...
failed to win the Best Story and Best Screenplay awards. Even more controversial was the decision of the judges to name the first-timer
Ara Mina
Ara Mina (born Hazel Pascual Reyes-Almarinez; May 9, 1979) is a Filipino people, Filipino actress, singer, endorser, and entrepreneur.
Career
Mina became part of the Philippine entertainment industry at 14 years of age via the youth-oriented ...
the
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 aw ...
for her role in
Mano Po
''Mano Po'' () is a 2002 Filipino drama film produced by Regal Entertainment, and an entry to the 2002 Metro Manila Film Festival. The film focuses on the lives of the Chinese Filipino community. ''Mano Po'' stars an all-star cast headed by Ma ...
, beating multi-awarded
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 ...
Lastikman
Lastikman, originally spelled Lastik Man, is a fictional character and Filipino comics superhero created by Mars Ravelo and artist Mar T. Santana. Lastikman or the original spelling of Lastik Man debuted in comics format in ''Aliwan Komiks'' ...
'' protested the non-inclusion of the two films as official entries, prompting the Metro Manila Film Festival committee to extend the annual event. Consequently, the committee extended the film screenings to seven days to accommodate two more films which did not make it to the entries.
Speaking of the films,
Chito Roño
Chito may refer to:
*Chito Calvo (1903–1977), Filipino basketball player, swimmer, and coach
*Chito Garcia (1924–2015), Mexican baseball outfielder and manager
*Chito Gascon, Filipino lawyer, civil organizer, and human-rights activist
*Chito J ...
Joel Lamangan
Joel Lamangan (born September 21, 1952) is a Filipino film director, television director and actor. His award-winning films includes '' The Flor Contemplacion Story'', '' Sidhi'', '' Deathrow'', ''Hubog'', '' Aishte Imasu 1941'', '' Blue Moon'' ...
walked out after he lost to
Jose Javier Reyes
Jose "Joey" Javier Reyes (born October 21, 1954) is a Filipino professor, writer, director, miscellaneous crew and actor. He has won awards at the Gawad Urian, Metro Manila Film Festival and Filipino Star Awards for Movies for his films, which ...
. Lamangan failed to win the
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 ...
for '' Blue Moon'' against Reyes' '' Kutob''. In the same year,
Regal Films
Regal Entertainment, Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film production company based in Pasig. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. It has produced movies of all genres; and is the oldest s ...
's matriarch
Lily Monteverde
Lily Yu Monteverde, nicknamed Mother Lily (born August 19, 1938), is a Filipina film producer and businesswoman.
She is the first and many Filipina Movie producers who produced the boom of blockbuster films in different genres in the 70s and 80 ...
voiced out her disappointment as she lamented that some winners in the festival were "undeserving".
In 2006,
Octoarts Films
OctoArts Films (also known as OctoArts Films International for foreign films) is a Filipino film production and distribution company founded in 1989 by Orly R. Ilacad. A veteran record producer, Ilacad only decided to establish the film company ...
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 ...
after festival organizers changed the criteria for the award by giving more weight to "commercial appeal". As it was the only prize that the film won, the decision to let the film receive it becomes the subject of yet another controversy at the festival. Movie producer
Star Cinema
ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc. (doing business as Star Cinema or ABS-CBN Films) is a Philippines, Filipino film studio and film and television production company and film distributor headquartered in Quezon City. It is one of the major film ...
made a protest to the MMDA and wrote to then MMFF chairman
Bayani Fernando
Bayani Flores Fernando (born July 25, 1946) is a Filipino politician, businessman and professional mechanical engineer who served as the representative for Marikina's 1st congressional district from 2016 to 2022.
Prior to his election to cong ...
, claiming that the movie ''
Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo
''Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo'' (''Wedding, Worried, Wearied'') is a 2006 Filipino romantic comedy film written and directed by Jose Javier Reyes and it was based on a written screenplay by Mary Ann Bautista. It was an official entry for the 2006 Metr ...
'' should have won
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 ...
because it topped the box office for the first few days.
In 2007, the awards night ended in less than an hour after festival organizers decided to just announce the winners without even mentioning the nominees for each category. The organizers explained that it had to be rushed and had to end at exactly 9pm because a concert, featuring singer
Lani Misalucha
Lani Bayot Misalucha (; born Lani Dimalanta Bayot; August 3, 1969) is a Filipino singer who performs pop, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, and operatic arias. Her ability to sing across several genres gave her the title "Asia's Nightingale ...
, was scheduled right after the awards ceremonies.
In 2011, Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz declined to accept the award for Best Director for the movie Manila Kingpin after he claimed that the movie "was edited without his consent beyond his recognition."
In 2014, Rina Navarro, one of the producers of '' Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo'' questioned the result of the panel's judgement in the awards night. The movie won the most coveted
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 ...
award but it failed to win the other major categories such as the
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 ...
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 aw ...
Best Original Story
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation, ...
award all of which went to Dan Villegas' ''
English Only, Please
''English Only, Please'' is a 2014 Filipino romantic comedy film directed by Dan Villegas and starring Jennylyn Mercado and Derek Ramsay. Produced by Quantum Films, in association with MJM Productions, Tuko Film Productions and Buchi Boy Films it ...
''.
In 2015, a day before the awards night,
Erik Matti
Erik Matti (born December 21, 1970) is a Filipino filmmaker. He is known for directing '' On the Job'' (2013), ''Honor Thy Father'' (2015), '' Seklusyon'' (2016), '' BuyBust'' (2018), and '' On the Job: The Missing 8'' (2021).
Matti co-found ...
's ''
Honor Thy Father
''Honor Thy Father'' is a 1971 book by Gay Talese, about the travails of the Bonanno crime family in the 1960s, especially Salvatore Bonanno and his father Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno.
Background
In 1965, Gay Talese left his job as a repor ...
'' was disqualified for the
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 ...
award after being screened at the
Cinema One Originals
The Cinema One Originals Film Festival, a division of ABS-CBN Films commonly known as Cinema One Originals, is an independent film festival in the Philippines held annually in the month of November in Quezon City. Its primary goal is to showcase ...
. Dondon Monteverde, the film's producer, revealed that they did disclose this information beforehand. He attested that its premiere at the Cinema One festival didn't generate revenue which complies by the rules. He also questioned the timing of this decision, one day before the awards ceremony, and he demanded an investigation.
In 2016, the festival gained buzz after the EXECOM announced the top 8 entries for the 2016 edition. Different from past years, the movies of the certified box-office drawers
Vice Ganda
Jose Marie Borja Viceral (born March 31, 1976), popularly known as Vice Ganda (; ), is a Filipino comedian, talk show host, television presenter, actor, entrepreneur, and singer. He is a regular host on ABS-CBN's noontime variety show '' It' ...
&
Coco Martin
Rodel Pacheco Nacianceno (born November 1, 1981), known professionally by his stage name Coco Martin (), is a Filipino actor, director, and film producer. He is best known for playing the lead roles in ''Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin'', '' Walang H ...
's ''
The Super Parental Guardians
''The Super Parental Guardians'' is a 2016 Philippine action comedy film starring Vice Ganda and Coco Martin. The film is directed by Joyce Bernal and is under the production of Star Cinema. The film marks the second feature film collaboration b ...
'',
Vic Sotto
Marvic Valentin Castelo Sotto (; born April 28, 1954), professionally known as Vic Sotto, is a Filipino actor, singer and comedian known far and wide for his various television and film projects on the major Philippine television networks GMA ...
's ''
Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers
''Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers'' is a 2016 Filipino superhero fantasy comedy film and the tenth film installment of the Filipino television sitcom '' Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!''. The film was announced in August 2016 with Marlon N. Rivera and To ...
'',
Regal Entertainment
Regal Entertainment, Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film production company based in Pasig. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. It has produced movies of all genres; and is the oldest s ...
Vhong Navarro
Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro (born January 4, 1977), known professionally as Vhong Navarro, is a Filipino comedian, actor, dancer, recording artist and television host. He is a regular host on ABS-CBN's noontime variety show '' It's Showtime''. H ...
's ''
Mang Kepweng Returns
''Mang Kepweng Returns'' is a 2017 Filipino fantasy comedy horror film. The film is directed by Giuseppe Bede Sampedro and is under the production of Cineko Productions in association with Viva Films.
The film is a remake of the 1979 film ''Mang ...
'' was rejected in that edition. But despite good reviews about the 8 entries, the film festival only grossed , or a drop from 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival's . And the edition of the festival showed only Indie films. The idea of indie-only film was later scrapped and commercial films was allowed again.
Scope
As the name suggest, the Metro Manila Film Festival ran by the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Pagpapaunlad ng Kalakhang Maynila) is a government agency of the Philippines responsible for constituting the regional government of Metro Manila, comprising the capital ...
covers cinemas within
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. The initial allocation of cinema slots for the film festival's entry films are determined through lottery. This allocation system had only been applied for cinemas in Metro Manila in the past, but this now utilized for cinemas outside the metropolis as well. However cinemas are free to drop or continue to screen certain entry films after the first day. Cinemas outside Metro Manila are also free to screen non-entries, as was the case during the run of the 2016 edition, where non-entry mainstream films ''
The Super Parental Guardians
''The Super Parental Guardians'' is a 2016 Philippine action comedy film starring Vice Ganda and Coco Martin. The film is directed by Joyce Bernal and is under the production of Star Cinema. The film marks the second feature film collaboration b ...
'' and ''
Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers
''Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers'' is a 2016 Filipino superhero fantasy comedy film and the tenth film installment of the Filipino television sitcom '' Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!''. The film was announced in August 2016 with Marlon N. Rivera and To ...
'' were screened by select provincial theaters during the festival's run.
Festivals
Awards
The ''Gabi ng Parangal'' () serves as the awarding ceremony for participating films in the Metro Manila Film Festival.
Merit categories
Festival awards
Special awards
Other awards
=Short film categories
=
* Best Short Film: since 2016
* Special Jury Prize: since 2016
* Best Director: since 2016
* Best Screenplay: since 2016
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 aw ...
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 ...
Best Student Film
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
This is a list of superlative Metro Manila Film Festival winners. This list is current as of the
2021 Metro Manila Film Festival
The 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 47th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. It is organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
The 2021 film festival was held to ...
"Gabi ng Parangal" (awards ceremony) held on December 27, 2021.
The following are fifteen films which have received ten or more awards in different categories.
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 ...
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 aw ...
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 ...
.
Most combined awards for
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 aw ...
The table shows the highest-grossing Filipino film entries in the Metro Manila Film Festival that hits the hundred million mark.
Note: All figures are in
Philippine Peso
The Philippine peso, also referred to by its Tagalog name ''piso'' (Philippine English: , , plural pesos; tl, piso ; sign: ₱; code: PHP), is the official currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 ''sentimo'', also called ...