Comedy King Dolphy had a double victory winning both Best Actor for “Father Jejemon” and Best Supporting Actor for “Rosario.”
Delas Alas edged out Marian Rivera (“Super Inday and the Golden Bibe”) and Carla Abellana for (“Shake, Rattle & Roll 12”), stunning the audiences when their names were mentioned instead of Jennylyn Mercado (Rosario) and Kris Aquino (“Dalaw”).
Many had expected Mercado to win the award so much so that delas Alas acknowledged her and Aquino in her acceptance speech as her toughest rivals.
“Si Jennylyn ang mahigpit kong kalaban dito. Jennylyn, para sayo din ito, pasensya ka na, tutal mas matanda naman ako sa iyo, bigay mo na ito sa akin, bibigyan kita nito ng marami next time. Friendship [referring to Kris Aquino] sabi mo ‘Asa pa ko,’ oh eto na [Jennylyn was my toughest foe for this award.
But Jennylyn, this is also for you, sorry that I snatched this victory from you but please give this to me since I am older than you. Next time, I’ll give you more of this. Kris, you told me ‘You wish,’ but here I am with the award],” delas Alas said with her trademark humor.
“Kaya po ako naiiyak kase nakakahiya kung lahat best tapos ako hindi [The reason why I am in tears is it would be a shame on my part that all the actresses are the best, and I am not],” she added.
Dolphy, who won over Vic Sotto (“Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote”) and Yul Servo (“Rosario”), was not able to accept the award personally. His nephew Frank Gray Jr., who directed Father Jejemon, accepted the award on his behalf.
Star Cinema’s comedy film Ang Tanging Ina Mo was also the biggest winner of the night taking home nine awards including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Child Performer, Best Director, Best Story, Best Screenplay, Best Musical Score and Most Gender-Sensitive Film Award.
“Ang galing nyo pumili sobra — tama lahat [The judges were terrific in making the choices for the awards — and all were right],” delas Alas said when she accepted the Best Picture award.
Director Wenn Deramas won against Luis Suarez of “RPG: Metanoia” and Mike Tuviera of Super Inday and the Golden Bibe. Albert Martinez, who directed Rosario and another early favorite, was snubbed by jurors.
Joan Cabaldo-Bañaga, line producer of Rosario, was very vocal about the committee’s decision.
“Bakit gano’n? [Why did it turn out like that?] We won in the technical awards and as Second Best Picture but Albert wasn’t even nominated as Best Director and Jennylyn Mercado as Best Actress, nakapagtataka [I wonder why],” he said after the awards rites.
Martinez, however, remained gracious and proud in defeat, saying, “It’s alright. At least, I put up a good fight. I would just prove my point in future awards.”
Cinemabuhay’s Rosario, a period film that tells the story of the business tycoon Manuel Pangilinan’s grandmother, won seven awards including Second Best Picture and the Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Memorial Award, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design and Best Float.
The animated film RPG: Metanoia was named Third Best Picture and won two other awards including Best Original Song, Best Theme Song and Best Sound Recording (tied with Super Inday). It also received a special citation as the Most Gender-Sensitive Animated Film.
The two horror films Dalaw and Shake Rattle and Roll 12, meanwhile, had a horrific night as both movies went home empty-handed.
According to MMFF and Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, this year’s festival already set a new box office record of P90 million during the first day, breaking last year’s record of P77 million.
The 36th MMFF Awards Night was hosted by siblings Richard, Raymond and Ruffa Gutierrez and was aired on GMA 7.
List of winners
The complete list of winners follows:
• Best Picture: Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To! (Star Cinema);
• 2nd Best Picture: Rosario (Cinemabuhay & Studio5)
• 3rd Best Picture: RPG: Metanoia (Ambient Media & Star Cinema);
• Best Actress: Ai-Ai delas Alas (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Best Actor: Dolphy (Father Jejemon)
• Best Supporting Actress: Eugene Domingo (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!;
• Best Supporting Actor: Dolphy (Rosario);
• Best Director: Wenn Deramas (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Best Screenplay: Mel del Rosario (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Best Story: Mel del Rosario (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award: Rosario
• Best Cinematography: Carlo Mendoza (Rosario);
• Best Editing: John Wong (Rosario);
• Best Production Design: Joel Luna & Miki Hahn (Rosario);
• Best Visual Effects: Rico Guttierez & Co. (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote);
• Best Makeup: Nestor Dayao & Co. (Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote);
• Best Theme Song:- “Kaya Ko” (RPG: Metanioa);
• Best Musical Score – Jesse Lasaten (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Best Sound Recording – (tie) Ditoy Aguila (Super Inday and the Golden Bibe) and Ambient Media (RPG: Metanoia);
• Best Child Performer: Xyriel Manabat (Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!);
• Best Indie Film: “Presa” (Adolf Alix);
• Gender Sensitive Award: Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!;
• Gender-Sensitive Award (special citation for animation): RPG: Metanoia;
• Best Float: Rosario;
• Best Dressed: Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado; and
• Faces of the Night: Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Sam Pinto.