By Arabella Asis
Psychological drama “About Us Not About Us” won 10 awards at the first ever Summer Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) “Gabi ng Parangal” at the Frontier Theater on Wednesday, April 12.
The film was recognized as “First Best Picture,” “Best Sound,” “Best Musical Score,” “Best Production Design,” “Best Editing,” “Best Cinematography,” “Best Director,” and “Best Screenplay” for director Jun Robles Lana, “Best Actor” for Romnick Sarmenta, and “Special Jury Prize” for Elijah Canlas.
Meanwhile, KaladKaren became the first trans woman to win the “Best Supporting Actress Award” by starring in “Here Comes the Groom”.
The romance film “Love You Long Time” snagged the “Second Best Picture” while the comedic “Here Comes the Groom” came in “Third Best Picture” and “Special Jury Prize.”
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Acting Chairperson and concurrent MMFF Overall Chairperson Atty. Don Artes expressed his gratitude for the public’s support of the festival.
“The mere fact that Filipino films were given chance to run in cinemas nationwide without the foreign films this summer is already a success of the industry,” said Artes
MMFF assured that proceeds from the festival will go to various film industry beneficiaries such as the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation Inc., the Motion Picture and Anti-Film Piracy Council, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Optical Media Board.
The eight featured films will be screened in cinemas nationwide until April 18.
Here is the official list of winners of Awards Night:
- Best Picture: “About Us But Not About Us”
- 2nd Best Picture: “Love You Long Time”
- 3rd Best Picture: “Here Comes the Groom”
- Best Actor: Romnick Sarmenta, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Actress: Gladys Reyes, “Apag”
- Best Supporting Actor: Keempee De Leon, “Here Comes the Groom”
- Best Supporting Actress: Kaladkaren, “Here Comes the Groom”
- Best Director: Jun Robles Lana, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Screenplay: Jun Robles Lana, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Cinematography: Neil Daza, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Original Theme Song: “Paralaya” by Andy Alviz, “Apag”
- Best Musical Score: Teresa Barrozo, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Editing: Lawrence S. Ang, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Production Design: Marxie Maolen Fadul, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Sound: Armand de Guzman, “About Us But Not About Us”
- Best Float: “Love You Long Time”
- Special Jury Prize: “Ensemble Cast of Here Comes the Groom”
- Special Jury Prize: Elijah Canlas, “About Us But Not About Us”
– gb
