‘Mindanao’ sweeps 2019 MMFF Awards
Credit to Author: Arlo Custodio| Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:20:55 +0000
Brillante Mendoza’s newest opus,“Mindanao,”was the big winner during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) awards night, bagging the major awards including best picture.
The movie, which celebrates hope and life amid diverse cultures, won for Judy Ann Santos the Best Actress award for her role as a Muslim mother. Her leading man, Allen Dizon, won the Best Actor plum while the girl who plays their child, Yuna Tangog, was named Best Child Performer.
“Mindanao”won a total of 11 awards, including the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award, Best Picture and Best Director for Mendoza and Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. It also won the Gender Sensitivity and Best Float awards.
In her speech, Santos thanked the Muslims who helped them during filming.
Second Best Picture was “Write About Love,” which won the Best Actress and Best Actor in a Supporting Role awards for Yeng Constantino and Joem Bascon, respectively; Best Musical Score award for Jerrold Tarog; Best Original Song for “Ikaw Ang Akin”by Constantino; Best Editing for Vanessa de Leon; Best Screenplay for Crisanto Aquino and Janyx Regalo; and Special Jury Prize for Aquino for writing, directing and composing the music of the film.
Third Best Picture was “Sunod,” the only horror film in this year’s festival. It won Best Production Design for Ericson Navarro and Best Cinematography for Mycko David.
The Best Ensemble Acting award was given to “Culion.”
Meanwhile, the Best Student Short Film was “Pamana ni Lola” by Regin De Guzman and Bradley Jason Pantajo, which came with a P100,000-cash prize. Special Jury Prize went to Bronze, Silver, Gold, at Anting-anting”by Angelique Veridiano and Paolo Miguel Hildawa.
Four stalwarts of the Philippine movie industry were honored for making the MMFF“the biggest, longest running and most successful local film festival”: former president Joseph Estrada; Marichu Vera Perez Maceda, chairman of the 45-year-old Movie Workers Welfare Foundation and advocate of the local film industry; Boots Anson-Rodrigo, the “heart” of MMFF; and National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera. They were recognized for having served the MMFF in various capacities.
Those who garnered three or more awards in the same category were elevated to the Hall of Fame: Nora Aunor, Amy Austria, Maricel Soriano and Vilma Santos (Best Actress); and Anthony Alonzo (posthumous), Cesar Montano and Christopher de Leon (Best Actor). The Best Director Hall of Famers were Marilou Diaz Abaya (posthumous), Joel Lamangan and Jose Javier Reyes.
Eugene Domingo and Cherie Gil, who both have won three best supporting awards, were also elevated to the Hall of Fame. Joining them were Roy Iglesias, Ricky Lee and Jose Javier Reyes (Best Screenplay); Rody Lacap, Lee Meily, Carlo Mendoza and Romeo Vitug (Best Cinematography); Vito Cajili, Manet Dayrit, Jess Navarro and Edgardo Vinarao (Best Editor); Ditoy Aguila, Michael Albert Idioma and Rolly Ruta (Best Sound Engineer); Dionisio Buencamino, Von de Guzman, Jaime Fabregas and Jessie Lasaten (Best Musical Score); Rodell Cruz and Joey Luna (Best Production Design); and Road Runner Network Inc. (Best Visual Effects).
The MMFF also honored stalwarts who passed on this year — Eddie Garcia, Tony Mabesa, Mel Chionglo, Monalisa, Amalia Fuentes and Cesar Apolinario.