‘Sunday Beauty Queen’ is MMFF best picture, Paolo Ballesteros best actor

PHOTO BY MARINEL CRUZ/INQUIRER ENTERTAINMENT

Updated: 11:34 p.m., Dec. 29, 2016
“No more mainstream, no more indies. We are one,” said Baby Ruth Villarama, whose “Sunday Beauty Queen” bagged the best picture trophy and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Memorial Award at the 2016 Gabi ng Parangal held on Thursday night.

“Sunday Beauty Queen,” which is the only documentary to be included in the MMFF’s 40-year history, also brought home the best editing trophy.

The film follows a group of Hong Kong-based house maids as they prepare for a beauty contest dubbed as the “Miss Philippines Tourism Hong Kong.” The pageant is held in the middle of Hong Kong’s Central Station. It serves as a diversion for the ladies who want to forget their identities as immigrant workers, even for just a short while.

The best actress honor was bestowed on Irma Adlawan for her performance in the Alvin Yapan film “Oro.” Her costars in the political drama also copped the best ensemble honor.

“Oro” also garnered the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence. Producer Mark Shandii Bacolod dedicated the film to those ravaged by Typhoon Nina in Bicol, where the movie was shot.

Paolo Ballesteros was proclaimed best actor for his work in Jun Robles Lana’s “Die Beautiful,” while Christian Bables won the best supporting actor trophy for the same film.

Rhed Bustamante took home the Special Jury Prize and Phoebe Walker the best supporting actress award – both for their roles in “Seklusyon.”

Erik Matti also copped the best director award for “Seklusyon.”

Set in 1947, “Seklusyon” tells the story of a group of seminarians sent to a remote convent to live in seclusion on the last day of their training with the aim of shielding them from evil of the world. Conflict arises when a mysterious young girl enters the convent.

The horror-thriller won the best screenplay honor for Anton Santamaria. It also bagged most of the technical awards: best cinematography, best production design, best original theme song (“Dominus Miserere” by Francis de Veyra), and best sound design.

“Saving Sally” got the best musical score award.

The winners of the Children’s Choice for Full-length Films awards are “Saving Sally,” “Sunday Beauty Queen” and “Vince & Kath & James.”

“Die Beautiful” also won the My Favorite Film award (People’s Choice) and the best float trophy.

The following are the winners in the Short Film category: “EJK,” best picture; “Manila Scream,” Special Jury Prize; and “Mitatang,” best screenplay.

In his speach Chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) pleaded for a weeklong extension of screenings in cinemas, especially of movies performing poorly in the box-office.

In a statement, the MMFF executive committee echoed Orbos’s plea:“”We make this appeal to our partners, the theater owners, to celebrate this resounding success with us by allowing the extension of the duration of the festival by four days, so that it completes a 14-day run that will end on Jan. 7, 2017.”

Orbos announced that some theater owners had heeded their request.

Ronnie Alonte and Rhian Ramos were awarded HOOQ’s Male and Female Celebrity of the Night, respectively. –With a report from Anthony Q. Esguerra/INQUIRER.Net /ATM