IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Notable MMFF Best Picture winners through the years
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Movie posters of “Deleter (2022)” and “Fangirl (2020)”. Images: FILE PHOTOS
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is a celebration of the film industry through humorous, heart-wrenching, and horrific stories brought to life onscreen — which seems fitting as it’s annually held during Christmas through the New Year.
But while box office records act as some form of gauge to an MMFF entry’s popularity, the best film still boils down to the festival’s night or the Gabi ng Parangal, which is decided by a highly-distinguished jury. Since its inception in 1975 — which was first known as 1975 Metropolitan Film Festival at the time — it has awarded 48 films with the coveted Best Picture award.
As the 2023 MMFF kicks off with 10 entries, each having the potential to win Best Picture, here’s a peek at some of the most noteworthy films which bagged the award.
Crying Ladies (2003)
Gaining a renaissance among Gen Zs, the film struck a chord with Sharon Cuneta’s line while begging for alms in a bus: “Nais lang po naming humingi ng konting tulong, mga kapwa Pilipino at kapwa manggagawa para sa adhikaing ito. Maraming salamat, at mabuhay ang uring manggagawa (We are asking for a small donation, our fellow Filipinos and workers for this cause. Thank you very much and long live the working class).”
An all-around hustler Stella (Cuneta), frustrated actress Doray (Hilda Koronel), and adulteress Choleng (Angel Aquino) were hired as “taga-iyak sa patay” or professional mourners by Wilson Chua (Eric Quizon), a wealthy Filipino-Chinese man who was pressured by his family to organize a traditional funeral for his late dad.
Against the backdrop of the funeral, Stella, Doray, and Choleng navigate their personal lives in hopes of having a better life. They also find a friend in Wilson, who eventually forgave his dad for not being a good father throughout his life.
Deleter (2022)
Lyra (Nadine Lustre), who’s struggling to heal a deep trauma from her past, is among the many content moderators hired by a company to filter graphic content from the internet. The task was enough for her to pay the bills, but she was shaken when she encountered a suicide video of her late co-worker Aileen (Louise delos Reyes).
In a group interview, film director Mikhail Red praised Lustre’s dedication to portraying Lyra, saying she “never missed a beat” during its production — while noting how she understands the task of doing a “horror film” with her “technical” prowess.
“Merong siyang pakialam (She cares). She gives her input during the playback. She’s not like, ‘Oh, have already given you the shot, just call me when you need me.’ She’s collaborative and gives suggestions, but she also has confidence and trust in me — very respectful,” he added.
Himala (1982)
What seemed to be a risky film to premiere during Jesus’ birthday paid off for “Himala,” as it reaped many awards throughout its run and was named as one of the greatest Filipino films of all time by media outlets.
“Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao, nasa puso nating lahat (There’s no miracle! The miracle happens in a person’s heart, in all of our hearts),” Elsa (Nora Aunor) said, in probably one of her most well-known movie lines to date before she was tragically shot on the hill.
The death of Elsa, who was touted as an apparition of the Virgin Mary, led to a mass hysteria that witnessed the deaths of many people — with the fanatical townsfolk painting her as a miraculous deity. This scene in itself seemingly paints the picture of society not learning from Elsa’s statement, bringing the town back to zero.
Fangirl (2020)
Starry-eyed “number one” fangirl Jane (Charlie Dizon), who’s long been obsessed with a fictionalized Paulo Avelino, is determined to meet the man of her dreams, and she follows him into his home to spend one unforgettable night.
Contrary to the trailer’s romantic undertone, Jane discovers that Paulo is far different from the charming leading man — with the latter even taking advantage of her innocence to fulfill his carnal desires. Jane then leaves in a confused daze, revealing that her fangirl life is an escape from her tragic life.
Tanging Yaman (2000)
Siblings Danny (Johnny Delgado), Art (Edu Manzano), and Grace (Dina Bonnevie), who always had a tumultuous relationship, are forced to confront their past fights and inner demons after their mother Loleng (Gloria Romero) is stricken with Alzheimer’s disease.
But while the siblings are dedicated to keeping their mother alive, Art was forced to confront his mother for always favoring Danny, and Grace for betraying him in the past — as he never felt loved by his family. More tragedies ensue, which ultimately led to the siblings reconciling and Loleng thanking God for bringing them together.
Jose Rizal (1998)
Among the many historical films that earned recognition from the MMFF committee was the retelling of national hero Jose Rizal, with actor Cesar Montano taking on the role of the late nationalist and writer. It currently holds the record as the most awarded in the festival’s history, with 17 wins including Best Actor.
The film starts with Rizal’s imprisonment in Fort Santiago, with his life being told in flashbacks, notably how he wrote the novels “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” with key scenes being reenacted in certain scenes.
But while Rizal doesn’t have regrets in his life, he comes face-to-face with “El Filibusterismo” lead character Simoun — which he noted is his “alter ego” — in an attempt to tempt him into changing his character’s fate in the novel. He, however, rejects his plea before he was executed by a firing squad in Bagumbayan.
Mano Po (2002)
The film starts with some sort of a videotape set in the 1940s, with Don Luis Go (Eddie Garcia) and Elisa Malimban-Go (Boots Anson-Roa) building the Go clan’s prestige from the ground up, until they established themselves as one of the most prolific Filipino-Chinese families.
It then fast forwards to a rebellious Richelle Go (Ara Mina) who’s determined to make her family accept her marriage to a boyfriend who doesn’t fit their standards. Her rebellious nature strained her relationship with her family, almost to the point where she showed up late at Elisa’s funeral.
Richelle was ultimately abducted with her sister Juliet (Kris Aquino), which led to their eventual reconciliation. She then develops a relationship with Raf Bata (Richard Gomez), which earned her family’s blessing.
