Dingdong Dantes, Piolo Pascual tie for Best Actor at 1st MIFF

Dingdong Dantes and Piolo Pascual | Image: Instagram/@dongdantes

The inaugural Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) which screened the 10 official entries in the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) for the first time in Hollywood held its awarding ceremony on Friday, Feb. 2.

The MIFF closing night gala took place at the Directors Guild of America on Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California, and Filipino stars Dingdong Dantes of “Rewind” and Piolo Pascual of “Mallari” were among those who emerged victorious as they tied for the Best Actor award.

“Firefly” led the first MIFF awards as it took home the Best Picture, Best Screenplay (Angeli Atienza), Best Director (Zig Dulay) and Best Supporting Actress (Alessandra De Rossi), followed by “Gomburza,” which bagged Best Cinematography (Carlo Mendoza), Best Audience Award and 2nd Best Picture.

Aside from Dantes’ Best Actor nod, “Rewind” finally went victorious as it also captured the Best Supporting Actor (Pepe Herrera) at MIFF despite being winless at the last MMFF. Vilma Santos then again bagged the Best Actress for “When I Met You in Tokyo,” while “Becky & Badette” took home the Special Jury Prize.

The jurors were composed of accomplished Filipino Americans in film, including Marie Jamora, Mari Acevedo, Leah Anova, Reggie Lee, David Maquiling and Sumalee Montano. The MIFF awards are independent from the MMFF awards that were given in the Philippines last December.

Interview with one of MIFF’s co-founders

Janet Nepales at the 2024 Manila International Film Festival held at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood, CA on Monday, ​January 29, 2024. (Photo By Sthanlee B. Mirador/Sipa USA)

Janet Nepales, one of the co-founders of MIFF, along with her husband Ruben Nepales and other Filipino-Americans, Omen Ortiz, Ebradu Udarbe, Lisa Lew, and Cecelia Abaya, started this initiative. Janet expressed her gratitude to the partners and everyone who made the international festival a success.

“It is heartwarming to see Filipinos, Fil-Ams, and foreigners come in droves to watch the movies and display the same passion, hunger, and joy that we have for Philippine cinema. It takes a village to move mountains, and we are very grateful to our community partners and sponsors who have shown support to make our inaugural Manila International Film Festival a resounding success! The Balikbayan spirit is indeed alive in this festival, and we are proof of that. As they say, “If you build it, they will come,” she told INQUIRER.net.

Aside from the will to showcase the diverse talents in Philippine cinema while allowing Filipinos to collaborate and network with Fil-Am Hollywood filmmakers, actors and writers, Nepales also acknowledged that the MIFF happened during the Hollywood awards season, saying they are keen on highlighting Filipino talent so Americans can take notice.

“We launched the Manila International Film Festival in November. Since we are featuring the 10 movies that made it to the Metro Manila Film Festival which ended in December, we wanted to highlight them immediately to keep the momentum. But yes, it is also the busiest time in Hollywood since it is the awards season. We believe it is the right time to spotlight Philippine cinema during this time so Hollywood filmmakers can take notice of what the Philippines can offer,” said the media consultant.