The 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 45th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. It is organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters (except IMAX and 4D theaters).
Entries Feature films
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Executive Committee announced four of the eight official entries in July 2019. The first four films were selected based from the scripts submitted until May 31, 2019.
Kampon was originally one of first four entries but was disqualified due to the late filing of its producers for a change in its leading actor after Derek Ramsay withdrew from the project. Kampon was replaced by Sunod which was the next in line entry for the horror genre.
Title StarringProduction companyDirectorGenreFirst batch Miracle in Cell No. 7 Aga Muhlach, Bela Padilla, Xia Vigor Viva Films Nuel Crisostomo Naval Drama, Comedy Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity Vic Sotto, Maine Mendoza M-ZET TV Productions, APT Entertainment Linnet Zurbano Comedy The Mall, The Merrier Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda Star Cinema, Viva Films Barry Gonzalez Family, Comedy, Musical Sunod Carmina Villarroel, Mylene Dizon Ten17P, Globe Studios Carlo Ledesma HorrorSecond batch 3pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon! Jennylyn Mercado, Coco Martin, Ai-Ai delas Alas CCM Productions, Quantum Films Rodel Nacianceno Action, Comedy, Romance Culion Iza Calzado, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Meryll Soriano iOptions Ventures Corp. Alvin Yapan Historical drama Mindanao Judy Ann Santos, Allen Dizon Centre Stage Productions, Solar Pictures Brillante Mendoza Drama, Animation Write About Love Miles Ocampo, Rocco Nacino, Joem Bascon, Yeng Constantino TBA Studios Crisanto B. Aquino Romance
Short films A short film competition for students was organized as part of the film festival. A total of 16 short films were considered as semi-finalists with eight of them selected as the final entries. Each short film has a running time of 3–5 minutes and showcase the theme "Philippine Mythology and Regional Stories (Myths, Legends, & Folktales)". The eight selected short films were screened alongside the official eight full-length films during the whole official run of the film festival.
Title SchoolDirectorBronze, Silver, Gold at Anting-antingDe La Salle University - Integrated School ManilaAngelique VeridianoDating AppUniversity of MakatiThomas BalillaHiposSagay National High School - Negros OccidentalCyrus Carano-oHuling Kembot ni FernandoCentro Escolar University - ManilaJon DiezManggagalawCentro Escolar University - ManilaJohn BolivarPamana ni LolaPolytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. MesaRegin de Guzman and Bradley PantajoTabakoUniversity of Saint La Salle - BacolodAlfredo Bayon-onThe Lost SittyAdamson UniversityJulius Custodio
Parade of Stars The traditional Parade of Stars which featured floats of the film festival's eight entries took place on December 22, 2019, in Taguig.
The route of the parade, the longest in the history of the film festival at , began at the Taguig Lakeshore Park and ended at the McKinley West Open Ground. The route passed through the M. L. Quezon Avenue, MRT Avenue, C5 Road before entering the McKinley Hill through Upper McKinley Road. Then the parade passed through McKinley Parkway, 32nd Street, 7th Avenue, 28th Avenue, 5th Avenue, Lawton Avenue, LeGrand Avenue and Chateau Road. The Best Float accolade is awarded in the same day of the parade. Temporary closures were implemented on select roads at the day of the parade from noon to 7 p.m. 700 to 1000 police officers were also deployed by the National Capital Region Police Office and 1,250 personnel by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to secure the parade.
Vice Ganda arrived late to the parade for the float of The Mall, The Merrier due to live guesting conflict with ASAP Natin 'To at ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Quezon City.
Awards
The Gabi ng Parangal () of the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival was held on December 27, 2019 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. The awards night was hosted by Marco Gumabao and Bela Padilla.
The Board of Jurors in this year's edition consisted of Chairman Karlo Alexi Nograles, Co-chairman Senator Bong Go, Vice-chairman Arsenio Lizaso, plus Jury Members Vilma Santos-Recto, Rachel Arenas, Joel Lamangan, Joey Javier Reyes, Christopher de Leon, Belinda Enriquez, Dr. Corazon Bautista-Cruz, Romy Vitug, Nonong Buencamino and Fr. Larry Faraon. The MMFF Hall of Fame Awards were also held as part of the larger Gabi ng Parangal that gave recognition to past award recipients who have been awarded three or more times in the same category in the past editions of the Gabi ng Parangal.
Major awards Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (). Nominations are also listed if applicable.
Best Picture Best DirectorMindanao – Centre Stage ProductionsWrite About Love – TBA Studios (2nd Best Picture) Sunod – Ten17P, Globe Studios (3rd Best Picture) | valign="top" |Brillante Mendoza – Mindanao Crisanto B. Aquino – Write About Love Carlo Ledesma – Sunod Best Actor Best ActressAllen Dizon – Mindanao Aga Muhlach – Miracle in Cell No. 7 Rocco Nacino – Write About LoveJudy Ann Santos – Mindanao Miles Ocampo – Write About Love Carmina Villarroel – Sunod Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting ActressJoem Bascon – Write About Love Soliman Cruz – Miracle in Cell No. 7 JC Santos – SunodYeng Constantino – Write About Love Meryll Soriano – Culion Krystal Brimner – SunodBest Child PerformerBest ScreenplayYuna Tangog – Mindanao Xia Vigor – Miracle in Cell No. 7 Rhed Bustamante – SunodCrisanto B. Aquino – Write About Love Honee Alipio – Mindanao Anton Santamaria – Sunod Best Cinematography Best Production DesignMycko David – Sunod Odyssey Flores – Mindanao Neil Daza – Write About LoveEricson Navarro – Sunod Dante Mendoza – Mindanao Monica Sevia – Write About Love Best Editing Best SoundVanessa De Leon – Write About Love Diego Marx Robles – Mindanao Gino Delos Reyes – SunodHiroyuki Ishizaka – Mindanao Emmanuel Verona – Write About Love Mark Locsin (Live Sound) and John Michael Perez, Mikko Quizon, Wapak Studio (Sound Design) – Sunod Best Original Theme Song Best Musical Score "Ikaw ang Akin" from Write About Love – Written by Crisanto B. Aquino, Performed by Yeng Constantino "Itadyak" from Mindanao – Written and Performed by Maan Chua "Inay" from Sunod – Written by Mariah Moriones, Performed by Krystal BrimnerJerrold Tarog – Write About Love Teresa Barrozo – Mindanao Bogs Jugo and Robbie Factoran – Sunod Best Visual Effects Best Float Team App – Mindanao Santelmo – Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity The Post Office – SunodMindanao Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for ExcellenceMindanaoMindanao 3pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon Sunod Special Jury Prize Gender Sensitivity AwardCast Ensemble – Culion Crisanto B. Aquino – Write About LoveMindanao Write About Love Sunod
Special awards
Metro Manila Film Festival Stalwarts Marichu Perez-Maceda Boots Anson-Rodrigo Bienvenido Lumbera
Metro Manila Film Festival Hall of Fame Category AwardeesBest ActressNora Aunor, Maricel Soriano, Vilma Santos, Amy AustriaBest ActorChristopher De Leon, Anthony Alonzo, Cesar MontanoBest Supporting ActressEugene Domingo, Cherie GilBest DirectorMarilou Diaz-Abaya, Jose Javier Reyes, Joel LamanganBest ScreenplayRoy Iglesias, Ricky Lee, Jose Javier ReyesBest CinematographyRody Lacap, Lee Meily, Carlo Mendoza, Romy VitugBest Production DesignRodel Cruz, Joey LunaBest EditingVito Cajili, Manet Dayrit, Jess Navarro, Edgardo VinaraoBest SoundMichael Albert Idioma, Ditoy Aguila, Rolly RutaBest Musical ScoreNonong Buencamino, Von De Guzman, Jaime Fabregas, Jessie LasatenBest Visual EffectsRoad Runner Network, Inc.
Other awards Scratch-it Lucky Male Star of the Night – Aga Muhlach Scratch-it Lucky Female Star of the Night – Carmina Villarroel
Short Film category Best Student Short Film – Pamana ni Lola from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa Special Jury Prize – Gold, Silver, Bronze at Anting-Anting from DLSU Integrated School, Manila
Multiple awards Awards Film11Mindanao8Write About Love3Sunod
Multiple nominations Nominations Film17Mindanao16Sunod14Write About Love3Miracle in Cell No. 7
Box office gross The eight entries of 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival made a combined box office gross of during the official run of the film festival. The MMFF Executive Committee targeted a box office gross of , with the actual box office gross figure deemed "acceptable in the industry practice". The top four grossing films in no particular order was also released namely: 3pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon!, The Mall, the Merrier, Miracle in Cell No. 7,, and Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity. The box office figures for the top four team was eventually announced.
+ Official Overall Gross#Gross Ticket Sales1.Miracle in Cell No. 7₱ 426 million2.The Mall, The Merrier₱ 323 million3.3pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon!₱ 87 million4.Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity₱ 74 million5.–8.CulionMindanaoSunodWrite About LoveUndisclosed
References