2008 Metro Manila Film Festival


The 34th Annual 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival started from December 25, 2008 to January 7, 2009.
This year marks the return of the Escalera brothers in Iskul Bukol 20 Years After and the hardworking mother, Ina Montecillo in Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat.
Compared to last year's nine official entries, however, this year has only eight, all of which are being shown simultaneously during the 10-day run of the film fest. The lineup includes four comedy movies, two dramatic flicks, a horror trilogy and a digital animated film. It is expected to run from December 25, 2008 to January 7, 2009. All official entries are open on Christmas Day.
Viva Films' Baler, which aims to retell a contentious event of the Philippine revolution that happened in the church of San Luis de Tolosa in Baler, Aurora from July 1998 to June 1899, won ten awards including the Best Picture, Best Actress for Anne Curtis, Best Director for Mark Meily and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Awards among others.
The entry with the second most number of awards was the animated film , which won four awards including the Best Visual Effects for Robert Quilao, Best Musical Score for Jessie Lasaten, Best Theme Song entitled "Lipad" written by Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr., and performed by Lea Salonga, as long as the Best Sound Production for Albert Idioma and Wally Dellosa.
This year's box office top grossers, Star Cinema's Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat and the OctoArts Films-M-Zet Productions-APT Entertainment collaboration Iskul Bukol 20 Years After won Second and Third Festival's Best Picture awards respectively.

Entries

All eight films included in the competition are being simultaneously shown from December 25, 2008.
TitleStarringStudioDirector
BalerAnne Curtis, Jericho Rosales, Rio Locsin, Phillip Salvador, Nikki Bacolod & Carlo AquinoViva CommunicationsMark Meily
Nash Aguas, Katrina Legaspi, Michael V., Noel Trinidad, Nova Villa, Pokwang & Johnny DelgadoCutting Edge ProductionsRobert Quilao
Desperadas 2: All They Need is LoveRuffa Gutierrez, Rufa Mae Quinto, Iza Calzado, Marian Rivera, Ogie Alcasid, Will Devaughn & Nova VillaRegal EntertainmentJoel Lamangan
Iskul Bukol 20 Years AfterVic Sotto, Joey de Leon, Tito Sotto, Sharon Cuneta, Nicole Uysiuseng, Keempee de Leon, Bianca King, Francine Prieto & Benjie ParasOctoArts FilmsTony Y. Reyes
MagkaibiganJinggoy Estrada, Christopher de Leon, Dawn Zulueta, AJ Perez, Empress Schuck & Maricel LaxaMaverick FilmsJose Javier Reyes
One Night OnlyKatrina Halili, Alessandra de Rossi, Diana Zubiri, Jennylyn Mercado, Valerie Concepcion, Jon Avila, Ricky Davao, Empoy Marquez, Jayson Gainza, Joross Gamboa, Ogie Diaz & ChokoleitCanary FilmsJose Javier Reyes
Shake, Rattle & Roll XMarian Rivera, Diana Zubiri, Jennica Garcia, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Jean Garcia, Mylene Dizon, JC De Vera, Roxanne Guinoo, Denise Laurel & Wendell RamosRegal EntertainmentMike Tuviera and Topel Lee
Ang Tanging Ina N'yong LahatAi-Ai de las Alas, Eugene Domingo, Shaina Magdayao, Carlo Aquino, Serena Dalrymple, Alwyn Uytingco, and Jiro ManioStar CinemaWenn V. Deramas

Awards

The awards night of 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival was held on December 27, 2008, at Harbor Garden Tent, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Manila. The criteria that were used in the selection were: story, creativity, commercial viability, Filipino cultural values, global appeal and innovativeness. Historical film Baler won ten awards, including the Best Picture and Best Actress for Anne Curtis. Animated film ' received four awards, including the Best Theme Song, "Lipad", performed by Lea Salonga. Sexy-comedy film One Night Only got two awards while Magkaibigan, Desperadas 2, and Shake, Rattle & Roll X won one each. Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After and Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat were the only two entries that won nothing besides the Third and Second Best Pictures respectively.
, Best Director winner
, Best Actress winner
, Best Theme Song performer
Best PictureBest Director

  • Mark Meily - Baler
    • Best ActorBest Actress
  • Christopher de Leon - Magkaibigan
  • Jinggoy Estrada - Magkaibigan
  • Jericho Rosales - Baler
  • Anne Curtis - Baler
  • Dawn Zulueta - Magkaibigan
  • Maricel Laxa - Magkaibigan
  • Ai-Ai delas Alas - Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat
    • Best Supporting ActorBest Supporting Actress
  • Phillip Salvador - Baler
  • Manilyn Reynes - One Night Only
    • Best CinematographyBest Production Design
  • Lee Meily - Baler
  • Aped Santos - Baler
    • Best Child PerformerBest Editing
  • Robert Villar - Shake, Rattle & Roll X
  • Danny Anonuevo - Baler
    • Best Original StoryBest Screenplay
  • Jose Javier Reyes - One Night Only
  • Roy Iglesias - Baler
    • Best Original Theme SongBest Musical Score
  • Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr. -
  • Jessie Lazatin -
    • Best Visual EffectsBest Make-up Artist
  • Robert Quilao -
  • Noli Villalobos - Desperadas 2
    • Best Sound RecordingBest Float
  • Albert Idioma and Whannie Dellosa -
    		• -
    Most Gender-Sensitive FilmGatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Awards
  • Baler - Viva Communications
  • Baler - Viva Communications'''

    • Multiple awards

    Ceremony information

    Award winners

    Curtis won her first-ever acting award for her portrayal of Baler lass Feliza Reyes in love with a Spanish-Filipino trooper Celso Resurreccion in the historic siege. She states: "The fact that I was up against veteran actresses, who have won numerous awards in the past, made this trophy even more meaningful..." She competed with veteran actresses Ai-Ai delas Alas, Maricel Laxa and Dawn Zulueta, among others, for the Best Actress title. She adds: "This is also for Echo, who also worked really hard for this film. He's one of the best actors I know" as she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer shortly after the awards ceremony held at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.
    In addition, Meily earned his second MMFF Best Director award after winning the same plum for Crying Ladies back in 2003. His wife Lee also took home her first MMFF award. Christopher de Leon, meanwhile, received his eighth festival Best Actor award, the most by any artist in its 34-year history, for a role inspired by the late Rudy Fernandez in the Maverick Films drama Magkaibigan opposite last year's awardee Jinggoy Estrada.
    Comedian-TV host Manilyn Reynes pulled a surprise when she was named Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal as a lesbian talent coordinator in Canary Films sex comedy One Night Only, which also won Best Original Story for its director Jose Javier Reyes. Reyes states: "She's a last minute replacement..." as he accepted the award in Manilyn's behalf. He adds: "I did not regret asking her to be a part of this film."
    Newcomer Robert Villar, better known in the fantasy series Dyesebel as the mermaid's trusted child friend "Buboy", won Best Child Performer in Regal Films horror franchise Shake, Rattle & Roll X. Regal's other festival entry, Desperadas 2, on the other hand, also won one award: Best Make-Up for Noli Villalobos.

    Reception

    Critical

    As box-office receipts for the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival showed substantial growth over the previous year, questions concerning credibility and film quality issues remain. In an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, writer Rita Asilo stated that the MMFF organizers' move of encouraging producers to make more movies by giving tax-based incentives even to poorly made films could be viewed as a bad example. She also states that moviegoers cannot be educated by equating noble intention or commercial viability with quality. If the trend continues, more moviegoers would insist that the stranglehold that MMFF has on play dates and theatrical distribution during the Christmas season should end. Ultimately, the festival generated a grand total of P450,000,000 in ticket sales, an all-time record high.

    Box Office gross