# 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival

The 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 49th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters (excluding IMAX and 4D theaters).

## Entries
### Feature films

The first four official entries were announced in July 2023, selected from 26 scripts submitted by 32 production companies.
The festival's selection committee usually chooses eight entries in total, but in October 2023 a second batch of six entries were announced, for a total of ten. After the fourth, fifth, and sixth highest-rated submissions all received the same score, 93.3%, the committee decided not to break the tie, according to its chairman, Jesse Ejercito. There were 30 finished films submitted, the highest number to date.
Most entries were given the Parental Guidance rating by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. Penduko and the Family of Two were deemed fitted for a general audience while the film festival's two horror films Kampon and Mallari where given the R-13 rating.
| Title | Starring | Production company | Director | Genre |
| First batch |||||
| Family of Two | Sharon Cuneta, Alden Richards | Cineko Productions Inc., Myriad Entertainment | Nuel Naval | Drama, Family |
| Kampon | Beauty Gonzalez, Derek Ramsay | Quantum Films, Brightlight Productions, OctoArts Films | King Palisoc | Horror, Thriller |
| Penduko | Matteo Guidicelli, Kylie Verzosa | Sari Sari Network Films, Viva Films, Studio Viva | Jason Paul Laxamana | Superhero |
| Rewind | Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes | ABS-CBN Film Productions, AgostoDos Pictures and APT Entertainment | Mae Cruz-Alviar | Romance, Drama |
| Second batch |||||
| Becky & Badette | Eugene Domingo, Pokwang | The IdeaFirst Company, Octoberian Films | Jun Robles Lana | Comedy |
| Broken Hearts Trip | Christian Bables, Jaclyn Jose | BMC Films | Lemuel C. Lorca | Comedy, Drama |
| Firefly | Alessandra de Rossi, Euwenn Mikaell | GMA Pictures, GMA Public Affairs | Zig Dulay | Fantasy, Drama |
| GomBurZa | Dante Rivero, Cedrick Juan, Enchong Dee, Piolo Pascual | Jesuit Communications, MQuest Ventures, CMB Film Services | Pepe Diokno | Historical, Biopic |
| Mallari | Piolo Pascual, Janella Salvador | Mentorque Productions | Derick Cabrido | Horror, Thriller |
| When I Met You in Tokyo | Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon | JG Productions Incorporated | Rado Peru, Rommel Penesa | Romance, Drama |

## Parade of Stars

The Parade of Stars took place on December 16, 2023. The annual parade passed through in four key cities of CAMANAVA area, first time in the history of the festival. The parade began at the Navotas Centennial Park and ended at Valenzuela People's Park. The route had a length of 8.77 kilometers (5.45 mi). The casts of all ten participating films joined the motorcade.
Euwenn Mikaell joined the parade for the float of Firefly following his attending the Christmas event of Iglesia ni Cristo Bulacan District.

## Awards

The Gabi ng Parangal (transl. Awards Night) of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival was held at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City on December 27, 2023. The ceremony was hosted by Giselle Sanchez and Eisel Serrano. The program was broadcast live at One PH of Cignal TV. GomBurZa received the most awards.
The board of jurors who determined the winners are led by director Chito S. Roño and actress Lorna Tolentino as chairpersons.

### Major awards

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡). Nominations are also listed if applicable.
For this edition, four films were given Best Picture awards due to the festival having ten official entries.
| Best Picture | Best Director |
| Firefly – GMA Pictures‡ GomBurZa – Jesuit Communications Foundation, MQuest Ventures, CMB Film Services (2nd Best Picture) Mallari – Mentorque Productions (3rd Best Picture) When I Met You In Tokyo – JG Productions (4th Best Picture) | Pepe Diokno – GomBurZa‡ Zig Dulay – Firefly Jun Lana – Becky & Badette Mae Cruz-Alviar – Rewind Derick Cabrido – Mallari Rado Peru, Rommel Peneza – When I Met You In Tokyo |
| Best Actor | Best Actress |
| Cedrick Juan – GomBurZa‡ Alden Richards – Family of Two Dingdong Dantes – Rewind Derek Ramsay – Kampon Piolo Pascual – Mallari Christopher de Leon – When I Met You in Tokyo | Vilma Santos – When I Met You in Tokyo‡ Eugene Domingo – Becky and Badette Pokwang – Becky and Badette Sharon Cuneta – Family of Two Beauty Gonzalez – Kampon Marian Rivera – Rewind |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress |
| JC Santos – Mallari‡ Romnick Sarmenta – Becky & Badette Dingdong Dantes – Firefly Epi Quizon – Firefly Enchong Dee – GomBurZa Dante Rivero – GomBurZa Pepe Herrera – Rewind Tommy Alejandrino – Mallari | Miles Ocampo – Family of Two‡ Alessandra de Rossi – Firefly Agot Isidro – Becky & Badette Gloria Diaz – Mallari Janella Salvador – Mallari |
| Best Screenplay | Best Cinematography |
| Angeli Atienza – Firefly‡ Rodolfo Vera and Pepe Diokno – GomBurZa Dodo Dayao – Kampon Jun Lana – Becky and Badette Enrico Santos – Mallari Suzette Doctolero – When I Met You in Tokyo | Carlo Mendoza – GomBurZa‡ Kara Moreno – Becky and Badette Kara Moreno – Kampon Neil Daza – Firefly Neil Daza – Rewind Juan Lorenzo Orendain – Mallari Shayne Sarte – When I Met You in Tokyo |
| Best Production Design | Best Editing |
| Ericson Navarro – GomBurZa‡ Mariel Hizon – Mallari Jaylo Conanan – Becky and Badette Ericson Navarro – Penduko Kenneth Villanueva – Firefly | Benjamin Tolentino – Kampon‡ Benjamin Tolentino – Becky and Badette Benjamin Tolentino – GomBurZa Noel Tonga and Nelson Villamayor – Mallari Marya Ignacio – Rewind Froilan Francia – When I Met You in Tokyo |
| Best Sound | Best Original Theme Song |
| Melvin Rivera and Louie Boy Bauson – GomBurZa‡ Armand de Guzman – Becky and Badette Albert Michael Idioma and Jannina Mikaela Minglanilla– Kampon Immanuel Verona and Nerrika Salim– Mallari Promovi – Family of Two | "Finggah Lickin" from Becky & Badette – by Eugene Domingo‡ "Sa Duyan Ng Bayan" from GomBurZa – by Ebe Dancel, Gloc 9, and Noel Cabangon "Sa Yakap Mo" from Family of Two – by Iyah Ladip-Guanzon and Ralph Padiernos "O Paru Paro" from Kampon "Dagundong" from Penduko – by Alamat "Pag-ibig Sa Sumpa" from Mallari – by Juan Karlos |
| Best Musical Score | Best Visual Effects |
| Von de Guzman – Mallari‡ Tessa Barrozo – Becky and Badette Jessie Lazaten – When I Met You in Tokyo Francis Concio – Rewind Len Calvo – Firefly | Gaspar Mangalin – Mallari‡ Reality MM Studios – Firefly Brian Galagnara, Danilo Handog, John Kenneth Paclibar – GomBurZa John Kenneth Paclibar – Kampon Gerwin Meneses – Penduko |
| Best Child Performer | Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award |
| Euwenn Mikaell – Firefly‡ Jordan Lim – Rewind Erin Espiritu – Kampon | GomBurZa‡ Firefly Mallari |
| Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence | Best Float |
| When I Met You in Tokyo‡ Becky and Badette Firefly Rewind Family of Two Penduko | When I Met You in Tokyo‡ |
| Gender Sensitivity Award | |
| Becky & Badette‡ Broken Heart's Trip Firefly Family of Two When I Met You in Tokyo | |

### Other awards

* Manay Ichu Vera-Perez Maceda Memorial Award – Lily Monteverde

### Multiple awards

| Awards | Film |
| 7 | GomBurZa |
| 4 | Mallari |
| 4 | When I Met You in Tokyo |
| 3 | Firefly |
| 2 | Becky & Badette |

### Multiple nominations

| Awards | Film |
| 16 | Mallari |
| 14 | Becky & Badette |
| 14 | Firefly |
| 12 | GomBurZa |
| 11 | When I Met You in Tokyo |
| 9 | Kampon |
| 9 | Rewind |
| 7 | Family of Two |
| 4 | Penduko |

## Box office

The combined box office gross for the films of the festival had surpassed ₱700 million by January 2, 2024, and ₱1 billion five days later. Rewind reportedly is the top earning film. Rewind ranked 1st while the next three are Mallari ranked 2nd, Firefly ranked 3rd, and GomBurZa ranked 4th in the box office sales.

## Other events
### MMMF Auditorium inauguration

On December 14, 2023, the 152-seater MMFF Auditorium located at the MMDA Building in Pasig was inaugurated.

### 2024 Manila International Film Festival

The inaugural edition of the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) took place in the United States from January 29 to February 2, 2024 and will feature the entry films of the 2023 MMFF. The MIFF took place at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles and the Directors Guild of America on Sunset Boulevard.

#### Awards

The Award Gala was held at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on February 2, 2024.
* Best Picture – Firefly
* 2nd Best Picture – GomBurZa
* Best Director – Zig Dulay (Firefly)
* Best Actors – Piolo Pascual (Mallari) and Dingdong Dantes (Rewind)
* Best Actress – Vilma Santos (When I Met You in Tokyo)
* Best Supporting Actor – Pepe Herrera (Rewind)
* Best Supporting Actress – Alessandra de Rossi (Firefly)
* Best Screenplay – Angeli Atienza (Firefly)
* Best Cinematography – Carlo Mendoza (GomBurZa)
* Lifetime Achievement Award – Hilda Koronel
* Special Jury Prize – Becky & Badette
* Audience Choice Award – GomBurZa
* Trailblazer Awards – Romando Artes, Rochelle Ona, and Mark Dacascos

## Gallery

* Navotas crowds, Parade of Stars
* MMDA Chair Romando S. Artes, Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval