# 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival

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

* Artistic excellence (40%)
* Commercial appeal or viability (40%)
* Filipino cultural and/or historical value (10%)
* Global appeal (10%)
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 | Starring | Production company | Director | Genre |
| First 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 | Horror |
| Second 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 | School | Director |
| Bronze, Silver, Gold at Anting-anting | De La Salle University - Integrated School Manila | Angelique Veridiano |
| Dating App | University of Makati | Thomas Balilla |
| Hipos | Sagay National High School - Negros Occidental | Cyrus Carano-o |
| Huling Kembot ni Fernando | Centro Escolar University - Manila | Jon Diez |
| Manggagalaw | Centro Escolar University - Manila | John Bolivar |
| Pamana ni Lola | Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa | Regin de Guzman and Bradley Pantajo |
| Tabako | University of Saint La Salle - Bacolod | Alfredo Bayon-on |
| The Lost Sitty | Adamson University | Julius 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 12.5 kilometers (7.8 mi), 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 (transl. Awards Night) 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 Director |
| Mindanao – Centre Stage Productions‡ Write About Love – TBA Studios (2nd Best Picture) Sunod – Ten17P, Globe Studios (3rd Best Picture) | Brillante Mendoza – Mindanao‡ Crisanto B. Aquino – Write About Love Carlo Ledesma – Sunod |
| Best Actor | Best Actress |
| Allen Dizon – Mindanao‡ Aga Muhlach – Miracle in Cell No. 7 Rocco Nacino – Write About Love | Judy Ann Santos – Mindanao‡ Miles Ocampo – Write About Love Carmina Villarroel – Sunod |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress |
| Joem Bascon – Write About Love‡ Soliman Cruz – Miracle in Cell No. 7 JC Santos – Sunod | Yeng Constantino – Write About Love‡ Meryll Soriano – Culion Krystal Brimner – Sunod |
| Best Child Performer | Best Screenplay |
| Yuna Tangog – Mindanao‡ Xia Vigor – Miracle in Cell No. 7 Rhed Bustamante – Sunod | Crisanto B. Aquino – Write About Love‡ Honee Alipio – Mindanao Anton Santamaria – Sunod |
| Best Cinematography | Best Production Design |
| Mycko David – Sunod‡ Odyssey Flores – Mindanao Neil Daza – Write About Love | Ericson Navarro – Sunod‡ Dante Mendoza – Mindanao Monica Sevia – Write About Love |
| Best Editing | Best Sound |
| Vanessa De Leon – Write About Love‡ Diego Marx Robles – Mindanao Gino Delos Reyes – Sunod | Hiroyuki 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 Brimner | Jerrold 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 – Sunod | Mindanao‡ |
| Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award | Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence |
| Mindanao‡ | Mindanao‡ 3pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon Sunod |
| Special Jury Prize | Gender Sensitivity Award |
| Cast Ensemble – Culion‡ Crisanto B. Aquino – Write About Love‡ | Mindanao‡ 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 | Awardees |
| Best Actress | Nora Aunor, Maricel Soriano, Vilma Santos, Amy Austria |
| Best Actor | Christopher De Leon, Anthony Alonzo, Cesar Montano |
| Best Supporting Actress | Eugene Domingo, Cherie Gil |
| Best Director | Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Jose Javier Reyes, Joel Lamangan |
| Best Screenplay | Roy Iglesias, Ricky Lee, Jose Javier Reyes |
| Best Cinematography | Rody Lacap, Lee Meily, Carlo Mendoza, Romy Vitug |
| Best Production Design | Rodel Cruz, Joey Luna |
| Best Editing | Vito Cajili, Manet Dayrit, Jess Navarro, Edgardo Vinarao |
| Best Sound | Michael Albert Idioma, Ditoy Aguila, Rolly Ruta |
| Best Musical Score | Nonong Buencamino, Von De Guzman, Jaime Fabregas, Jessie Lasaten |
| Best Visual Effects | Road 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 | Film |
| 11 | Mindanao |
| 8 | Write About Love |
| 3 | Sunod |

### Multiple nominations

| Nominations | Film |
| 17 | Mindanao |
| 16 | Sunod |
| 14 | Write About Love |
| 3 | Miracle in Cell No. 7 |

## Box office gross

The eight entries of 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival made a combined box office gross of ₱955 million during the official run of the film festival. The MMFF Executive Committee targeted a box office gross of ₱1 billion, 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.