Vilma Santos, Dingdong Dantes, Piolo Pascual win at inaugural MIFF in Hollywood

In a tie, both Piolo Pascual (left, for “Mallari) and Dingdong Dantes (“Rewind”) won Best Actor in the inaugural Manila International Film Festival held at the Directors Guild of America in LA. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador

LOS ANGELES — “Firefly” and “Gomburza” dominated the inaugural Manila International Film Festival, where Vilma Santos, Dingdong Dantes and Piolo Pascual also emerged among the big winners announced in the glitzy awards gala on Feb. 2 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.

Dingdong Dantes and Piolo Pascual tied for the Best Actor award. Dantes was recognized for his brilliant portrayal of a husband hoping for a second chance and redemption in ABS-CBN Film Productions and APT Entertainment, Inc.’s “Rewind.”

Pascual shone as a versatile actor in his delineation of three different characters, including Father Severino Mallari, a 19th-century Filipino priest who was charged with murdering 57 people.

Vilma Santos won the Best Actress Award for her role as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) finding love in Japan in JG Productions’ “When I Met You in Tokyo.”

Alessandra De Rossi triumphed as Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a mother inspiring and guiding her young son, especially through stories, in “Firefly.”

Historical drama “GomBurZa,” directed by Pepe Diokno (second from right) bagged Second Best Picture, Best Cinematography (Carlo Canlas Mendoza, right) and Audience Favorite Award, voted by the festival moviegoers who attended the screenings at the TLC Chinese Theatres from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador.

GMA Pictures’ fantasy drama “Firefly “ bagged four awards – Best Picture, Best Director (Zig Dulay), Best Supporting Actress (Alessandra De Rossi) and Best Screenplay (Angeli Atienza).

The historical drama “GomBurZa,” produced by Jesuit Communications Foundation, Inc. and MQuest Ventures, Inc., won Second Best Picture, Best Cinematography (Carlo Canlas Mendoza) and Audience Favorite Award, voted by the festival moviegoers who attended the screenings at the TLC Chinese Theatres from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1.

The Special Jury Prize was awarded to The IdeaFirst Company and October Train Films’ “Becky and Badette” for its LGBTQIA cultural sensitivity and awareness, effectively combining these themes with humanity and humor.

Fantasy drama “Firefly “ won four awards – Best Picture, Best Director (Zig Dulay), Best Supporting Actress (Alessandra De Rossi) and Best Screenplay (Angeli Atienza) in the inaugural Manila International Film Festival held at the Directors Guild of America in LA. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador.

Pepe Herrera won Best Supporting Actor for his nuanced performance of God in the guise of a regular guy in “Rewind.”

Voting on the 10 awards were accomplished Filipino American professionals – filmmaker Marie Jamora, head of the jury; Mari Acevedo, CEO of Birns & Sawyer; Leah Anova, cinematographer; Reggie Lee, actor; David Maquiling, filmmaker and film school educator; and Sumalee Montano, actress and producer.

Birns & Sawyer will award a $200,000 co-producing package to “Firefly,” the Best Picture winner.

Veteran actress Hilda Koronel received MIFF’s first Monty Manibog Lifetime Achievement Award, which was previously announced, in recognition of her outstanding work in films directed by Philippine cinema’s finest filmmakers, including the late Philippine cinema icon Lino Brocka. Actress Pinky De Leon presented the award, named after the late pioneering community leader Manibog, to Koronel.

Veteran actress Hilda Koronel, who received the previously announced Monty Manibog Lifetime Achievement Award, with actor Christopher de Leon, her costar in their iconic film, Mike de Leon’s “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising (Moments in a Stolen Dream).” At the inaugural Manila International Film Festival held at the Directors Guild of America in LA. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador.

MIFF Trailblazer Awards were presented to Fil-Am actor Mark Dacascos; Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary; and Romando “Don” Artes, overall chairman of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Rochelle Ona, MMFF executive director, received MIFF’s award of recognition.

The star-studded lineup of hosts, presenters and performers included Kaladkaren, Eisel Serrano, Mark Dacascos, Janella Salvador, Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, Eugene Domingo, Dingdong Dantes, Dessa, Janice Javier, Troy Laureta, Lisa Lew, Winston Emano, Janet Nepales and Ruben Nepales

The 10 films that debuted in America at the MIFF were entries in last December’s MMFF, the most successful, box office-wise, in MMFF’s almost half a century of existence.

“Philippine cinema is alive and kicking and with the MIFF, we hope to open more doors for all our Filipino filmmakers, writers, cinematographers and actors on the global stage,” MIFF co-founder Janet Nepales told Inquirer.net USA.

Nepales thanked the MIFF’s community partners and sponsors “who supported us in making this first MIFF a dream come true.”

“All the hard work, and sleepless nights paid off with the overwhelming success of the inaugural Manila International Film Festival,” added Nepales, a former officer of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which produced the Golden Globes for 80 years.

“Becky and Badette” was honored with the Special Jury Prize for its LGBTQIA cultural sensitivity and awareness, effectively combining these themes with humanity and humor. The film’s actress Eugene Domingo and producer Perci Intalan accepted the award at the inaugural Manila International Film Festival held at the Directors Guild of America in LA. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador.

At the MIFF screenings in Hollywood, many of these movies were shown to packed theaters: Jun Robles Lana’s “Becky and Badette,” starring Eugene Domingo and Pokwang; Lemuel C. Lorca’s “Broken Heart’s Trip” (Christian Bables); Nuel Naval’s “Family of Two (A Mother and Son Story)” (Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards); Zig Dulay’s “Firefly” (Alessandra De Rossi and Euwenn Mikaell); Pepe Diokno’s “GomBurZa” (Enchong Dee, Dante Rivero and Cedrick Juan); King Palisoc’s “(K)Ampon” (Beauty Gonzalez and Derek Ramsay); Derick Cabrido’s “Mallari” (Piolo Pascual and Janella Salvador); Jason Paul Laxamana’s “Penduko” (Matteo Guidicelli and Kylie Verzosa); Mae Cruz-Alviar’s “Rewind” (Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes); and Conrado Peru, Rommel Penesa and Christopher de Leon’s “When I Met You in Tokyo” (Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon).

Talents who flew from Manila to introduce their films, participate in after-screening Q&As and panels included John Arcilla — the first Filipino actor to win the Volpi Cup for best actor in the 2021 Venice Film Festival for his role in Erik Matti’s “On the Job: The Missing 8″ — Cedrick Juan, Enchong Dee, Beauty Gonzalez, Ysabel Ortega, Christian Bables, Marvin Yap and Christopher de Leon.

MIFF Co-Founder Ruben Nepales said he was honored to meet and know the Filipino filmmakers, talents and creatives during five days of after-screening Q&As and panel discussions. “I am excited to see their future work,” said Nepales, the first Fil-Am to chair the HFPA.

Nepales said the best compliment he heard was from people who thought MIFF has been going on for years, based on how big it was.

“After what seemed like hundreds of meetings, emails, texts, PMs and phone calls to prepare for this festival, the big payoff was worth it – showcasing Philippine cinema in America,” he said.

MIFF, the first and biggest celebration of Philippine cinema in the US, highlighted by the largest gathering of Filipino and Filipino American stars and filmmakers, was a huge undertaking organized by the LA-based MIFF founders – Omen Ortiz, chairman; Ebradu Udarbe, president; Lisa Lew, executive producer; Ruben Nepales and Janet Nepales, media relations consultants; and Celia Abaya Dy, ticketing manager.

The MIFF team also includes Leo Dela Cruz, chief financial officer; Erickson Ilog, chief operations officer; Ron Ramores, chief marketing officer; Meriden Angeles, coordinating producer; and Winston Emano, consulting producer.

MIFF participants from Manila included Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) Tirso Cruz III and Jose Javier Reyes, chairman and consultant, respectively; Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, actress and MMFF executive committee member; and Noel Ferrer, MMFF spokesperson. Metro Manila mayors, who were in Los Angeles for a study tour, also graced the glamorous gala evoking Hollywood’s major awards shows.

More information about the MIFF is available here.