Here Are The Hottest Winners of the First Summer MMFF 2023 Awards

From Jun Robles Lana’s About Us But Not About Us awards sweep to Kaladkaren’s emotional and historic victory, here are the winners of the inaugural Summer MMFF.

One of the most exciting parts of this year’s dry season is the first-ever Summer Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). What has always been a holiday habit of families every December now brings local cinematic treats to match the heat of Filipino summer. Kicking off last April 2, 2023 with its signature Parade of Stars, the Summer MMFF features eight movie entries that cut across different genres and serve a variety of local stories about love, family, and life.

Whether you’re a fan of independent cinema or the mainstream fare, the first Summer MMFF is sure to satisfy your big-screen cravings. From internationally acclaimed films and auteur offering like Jun Robles Lana’s About Us But Not About Us and Brillante Mendoza’s Apag to appealing genre works like Bela Padilla’s Yung Libro Sa Napanood Ko and Chris Martinez’s Here Comes The Groom, the festival has got a pretty diverse lineup to experience.

The inaugural Summer MMFF is currently in full swing with screenings nationwide that will run until April 18, 2023. Meanwhile, on the afternoon of April 11, 2023, the festival’s jury, headed by none other than Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon herself, announced a list of nominees (another first for the MMFF) for its awards night. Martinez’s Here Comes The Groom is the most nominated film with a whopping 13 nominations followed by Lana’s About Us But Not About Us (with 11 nominations) and JP Habac’s Love You Long Time (with 10 nods).

The star-studded Gabi ng Parangal, the festival’s first awards night, was held the night after the nominations announcement at the festive and summer-themed New Frontier Theatre in Quezon City. Critics and crowd’s favorite About Us But Not About Us triumphed with 10 awards while comedienne and host Kaladkaren made history as the first transgender woman to win in the fest’s best supporting actress category. And without further ado, here’s the complete list of winners that proved to be the most vibrant at the first Summer Metro Manila Film Festival.

BEST PICTURE

About Us But Not About Us, OCTOBERTRAIN FILMS, The ideafirst company, quantum films – winner

Here Comes the Groom, quantum films – 3RD BEST PICTURE

Love You Long Time, studio three sixty inc. – 2ND BEST PICTURE

BEST DIRECTOR

CHRIS MARTINEZ, HERE COMES THE GROOM

JP HABAC, LOVE YOU LONG TIME

JUN ROBLES LANA, ABOUT US BUT NOT ABOUT US – WINNER

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

CARLO AQUINO, LOVE YOU LONG TIME

ELIJAH CANLAS, ABOUT US BUT NOT ABOUT US

ENCHONG DEE, HERE COMES THE GROOM

GERALD ANDERSON, UNRAVEL: A SWISS SIDE LOVE STORY

ROMNICK SARMENTA, ABOUT US BUT NOT ABOUT US – WINNER

YOO MIN-GON, YUNG LIBRO SA NAPANOOD KO

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

BELA PADILLA, YUNG LIBRO SA NAPANOOD KO

GLADYS REYES, APAG – WINNER

KYLIE PADILLA, UNRAVEL: A SWISS SIDE LOVE STORY

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

ALJUR ABRENICA, SINGLE BELLS

ARIEL RIVERA, KAHIT MAPUTI NA ANG BUHOK KO

KEEMPEE DE LEON, HERE COMES THE GROOM – WINNER

NICO ANTONIO, HERE COMES THE GROOM

XILHOUETE, HERE COMES THE GROOM

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

ANA ABAD SANTOS, LOVE YOU LONG TIME

KALADKAREN, HERE COMES THE GROOM – WINNER

MARIS RACAL, HERE COMES THE GROOM