‘Big Night!’ takes the spotlight at 2021 MMFF awards night

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 27) — It was definitely a big night for the dark comedy film “Big Night!” which bagged several awards, including the highly coveted Best Picture, during this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal.

The movie, directed by Jun Robles Lana, dominated the event as it emerged the winner in a total of eight categories.

Lana was named Best Director, while the film’s star Christian Bables won Best Actor in a Lead Role. Bables played the character of Dharna, a gay beautician who found out he was included in a drug watch list.

John Arcilla, meanwhile, took home the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in the same film.

Big Night! was also recognized as having the Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score, and was granted the Gender Sensitivity award.

The second Best Picture went to Carlo Francisco Manatad’s drama film “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether the Weather is Fine),” which garnered a total of seven trophies.

Its lead actress Charo Santos-Concio was named Best Actress for her performance as Norma, a mother struggling in the aftermath of a devastating typhoon.

Rans Rifol won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie, while Daniel Padilla was given the Jury Prize.

Kun Maupay Man It Panahon also took home the awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Production Design, as well as the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural award.

There were eight official entries in the 47th edition of the film festival. The others are “A Hard Day,” “Love at First Stream,” “Nelia,” “Huwag Kang Lalabas,” “The Exorsis,” and “Huling Ulan sa Tag-araw.”

Below is the full list of winners during the event which was held at the SM Aura Samsung Hall.

Best Picture — Big Night!

Second Best Picture — Kun Maupay Man It Panahon

Third Best Picture — A Hard Day

Best Director — Jun Robles Lana (Big Night!)

Best Actor in a Leading Role — Christian Bables (Big Night!)

Best Actress in a Leading Role — Charo Santos-Concio (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role — John Arcilla (Big Night!)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role — Rans Rifol (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Special Jury Prize — Daniel Padilla (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Screenplay — Jun Robles Lana (Big Night!)

Best Cinematography — Carlo Canlas Mendoza (Big Night!)

Best Editing — Lawrence Fajardo (A Hard Day)

Best Production Design — Juan Manuel Alcazaren (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Visual Effects — Mofac Creative Works, Hue Media Quantum Post, Ogie Tiglao (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Musical Score — Teresa Barrozo (Big Night!)

Best Sound — Albert Michael Idioma (A Hard Day)

Best Original Theme Song — “Umulan Man o Umaraw” from the film Huling Ulan Sa Tag-araw

Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award — Kun Maupay Man It Panahon

Marichu Vera-Perez Maceda Memorial Award — Rosa Rosal

Natatanging Gawad Award — the late Danilo Lim (former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman) and the late poet Bienvenido Lumbera (former MMFF Selection Committee head)

Gender Sensitivity Award — Big Night!

Creator Jury’s Choice — short film “Kandado”

Best Float during the Parade of Stars — Huwag Kang Lalabas

Last year, the film festival, including the awards night, was held virtually as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

This year marked the return of the MMFF to the big screen after the government allowed movie houses to reopen after more than a year.

RELATED: Holding film fest amid pandemic an achievement — MMFF spokesperson

The MMFF opened on Dec. 25 and will run until Jan. 7, 2022.

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