Why did they think Eugene Domingo was dead?
No, they did not.
A tribute to Metro Manila Film Festival icons from the past 50 years caused unintended confusion when actress Eugene Domingo appeared in the segment. Social media quickly lit up with humorous queries asking whether Domingo had been “killed off,” mistakenly interpreting the homage as an “in memoriam” tribute.
Shortly after the eight-hour program (with call time at 5:00 p.m., the program proper starting at 8:00 p.m., and ending past midnight), MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer clarified that the segment was a salute to icons, not a memorial.
Red carpet reunions and conspicuous absences
The country’s biggest movie stars descended on the red carpet for the 50th edition of the Philippines’ most popular and arguably the most important film festival. The festival’s red carpet was effulgent with stars, many arriving in full force to represent their films.
The team behind Isang Himala was among the first to arrive. They were in festive mood and full of energy despite their film being screened in just nine cinemas after three days. Director Pepe Diokno expressed hope that recognition from the awards would lead to wider distribution.
Sylvia Sanchez, whose film continued to screen in over 30 theaters, noted the challenges in expanding to additional cinemas. Meanwhile, GMA Pictures celebrated Green Bones reaching nearly 100 cinemas, a figure expected to grow following their multiple wins.
The event was star-studded, but there were stars whom the audience was looking for but were nowhere to be found at the venue. Comedy veteran Vic Sotto, known for skipping awards nights, was absent, as were Carlo Aquino and Julia Barretto, stars of Hold Me Close, which received no nominations, not even for Best Float.
Celebrated performances and surprising snubs
As expected, Dennis Trillo (Green Bones) and Judy Ann Santos (Espantaho) claimed the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, respectively. But their wins were accompanied by murmurs about snubs, particularly for Aga Muhlach (Uninvited) and Eugene Domingo (And The Breadwinner Is…), who was also praised for her special role in Espantaho.
Domingo’s exclusion from the Best Supporting Actress category sparked backlash online, with fans questioning how Gladys Reyes, her co-star in And The Breadwinner Is…, was also overlooked.
Despite Uninvited walking away empty-handed (the film won Best Float, a token award it shared with Topakk), Muhlach and co-star Vilma Santos stayed until the end of the ceremony. Talk about showing sportsmanship.
At the end of the show, the Star for All Seasons, who won Best Actress last year for her performance in When I Met You in Tokyo, said that she was there to show her commitment to boosting the Philippine film industry and to celebrate and support the festival’s success.
“At this point, just seeing the industry pick up again is already a win,” she said.
Moving on, the decision to award the Best Director prize jointly to Michael Tuviera (The Kingdom) and Crisanto Aquino (My Future You) raised eyebrows. With a 13-member jury, many questioned how a tie was possible, particularly when Zig Dulay of Green Bones was overlooked, even as his film won Best Picture.
It’s déjà vu from last year’s awards, where Firefly claimed Best Picture, but the Best Director plum went to Pepe Diokno for GomBurZa.
GMA Pictures emerged as the night’s biggest winner, with Green Bones taking home the major awards including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Child Performer (Sienna Stevens), and Best Supporting Actor (Ruru Madrid).
