MIKHAIL Red’s techno-horror about a content moderator who is challenged to confront the truth about a workplace incident was the big winner in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), bagging a total of seven awards.
The awarding ceremonies were held at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City on Dec. 27. They were also streamed on Facebook.
Deleter’s seven awards are: Best Picture, Best Director for Mikhail Red, Best Actress for Nadine Lustre, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
The film centers on Lyra (played by Nadine Lustre), a content moderator or “deleter,” who filters graphic uploads to prevent them from reaching social media platforms. Despite her unfazed attitude to the content she monitors, Lyra confronts the truth about horrors around her.
“Sobrang unreal sa pakiramdam na nandito iyung Deleter ngayon kasi hindi talaga namin in-expect na makakasama iyung Deleter sa MMFF (It feels unreal that Deleter is here today because we did not expect the film to be part of the MMFF),” Best Actress winner Nadine Lustre said in her acceptance speech. “Masayang masaya kaming lahat na nagbabalik na ang mga pelikulang Pilipino sa sinehan…(We are very happy that Filipino films are back in the cinemas…”
“I dedicate this award to all the frontliners on the internet — the content moderators,” Mr. Red said in his acceptance speech.
The Best Picture winner receives a trophy and P250,000, while the Best Actor and Best Actress awardees win a trophy and P100,000.
Meanwhile,Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told, which is about the 44 Special Action Force officers who died during the Mamasapano clash with the MILF in 2015, won Second Best Picture of the festival. It also bagged the awards for Best Screenplay, Best Original Theme Song, and the Fernando Poe Jr., Memorial Award.
The Third Best Picture was Nanahimik ang Gabi, a suspense-thriller-drama on the covert relationship of a woman with a corrupt police officer and a sugar daddy. The film also went home with acting awards for Ian Veneracion as Best Actor and Mon Confiado as Best Supporting Actor, and awards for Best Musical Score and Best Production Design.
The MMFF 2022 Jury members were film director Laurice Guillen (chairperson), scriptwriter Racquel Villavicencio, film producer Erwin “Lucky” Blanco, Congressmen Dan Fernandez and Jojo Garcia, National Commission for Culture and the Arts board member Victorino Manalo, Cultural Center of the Philippines Cultural Adviser Alexander Cortez, and Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Tirso Cruz III.
The event was hosted by Giselle Sanchez, BB Gandanghari, and Cindy Miranda.
The 48th MMFF film screenings are ongoing until Jan. 7. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
THE full list of winners at the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival awards night held on Dec. 27.
Best Picture: Deleter
2nd Best Picture: Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
3rd Best Picture: Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Director: Mikhail Red, Deleter
Best Actor: Ian Veneracion, Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Actress: Nadine Lustre, Deleter
Best Supporting Actress: Dimples Romana, My Father, Myself
Best Supporting Actor: Mon Confiado, Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Child Performer: Shawn Niño Gabriel, My Father, Myself
Best Screenplay: Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
Best Production Design: Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Editing: Nikolas Red, Deleter
Best Cinematography: Deleter
Best Visual Effects: Deleter
Best Sound: Deleter
Best Musical Score: Greg Rodriguez III, Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Original Theme Song: “Ang Aking Mahal,” Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
Marichu Vera-Perez Memorial Award: Vilma Santos-Recto
Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award: Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
Gender Sensitivity: My Teacher
Best Float: My Father, Myself
Stars of the Night: Ian Veneracion, Nadine Lustre
