The 36th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) awards night was held last December 26, 2010.

MMFF movie entries, directors, actors and actresses change annually but there are things that remain constant in most MMFF awarding ceremonies … the controversies.

Some people questioned the sudden modification in the rules governing the 36^th MMFF awards night. Members of the MMFF organizing committee came to an agreement to name only the top 3 jury-selected nominees in each category. The non-inclusion of early award favorites was met with criticisms.

Victory night for comedians

For the first time in history, the two biggest awards of MMFF were given to two great comedians. In the past MMFF, distinction awards were given to dramatic movies but this year, comedy films became the center of the spotlight.

Dolphy won the Best Actor for his performance in the movie “Father Jejemon” which the Comedy King himself produced under RVQ Productions. Dolphy also won Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Rosario”.

Ai Ai delas Alas bagged the Best Actress award for her role in Star Cinema’s movie “Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last Na ‘To)”.

The last sequel of the successful saga, “Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last Na ‘To)” won a total of nine awards including Best Picture trophy and Best Director award.

MMFF Controversies

The victory of the big named comedians was somehow tainted when some people questioned if they deserved to win the said awards.

Some critics are insinuating that Dolphy’s remarkable double awards in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories were just given out of mercy and respect for the aging comedian who earlier said that this might be his last performance in the festival.

In an article in Yahoo! Entertainment, Butch Francisco, a member of the MMFF board of jurors defended the final decision of the MMFF board. He stressed that the Comedy King deserved both awards without a doubt. He said, “Dolphy really deserved two awards. Even if he only had very, very few scenes with Rosario, such as the scene where he was talking to MVP (business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, grandson of the lead character in the film), that’s a winner in itself. (In that scene when) he was in the office of MVP, that was best performance by Dolphy ever. I mean surpassing even practically “Ang Tatay kong Nanay,” which was his best,” Francisco told Yahoo! Southeast Asia. "In ‘Father Jejemon,’ he was natural. He carried the movie. He was effective in every scene so it’s not because we think this is going to be his last. I wish he’d have some more, so if he gives a performance similar to this, again he’ll probably win again. Except for the communion scene that was my only quarrel in the film, they took it out. But it didn’t affect the movie, the acting.”

Francisco revealed that it was not easy choosing the Best Actress. “It’s difficult e unang-una kasi, si Marian Rivera…she was so natural. Carla Abellana was a revelation,” the MMFF juror said. He also gave his two cents about Jennylyn’s non-inclusion in the Best Actress category. “There is a certain character to carry the movie di ba? Yun, I don’t know I still have to stress out everything in my head but we were kind of expecting that this was going to happen, when we were submitting it,” Francisco explained.

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Ai Ai won over Marian Rivera who was nominated for “Super Inday and the Magic Bibe” and Carla Abellana who was nominated for her role in an episode in “Shake, Rattle and Roll XII”. Some people who felt that Jennylynn Mercado was snubbed for not being nominated as Best Actress for her role in “Rosario” was more deserving of the award.

Ai Ai, however, did not let the skepticisms belittle the award that she worked very hard for. In her TV guesting in the showbiz talk show, The Buzz, Ai Ai defended her MMFF Best Actress victory.

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“Kahit loka-loka naman ako, napanood ko ang mga movie doon, talagang sa ‘Tanging Ina’ 3 magaling talaga ako doon… Sa mga fans, maghanda kayo ng P320, nood kayo ng ‘Rosario,’ tapos nood kayo ng ‘Tanging Ina,’ tingnan ninyo magaling ako doon,” the Comedy actress told The Buzz live audience and televiewers.

“Kasi sa atin, ang connotation natin, dapat drama lang. Ngayon lang nauuso na nagbibida din ang babaeng komedyante,” Ai Ai added.

The Comedy Queen brushed aside rumors that she paid a large sum in exchange of the award. “Ay ako?! Naku, kahit may pambili ako, ayoko namang bumibili ng award. Masama ‘yon. At tsaka unang una, bakit ko bibilhin ‘yon maganda naman ginawa ko doon sa ‘Tanging Ina?’ Ginalingan ko,” Ai Ai said with confidence.

During her interview with The Buzz, Ai Ai discussed about circulating talks that she knew that she was going to win beforehand. Ai Ai explained, “Sinabi ko sa speech ko na kay Ma’am Charo (Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN president) dahil sinabi ninyo na nanalo ako. Ganito po ‘yon, ang text ni Ma’am Charo, English, ‘In our hearts whatever happened ikaw ang panalo…..’ Ti- translate ko sa Tagalog sa isip ko. Ang lumabas kung ano ano na lang kasi ang dami kong pasasalamatan.” The Comedy actress added,“Mali lang po ang translation. ‘Yong tinranslate ko sa English, ‘yong Tagalog sa isip ko lang.”

Jennylyn Mercado, who plays the title role in Cinemabuhay/TV 5’s "Rosario" was one of the popular choices to win The Best Actress award. Many were dismayed when the actress was not named as one of the nominees in The Best Actress category.

Based on the article of Mb.com.ph, Jennylyn sent an official statement through her manager, Ms. Becky Aguila. The statement read, “Many asked me how I felt [about the issue]. Honestly, nasasaktan ako sa mga nababasa at naririnig ko sa media na hindi ko na-reach ang expectations ng lahat sa pag-arte ko sa ‘Rosario.’ Ginawa ko po ang lahat ng makakaya ko. Nung ginawa ko ang pelikula, alam ko pong nakapalaking proyekto ang ibinigay nila sa akin. At ibinigay ko ang lahat ng makakaya ko dahil napamahal sa akin ang ‘Rosario.’"

“Masakit po na hindi ako na-nominate bilang Best Actress. But I gave my all for this movie so I felt so disappointed ha hindi ko na-meet ang criteria ng jurors ng MMFF. But I want to make it clear, na kahit kailan hindi po ako nag-expect na mananalo ako. What I always said before was if I win, it would only be a big bonus for me,” Jennylyn added.

36^th Manila Film Festival winners

Here is a list of the winners of their respective categories:

Best Actress - Ai Ai Delas Alas (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Actor - Dolphy (Father Jejemon)
Best Picture (1st place) – “Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na 'To”

Best Picture (2nd place) – “Rosario”
Best Picture (3rd place) – “RPG: Metanoia”
Gatpuno Cultural Award – “Rosario”
Best Director – Wenn Deramas (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Screenplay – Mel Del Rosario (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Story – Mel Del Rosario (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Supporting Actress – Eugene Domingo (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Supporting Actor – Dolphy (Rosario)
Best Dressed Male/Female – Dennis Trillo / Jennylyn Mercado
Face of the Night – Sen. Bong Revilla / Sam Pinto
Gender Sensitive Film Award - "Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na 'To"
Gender Sensitive Film Award (special citation) – “RPG: Metanoia”
Best Festival Float – “Rosario”
Best Production Design - Joel Luna and Miki Hahn (Rosario)
Best Editing - John Wong (Rosario)
Best Cinematographer – Carlo Mendoza (Rosario)
Best Musical Score - Jesse Lasaten (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)
Best Theme Song – “Kaya Mo” of “RPG: Metanoia”
Best Sound Recording – Ambient Media “RPG: Metanoia” / Ditoy Aguila (Super Inday)
Best Visual Effect – Rico Guttierez & Co. “Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote”
Best Makeup - Nestor Dayao & Co. “Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote”
Best Child Performer - Xyriel Manabat (Ang Tanging Ina, Last Na 'To)