With this edition breaking barriers across multiple fronts.
On Saturday, December 27, the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) recognized the best of Filipino filmmaking, creativity, talent, and cultural storytelling for its eight official entries at the Gabi ng Parangal, which was held at Dusit Thani Manila hotel in Makati City.
I’mPerfect, which is led by actors with Down Syndrome, emerged as the Best Picture for the 51st edition of the festival, with its lead star Krystel Go bagging the Best Actress award and the cast also awarded the Best Ensemble.
Meanwhile, Vice Ganda also won his first ever Best Actor award at the festival for the movie Call Me Mother, which was also given the 3rd Best Picture award.
Odette Khan also added another trophy, which is the 51st MMFF Best Supporting Actress, to her collection for her role in Bar Boys: After School. Tom Rodriguez also collected his own for Best Supporting Actor in Unmarry—the 2nd Best Picture of this edition.
Manila’s Finest emerged as the big winner after bagginh eight awards, including the 3rd Best Picture and Best Cinematography, among others.
Here now is the full list of winners, who eached received a trophy designed by artist Toym Imao.
- Best Float: Manila’s Finest & Unmarry
- Gender Sensitivity Award: Call Me Mother
- Male Stars of the Night: Will Ashley & Dustin Yu
- Female Star of the Night: Bianca de Vera
- Best Visual Effects: Shake, Rattle, Roll: Evil Origins (Santelmo, Inc.)
- Best Production Design: Manila’s Finest
- Best Editing: Benjo Ferrer (Unmarry)
- Best Musical Score: Frederik Sandoval & Emerzon Tecxon (Manila’s Finest)
- Best Sound: Roy Santos (Manila’s Finest)
- Best Original Theme Song: Sandalan by Vehnee Saturno (Manila’s Finest)
- Best Cinematography: Raymond Red (Manila’s Finest)
- Best Screenplay: Chris Martinez and Therese Cayaba (Unmarry)
- FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence: Bar Boys After School
- Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award: Manila’s Finest
- Best Ensemble Award: I’mPerfect
- Breakthrough Performance: Zack Sibug (Unmarry)
- Best Child Performer: Lucas Andalio (Call Me Mother)
- Best Supporting Actress: Odette Khan (Bar Boys After School)
- Best Supporting Actor: Tom Rodriguez (Unmarry)
- Best Actress: Krystal Go (I’mPerfect)
- Best Actor: Vice Ganda (Call Me Mother)
- Best Director: Jeffrey Jeturian (Unmarry)
- 3rd Best Picture: Manila’s Finest and Call Me Mother
- 2nd Best Picture: Unmarry
- Best Picture: I’mPerfect
The winners were selected by the 2025 MMFF Board of Jurors chaired by Dr. Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr.
Meanwhile, MMDA Chairman and MMFF Concurrent Overall Chairman Atty. Don Artes said all the eight official entries reached the P1 million peso gross receipt just on the first day of the screening, December 25.
“This year’s roster of films are all successful as they each hit the P1 million peso mark-a first in the history of MMFF,” he said.
The film festival will run in all cinemas nationwide until January 7, 2026, with Artes confirming that the 2025 MMFF lineup will also be screened in Dubai and Hongkong in January 2026.