THE METRO MANILA FILMFEST 2018 Awards Night was held at the Solaire Theatre last Thursday night and, as we predicted, the family drama, “Rainbow’s Sunset”, won the lion’s share of trophies, winning a total of eleven (11) awards including best picture, best director for Joel Lamangan, best actress for Gloria Romero as the very understanding wife of a bisexual man, best supporting actress for Aiko Melendez as the feisty daughter who resists her father’s coming out of the closet, best supporting actor Tony Mabesa as the longtime secret lover, the Gatpuno Antonio S. Villegas Cultural Award, best screenplay for Eric Ramos, best production design, best theme song for “Sa’Yo Na” and two special jury prizes for acting for Max Collins as the young Gloria Romero and Eddie Garcia as Gloria’s husband who chooses to come out of the closet late in life while he is in his 80s.
The other awardees are: Dennis Trillo as best actor for the supportive friend turned lover in “One Great Love”, Phoebe Villamor as best child performer as Anne Curtis’ sister in “Aurora”, “Aurora” as 2nd best picture which also won the best cinematography, best visual effects and best sound design awards, “One Great Love” as 3rd best picture.
“Jack Em Popoy, The Pulis Credibles” won the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award and it also won the awards for best editing and best float . Jericho Rosales of “The Girl in the Orange Dress” and Anne Curtis of “Aurora” were named as the Male and Female Star of the Night. Here’s hoping that the numerous awards won by “Rainbow’s Sunset” will help bring back the theaters that it has lost since it’s at the tailender when it comes to box office returns. The film surely deserves to be seen by a wider audience.
