‘I’m Perfect’, ‘Call Me Mother’ Take Acting Awards At Metro Manila Film Festival

Sigrid Bernardo’s I’m Perfect and Jun Robles Lana’s Call Me Mother were among the major winners at this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (December 25-January 7) in the Philippines.

In a heartening win for representation, Krystel Go, an actress with Down’s Syndrome, was awarded Best Actress for her role in I’m Perfect, while Call Me Mother star Vice Ganda, an openly queer performer, took the Best Actor award.

I’m Perfect also took home the Best Picture Award and Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble. Produced by Nathan Studios, the film tells the story of two young adults with Down’s Syndrome who fall in love and strive to prove the legitimacy of their romance to their families.

Call Me Mother, produced by ABS-CBN Studios and The IdeaFirst Company, tells the story of a queer single mother with an adopted son who goes to great lengths to prove she is fit to be a parent when the boy’s biological mother shows up. The film was also awarded Best Child Performer for Lucas Andalio’s performance and was joint winner of the Third Best Picture award with Manila’s Finest.

Jeffery Jeturian’s UnMarry was also a major winner, taking Best Director, Second Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Supporting Actor for Tom Rodriguez and Breakthrough Performance for Zack Sibug (see full list of winners below). Produced by Quantum Films and Cineko Films, the romantic drama follows a couple who decide to annul their marriage.

In addition to jointly winning Third Best Picture, period crime thriller Manila’s Finest, directed by Raymond Red, cleaned up in the technical categories, taking Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Musical Score and Original Theme Song. The film, starring Piolo Pascual and revolving around a group of cops in Manila in 1969, also took the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award.

Best Supporting Actress went to Odette Khan for Bar Boys: After School, a comedy drama directed by Kip Oebanda, while Regal Entertainment’s horror anthology Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins was awarded Best Visual Effects. Bar Boys: After School also took the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence.

Hosted by Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Metro Manila Film Festival selects eight to ten local films each year which are screened in cinemas over the Christmas holidays, during a two week period when foreign movies are not allowed to play. The festival has become a major box office period for the local mainstream film industry in a market that has traditionally been dominated by Hollywood films.

METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL 2025 WINNERS: 

Best Picture: I’m Perfect

Second Best Picture: UnMarry

Third Best Picture: Call Me Mother, Manila’s Finest

Best Actress: Krystel Go, I’m Perfect

Best Actor: Vice Ganda, Call Me Mother

Best Director: Jeffrey Jeturian, UnMarry

Best Screenplay: Chris Martinez & Therese Cayaba, UnMarry

Best Supporting Actress: Odette Khan, Bar Boys: After School

Best Supporting Actor: Tom Rodriguez, UnMarry

Best Child Performer: Lucas Andalio, Call Me Mother

TECHNICAL AWARDS:

Best Cinematography: Raymond Red, Manila’s Finest

Best Editing: Benjo Ferrer, Unmarry

Best Production Design: Digo Ricio, Manila’s Finest

Best Sound: Roy Santos, Manila’s Finest

Best Musical Score: Frederik Sandoval & Emerzon Texon, Manila’s Finest

Best Original Theme Song: “Sandalan”, Vehnee Saturno, Manila’s Finest

Best Visual Effects: Santelmo Inc, Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins

SPECIAL AWARDS: 

Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award: Manila’s Finest

Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence: Bar Boys: After School

Special Jury Prize Best Ensemble: I’m Perfect

Breakthrough Performance: Zack Sibug, UnMarry