JERRY OLEA
Sa 49th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) ay wagas na ang labanan sa kategoryang best actor, what more para sa buong 2023 na may mga sakdal husay rin sa 1st Summer MMFF at Cinemalaya XIX: Iluminasyon?
Sa kasaysayan ng MMFF, ang may pinakamaraming best actor trophy ay si Christopher de Leon (When I Met You In Tokyo).
Pito ang best actor trophy ni Boyet — Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon (1976), Haplos (1982), Imortal (1989), Nasaan Ang Puso? (1997), Bulaklak ng Maynila (1999), Mano Po 3: My Love (2004), at Magkaibigan (2008).

Christopher de Leon won MMFF Best Actor for his performances in Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon (top, left) in 1976; Haplos in 1982 (top, right); Bulaklak ng Maynila (bottom, left) in 1999; and Magkaibigan (bottom, right) in 2008.
Tigdalawa ng MMFF best actor trophy sina Dingdong Dantes (Rewind) at Derek Ramsay (Kampon).
Naging best supporting actor ng MMFF si Piolo Pascual, na apat ang ginampanang karakter sa Mallari.
Kinikilala na rin ang husay ng Asia’s Multimedia Star na si Alden Richards.
Pero ang nagwagi ay ang relatively unknown na si Cedrick Juan para sa pagganap bilang Padre Jose Burgos sa historical film na GomBurZa.
Read: Vilma Santos, Cedrick Juan, Firefly, Gomburza win big at MMFF 2023 Gabi Ng Parangal

Cedrick Juan in GomBurZa
Siya pa rin kaya ang magwawagi sa inaugural Manila International Film Festival na gaganapin sa Enero 29-Pebrero 2 sa Los Angeles, California?
Ang best child performer ng 49th MMFF na si Euwenn Mikael (Firefly), puwede ring lumaban na best actor, di ba?
Dasurv ni Euwenn ng follow-up project sa Kapuso Network. TV series sana na siya ang bida, at hindi one of those lang!
Ang dalawa pang bidang aktor sa MMFF 2023 ay sina Matteo Guidicelli (Penduko) at Christian Bables (Broken Hearts Trip).
Sa 1st Summer MMFF, ang itinanghal na best actor ay si Romnick Sarmenta (About Us But Not About Us).
Ang co-actor niya roon na si Elijah Canlas ay pinagkalooban ng Jury Prize.
Read: 2023 Summer MMFF Gabi ng Parangal: Romnick Sarmenta and Gladys Reyes win top acting honors

Romnick Sarmenta (left) and Elijah Canlas (right) in About Us But Not About Us
Kapuri-puri rin ang iba pang lead actors sa 1st Summer MMFF, kabilang sina Gerald Anderson (Unravel: A Swiss Side Story), Carlo Aquino (Love You Long Time), Enchong Dee (Here Comes The Groom), at Coco Martin (Apag).
Ang best actor ng 19th Cinemalaya filmfest ay si Mikoy Morales (Tether).
Nagpakita rin doon ng galing sina Khalil Ramos (As If It’s True), Juan Karlos (When This Is All Over), at Carlo Aquino (Iti Mapukpukaw).
Read: Mikoy Morales, Pat Tingjuy bag top acting awards in Cinemalaya 2023
Noteworthy rin ang pagganap ni Carlo Aquino sa Third World Romance, I Love Lizzy, at Seasons; Elijah Canlas sa Keys to the Heart; Juan Karlos sa Ako Si Ninoy, at Alden Richards sa Five Breakups And A Romance.
Si John Arcilla, dual role sa Ten Little Mistresses.

Carlo Aquino in Third World Romance
Ang iba pang pam-best actor ay sina Allen Dizon (Oras de Peligro), Ricky Davao (Monday First Screening), Ken Chan (Papa Mascot), Zanjoe Marudo (Keys to the Heart),at Rayver Cruz (The Cheating Game).
Puwede ring pumasa sa ibang award-giving bodies ang pagganap nina Joaquin Domagoso (That Boy in the Dark), JM de Guzman (What If), Xian Lim (Sa Muli), Sean de Guzman (Fall Guy), Kelvin Miranda (Missed Connections), Diego Loyzaga (Will You Be My Ex?), JC Santos (Wish You Were The One), Ruru Madrid (Video City), Jerald Napoles (Instant Daddy), Paolo Contis (Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars), Joross Gamboa (Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars), at Empoy Marquez para sa Walang KaParis or Kidnap for Romance.
Ang Top 10 na bet ng PEP Troika bilang BEST ACTOR ng 2023, in alphabetical order:
Carlo Aquino (Third World Romance)
Christopher de Leon (When I Met You In Tokyo)
Dingdong Dantes (Rewind)
Elijah Canlas (About Us But Not About Us)
Juan Karlos (When This Is All Over)
Cedrick Juan (GomBurZa)
Piolo Pascual (Mallari)
Khalil Ramos (As If It’s True)
Alden Richards (Five Breakups And A Romance)
Romnick Sarmenta (About Us But Not About Us)
GORGY RULA
Dalawa nang drama ang napili sa First 4 ng 49th MMFF base sa script — ang Rewind at ang Family of Two (A Mother and Son Story).
Patakaran sa MMFF na maximum of two per genre ang pipiliin.
Sa finished films na pagpipilian ay ipinasa pa rin ang Pieta at In His Mother’s Eyes na parehong drama. Naturally, hindi nag-qualify ang mga ito.
Read: Bakit ligwak ang mga pelikula nina Nora, Maricel, Claudine, Nadine, Donny sa MMFF 2023?
Kabilang sa Final 6 ng MMFF ang romance drama na When I Met You In Tokyo kung saan si Vilma Santos ang lead actress.

Vilma Santos in When I Met You In Tokyo
Hopia ang ibang faney — na walang paki sa alituntunin ng MMFF — na pumasok sana ang Pieta ni Nora Aunor, at In His Mother’s Eyes ni Maricel Soriano.
Bongga raw kung laban-laban bilang best actress ang movie queens na Superstar, Star for All Seasons, Megastar, at Diamond Star.
Puwede namang magsalpukan sila sa ibang award-giving bodies, dahil before the MMFF ay nag-showing na ang In His Mother’s Eyes, at nag-special screenings ang Pieta.
Sa mga bidang babae ng MMFF 2023, palaban din sina Sharon Cuneta (Family of Two), Marian Rivera (Rewind), Eugene Domingo (Becky & Badette), Pokwang (Becky & Badette), at Beauty Gonzalez (Kampon).

Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards in Family of Two
Sa 1st Summer MMFF, itinanghal na best actress si Gladys Reyes para sa Apag kahit pa hindi nominado ang pelikula sa karamihan ng kategorya.
Nakatunggali ni Gladys sa 1st Summer MMFF sina Kylie Padilla (Unravel: A Swiss Side Story) at Bela Padilla (Yung Libro Sa Napanood Ko).
Read: Gladys Reyes beats two Padillas for best actress in 2023 Summer MMFF Gabi ng Parangal

Gladys Reyes in Apag
Sa Cinemalaya 2023, best actress si Pat Tingjuy (Rookie).
Mahusay rin sina Ashley Ortega (As If It’s True), Gabby Padilla (Gitling), at Jorrybell Agoto (Tether).
Read: Highlights and sidelights of Cinemalaya 2023 awards night
Siyempre pa, kaabang-abang kung makikipagkabugan din sa awards sina Mara at Clara — Kathryn Bernardo (A Very Good Girl) at Julia Montes (Five Breakups And A Romance).

Kathryn Bernardo (left) with Dolly de Leon in A Very Good Girl
Nagpakitang-gilas din sina Cherry Pie Picache (Oras de Peligro), Charlie Dizon (Third World Romance), Gina Alajar (Monday First Screening), at Alessandra de Rossi (Walang KaParis at What If).
Si Eugene Domingo, puwedeng ma-nominate para sa Ten Little Mistresses.
Banggitin na rin natin sina Julie Anne San Jose (The Cheating Game), Cristine Reyes (Martyr or Murderer), Kim Molina (Ang Girlfriend Na Puwede Na), Barbie Imperial (I Love Lizzy), Miles Ocampo (Missed Connections), Lovi Poe (Seasons), Ai-Ai de las Alas (Litrato), at Yassi Pressman (Video City).
Ang Top 10 na bet ng PEP Troika bilang BEST ACTRESS ng 2023, in alphabetical order:
Kathryn Bernardo (A Very Good Girl)
Sharon Cuneta (Family Of Two: A Mother and Son Story)
Eugene Domingo (Becky & Badette)
Charlie Dizon (Third World Romance)
Julia Montes (Five Breakups And A Romance)
Ashley Ortega (As If It’s True)
Cherry Pie Picache (Oras de Peligro)
Gladys Reyes (Apag)
Marian Rivera (Rewind)
Vilma Santos (When I Met You In Tokyo)
NOEL FERRER
Naku, puwedeng-puwede na tayong gumawa ng Gawad Troika pagkatapos nito dahil sa renewed interest sa media output, kabi-kabila ang nagsulputang critiques, reviews and citations.
Read: Ang Top 10 Best Pictures of 2023 para sa PEP Troika
Mainam na rin yun, kasi lahat may opinyon ang mga manonood. Pero it matters din talaga who gives their evaluation and to what end?
Basta tayo sa PEP Troika, doon tayo sa pagpapahalaga sa mga gumagawa ng maganda at nakakatulong sa pag-usad ng ating mahal na industriya.
For my Best Performances for 2023, heto ang aking personal choices…
BEST ACTOR (no particular order like in my Best Film list): Dingdong Dantes (Rewind), Romnick Sarmenta (About Us But Not About Us), Elijah Canlas (About Us But Not About Us), Cedrick Juan (GomBurZa), and Christopher de Leon (When I Met You In Tokyo).
BEST ACTRESS (no particular order): Vilma Santos (When I Met You In Tokyo), Sharon Cuneta (Family Of Two), Marian Rivera (Rewind), Kathryn Bernardo (A Very Good Girl), and Julia Montes (Five Breakups And A Romance).

Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera in Rewind
Fearful Forecast:
Star Awards might go for Dingdong Dantes or Alden Richards, and Vilma Santos or Kathryn Bernardo.
Eddys might go for Dingdong Dantes or Piolo Pascual, and possibly Vilma Santos or Marian Rivera.
Gawad Urian might go for Cedrick Juan or Romnick Sarmenta, and Cherry Pie Picache.
Farshot hula lang naman ang mga ito. Pero masaya ako at nanonood na tayo ulit ng maraming Filipino films!
Bravo!!!
