BIG WINNERS: JUDY ANN SANTOS AND DENNIS TRILLO
‘Sa sampung magagandang pelikula na ipinapalabas ngayon sa MMFF, doon pa lang panalo na tayo lahat. Sa mga nagtiwala sa akin para gawin ang role na ito maraming maraming salamat sa inyo’

Dennis Trillo, Best Actor for ‘Green Bones.’ & Judy Ann Santos, Best Actress for ‘Espantaho.’
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MMFF, IG/GMA PICTURES, IG/MENTORQUE PRODUCTIONS, IG/OFFICIALJUDAYPH
Stiff competition, starstudded and intrigues-filled — is how we are to describe the recently concluded 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal that took place at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire in Pasay City.
Comebacking actress Judy Ann Santos took home the much-coveted best actress in a leading role award for her performance in the Chito Roño horror film Espantaho, a role that made Juday return to the horror genre after an almost 10-year absence.
The actress emotionally accepted her trophy and thanked all her co-nominees: “Sa sampung magagandang pelikula na ipinapalabas ngayon sa MMFF, doon pa lang panalo na tayo lahat. Sa mga nagtiwala sa akin para gawin ang role na ito maraming maraming salamat sa inyo
(With the 10 excellent films in this year’s Film Festival we are all winners. To those of you who believed in my ability to play this role, many thanks to you),” Judy Ann said.
‘Green Bones,’ written by National Artist Ricky Lee and Anj Atienza, won Best Screenplay Award.
Best actor in a leading role for the movie Green Bones, Dennis Trillo dedicated his latest achievement to wife Jennylyn Mercado whom he hugged before going to the stage.
“Para akong aatakihin sa puso, isang napakalaking karangalan na makasama kayo lahat lagi ko sinasabi na ngayon kapaskuhan ayoko na magpa-stress sa competition dahil pakiramdam namin panalo kami ng pumasok ang Green Bones sa sampung mga pelikula. Sa aking number one supporter, ang aking asawa si Jennylyn Mercado inaalay ko ang award na ito sa aking pamilya (I don’t want to focus on the stress and competition. The fact that we made it to the top 10 films we are honored. To my number one supporter, my wife, Jennylyn Mercado, I offer this award),” Dennis said.
In the supporting role category, two first-timers took home their MMFF trophies namely Ruru Madrid (Best Actor in a Supporting Role) for Green Bones and Kakki Teodoro (Best Actress in a Supporting Role) for Isang Himala.
Ruru Madrid, Best Supporting Actor for ‘Green Bones.’
Ruru highlighted his long career journey to achieve his first acting award: “Lagi po ako underdog pero ito pala ang naghahanda sa akin para sa tagumpay na ito na hawak ko ngayon (I was always the underdog but that prepared me for my victory),” Ruru said.

