‘Deleter’ sweeps major awards at 2022 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal

Mikhail Red’s psychological horror thriller “Deleter” dominated at the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival’s Gabi ng Parangal at the New Frontier Theater, by bagging seven awards, including the coveted Best Picture award.

Red won Best Director while the film’s main star, Nadine Lustre, went home with the Best Actress trophy for her role as Lyra who works at an online content moderation office where employees, known as deleters, are tasked with the process of filtering graphic uploads from reaching social media platforms.

Lustre, who was also declared Star of the Night, said in her acceptance speech, “Itong award na ito, dine-dedicate ko sa buong pamilya ko, sa mga kaibigan ko na patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin, sa boyfriend ko na si Chris, and of course, sa Viva family ko and sa team ‘Deleter.’ Sobrang saya po naming lahat. Hindi namin inexpect ito and masayang masaya kaming lahat na nagbabalik na po ang mga pelikulang Pilipino sa sinehan. Mabuhay ang MMFF at mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino.”

In his acceptance speech, director Red said having his film included in the MMFF lineup was a plot twist in itself.

“Thank you MMFF for this honor. It’s such a privilege and opportunity to tell stories, to be a filmmaker pero this is a team effort, and I wouldn’t be here if not for team ‘Deleter’ na may (which has the) passion and may (the) love for the filmmaking process, for the craft of storytelling. Thank you to Viva for allowing us to make a film like this. Sobrang plot twist na nakapasok ng (We had to do a plot twist to enter the) MMFF and we get to reach a very wide audience locally,” he said.

“Deleter” also took home Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Editing and Best Cinematography.

Meanwhile, romantic thriller film “Nanahimik Ang Gabi,” received five awards, including 3rd Best Picture, Best Actor for Ian Veneracion and Best Supporting Actor for Mon Confiado.

“Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told,” which tells the story of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) officers who died on their mission during the tragic Mamasapano clash of 2015, won 2nd Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Original Theme Song and the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award.

Here is the full list of winners:

Best Film: “Deleter”

Second Best Film: “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told”

Third Best Film: “Nanahimik Ang Gabi”

Best Director: Mikhail Red of “Deleter”

Best Lead Actress: Nadine Lustre of “Deleter”

Best Lead Actor: Ian Veneracion of “Nanahimik Ang Gabi”

Best Supporting Actress: Dimples Romana of “My Father, Myself”

Best Screenplay – Eric Ramos of “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told”

Best Cinematography: Ian Guevarra of “Deleter”

Best Editing: Nikolas Red of “Deleter”

Best Visual Effects: “Deleter”

Best Production Design: Marielle Hizon of “Nanahimik Ang Gabi”

Best Original Theme Song: “Aking Mahal” by Ferdinand Topacio and Cristy Fermin for “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told”

Best Musical Score: Greg Rodriguez 3rd of “Nanahimik Ang Gabi”

Best Sound: Aian Caro of “Deleter”

Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award: “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be

Told”

Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award: “Family Matters”

Marichu Vera Perez Maceda Memorial Award: Vilma Santos-Recto

Gender Sensitivity Award: “My Teacher”

Stars of the Night: Nadine Lustre of “Deleter” and Ian Veneracion of “Nanahimik Ang Gabi”

Best Float: “My Father, Myself”

Best Child Performer: Shawn Gabriel of “My Father, Myself”

All films included in the “Magic 8” of the 2022 MMFF are “Deleters,” “Nanahimik Ang Gabi,” “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told,” “Family Matters,” “My Father, Myself,” “My Teacher,” “Labyu with an Accent,” and “Partners in Crime.”