The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) clarified the inclusion of veteran actress Eugene Domingo in a video tribute during its 50th awards night event “Gabi ng Parangal”.
Clips of the segment went viral on social media, after netizens mistakenly assumed that the actress was part of an “In Memoriam” presentation dedicated to actors and actresses who have already passed away.
Days after the awarding ceremony, the MMFF Executive Committee issued a statement explaining that the tribute was intended to honor both living and deceased icons of cinema who have been part of the festival’s 50-year legacy.
“We’ve noted concerns regarding the video tribute featuring Ms. Eugene Domingo at the recent Gabi ng Parangal. This was intended as a tribute to luminaries both living and passed, and who have contributed to the MMFF over its 50-year history—not an In Memoriam segment,” MMFF’s statement read.
The organization asserted that the tribute also featured other notable figures such as Joseph Estrada, Christopher de Leon, Hilda Koronel, Ruel Vernal, Amy Austria, Vilma Santos, Charo Santos, and Nora Aunor.
“We hope this clears up any misunderstandings and allows us to focus on celebrating the film industry’s achievements,” the committee concluded.
Domingo co-starred with Vice Ganda in “And The Breadwinner Is…”, one of the standout entries in this year’s MMFF.
While the film earned the “Gender Sensitivity” award and Vice Ganda received a “Special Jury Prize”, Domingo was not nominated for her role despite being submitted in the Best Supporting Actress category, as confirmed by ABS-CBN News.
On the other hand, Dennis Trillo and Judy Ann Santos both earned their MMFF acting awards for the third time after bagging the prestigious Best Actor and Best Actress awards, respectively at the awarding event.
