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| (Image Source: BusinessWorld/MediaQuest Ventures) |
Manila’s Finest has emerged as one of the most critically-acclaimed and thought-provoking works of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival, winning eight awards including Third Best Picture at its highly-anticipated Awards Night (Gabi Ng Parangal) held last December 27, 2025 at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City. The film took home Third Best Picture, Best Cinematography (Raymond Red), Best Production Design (Digo Ricio and Big Bulb Productions), Best Musical Score (Emerzon Texon and Fred Sandoval), Best Sound Design (Roy Santos and Neil Diokno), Best Original Song for “Sandalan” (performed by Piolo Pascual, composed by Vehnee and Ladine Saturno), Best Float, and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award.
“We have only started producing films three years ago, and from GomBurZa to The Kingdom to now Manila’s Finest, we have Filipino culture as part of our ethos,” said MediaQuest Ventures President and CEO Jane Jimenez-Basas in her acceptance speech for the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award which honors films that compellingly portray Filipino culture to the world. The production house has received this distinction for three consecutive years. Set in late-1960s Manila, the film follows Capt. Homer Magtibay (Piolo Pascual), a Manila Police Department officer navigating a city caught between criminal violence, political maneuvering, and an eroding public order. Working with partner 1st Lt. Billy Ojeda (Enrique Gil) under station chief Major Conrado Belarmino (Ariel Rivera), Magtibay investigates killings linked to rival gangs involved in illegal gambling, theft, and prostitution. The case exposes a wider system of corruption amidst the upheaval of the First Quarter Storm. The ensemble includes Romnick Sarmenta, Joey Marquez, Soliman Cruz, Cedrick Juan, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Rico Blanco, Kiko Estrada, and Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio alongside newcomers Ashtine Olviga, Dylan Menor, and Ethan David. The screenplay by Michiko Yamamoto, Moira Lang, and Sherad Anthony Sanchez traces how ordinary people navigate the moral and political pressures of a turbulent historical moment.
The film’s eight wins reflect the strength of Raymond Red’s creative vision and craft with Manila’s Finest taking Third Best Picture and securing a sweep across production design, music, sound, and original song. In light of its strong critical and festival reception, the filmmakers hope that more cinemas will make room for Manila’s Finest, allowing wider audiences to experience the film on the big screen. “This recognition affirms MediaQuest Ventures’ commitment to telling stories that matter. Manila’s Finest reflects the direction we are taking as a studio, supporting films that are ambitious in craft, grounded in history, and able to engage audiences beyond the surface,” said Basas.
Catch Manila's Finest from MediaQuest Ventures, Cignal TV Inc., and Spring Films in cinemas nationwide throughout the duration of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival with further notice of extension. Follow MediaQuest Ventures' official social media accounts for the list of cinemas where you can watch Manila's Finest.
