Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards
Encyclopedia
The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (also known as FAMAS Awards) are the annual honors given by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), an organization composed of prize-winning writers and movie columnists, for achievements in the Philippine cinema for a calendar year. Established since 1952, it the oldest existing film industry award-giving body
in the Philippines and one of the oldest in Asia (the oldest is the Kinema Junpo Awards in Japan
). The FAMAS Awards, from 1952 to 1982, was the highest Filipino film award a filmmaker or artisan could receive in the local movie industry.
In 1982, after the inception of the Film Academy of the Philippines
(Luna) Awards, the true Philippine equivalent of the Oscars (where academy members are film professionals who nominate and choose awardees of the year) was mandated by the Philippine government, FAMAS was unofficially relegated as secondary to Luna Awards. Nevertheless, winning a FAMAS Award is still held in high regard because of its age and prestige.
The FAMAS Award is one of the highly distinguished film award bodies
in the country. Others included are the Luna Awards (Film Academy), the Gawad Urian Awards of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics), and the Star Awards for Movies and Television by the Philippine Movie Press Club. Winning all four of the awards in one category for the same work is considered as winning a "Grand Slam".
, established by the Manila Times
Publishing, Inc. under the tutelage of Dr. Alejandro Roces
in 1951. The first awards in the Philippine movie industry were doled out for the movies of 1950-1951 and for the year 1952. The award statuette, which bore the figure of Maria Clara
, a character in Dr. José Rizal
's immortal novel Noli Me Tangere
, was sculpted by National Artist for Sculpture
Guillermo Tolentino. For two years, the Maria Clara Awards honored the Philippine movie industry's cinematic achievements .
The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestows the FAMAS Award of Merit to individuals who have used their skills and craftsmanship to the best of their abilities for the development and creation of a Filipino motion picture. FAMAS was somewhat designed after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
(AMPAS) of the United States
and was originally named Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the Philippines before AMPAS protested against the usage of their name.
. The varnished gold-painted wood statuette boasts of a Balintawak-clad woman whose raised hands holds a four-spoke film reel. She stands on a black cylindrical pedestal, which is encircled with a thin gold leaf that bears the initials and full name of FAMAS in big black letters, the awards ceremony, the category in which it was won, the name of the winner, the place where it was given and the signature of the FAMAS President. The statuette design itself has never changed over the years.
The word FAMAS was coined by Filipino movie legends Jaime de la Rosa
and Rosa Rosal, who decided on naming the Philippines' equivalent to the Oscars as FAME. FAMAS is the Filipino version (not a translation) of the word FAME.
. Winning a FAMAS Award became the motivation for many film craftsmen, for it was, after all, the Philippines' only counterpart of the Oscars. The awards itself, then held mostly at the Manila Hotel
, the oldest premiere hotel of Manila, became the biggest annual event in the Philippine movie industry.
and Vera-Perez Productions withdrew their participation from the Academy because the agreement between producers on who receives the FAMAS Awards was not followed. The agreement was that each of the Big Four studios (LVN Pictures
, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions and Lebran International) would receive the top awards. For example, if the Best Picture goes to one studio, the acting awards should go the other three studios and the directing award should go to another studio. The 1960 FAMAS Awards, nevertheless, failed to honor Sampaguita Pictures with an award, so Sampaguita Pictures and its sister company Vera-Perez Productions withdrew from the Academy. In addition, Sampaguita's mogul, Dr. Jose Perez, returned all of the FAMAS Awards that the studio have won so far by placing them on public view in his Vera-Perez Gardens. Other movie studios also withdrew from the Academy, though they did not return their statuettes. Because of this, in 1961, the FAMAS revamped its membership rules and removed studio representation membership, which left the FAMAS with solely movie writers and columnists.
The FAMAS's moniker, "Philippines' counterpart of the Oscars," was rescinded by the government in 1981, when it established the Film Academy of the Philippines
(FAP) under Executive Order No. 640-A. The FAP was patterned after the AMPAS. In addition, other award-giving bodies have sprung up over the years, among the most notable are the Star Awards for Movies in 1985, the Catholic Mass Media Awards of the Catholic Church, the Gawad Pasado of the Film Desk Critics' Circle and recently, the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press.
for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie, Tampisaw, much to the chagrin of some people in the industry. Many people, including previous FAMAS winner Amalia Fuentes, felt FAMAS had killed itself when it gave a FAMAS to Bovick. Nevertheless, FAMAS did its own cleansing. FAMAS President Art Padua restructured the FAMAS by inviting more Palanca Award-winners (Pulitzer Prize
of the Philippines) to the Academy and dismissing members who have gone AWOL.
(SEC). This move of the SEC gave FAMAS three years to wind-up its activities. This move also prohibited the staging of an awards night, which is the major activity of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, under the presidency of Art Padua, the FAMAS was able to stage the 52nd and 53rd FAMAS Awards.
In 2004, fifteen new members of the FAMAS were allowed by FAMAS president Art Padua to vote on the annual elections. This was questioned by some members of the FAMAS, some of which are lifetime members of the corporation, who then walked out of the election. FAMAS president Art Padua considered this as a resignation from the corporation, which sparked further unrest in the corporation.
On June 25, 2005, Col. Jimmy Tiu was elected unanimously by 34 of the 53 members of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, Art Padua did not acknowledge the results of the voting, and he considered the elected officers as the "FAMAS breakaway group." This leadership crisis would have a tremendous effect on the 54th FAMAS Awards.
In April 2006, the FAMAS, as represented by Art Padua, released the Official Nominees for the Awards, and on the next months had released the date and venue of the awards. On July 15, the day of the awards night, a 72-hour temporary restraining order was issued by Judge Felixberto Olalia of Manila Regional Trial Court against Art Padua and his set of officers from holding the 54th FAMAS Awards Night. The ruling favored Col. Tiu, the president of the breakaway group. The order was issued because, as presented by Col. Tiu, FAMAS ceased to exist as a registered organization of the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2003. As a SEC non-registered organization, all the FAMAS could do was to hold "winding-up activities" which does not include an awards night. This led to the postponement of the 54th FAMAS Awards night.
In order to go around the SEC restriction of holding the FAMAS Awards, FAMAS decided to resurrect the Maria Clara Awards in order to continue the long legacy of the still-beleaguered FAMAS and to continue awarding Filipino motion picture excellence. In holding the Maria Claras instead of the FAMAS, the FAMAS indeed does not hold its primary and only function, which is the holding of an awards night, which is not therefore a violation of the SEC ruling. The Maria Clara Awards were held on October 13, 2006 in a simple and humble event at Golden Fortune Restaurant in Manila. In retrospect, the FAMAS would not be awarded until the leadership crisis and the registration revocation issues of the corporation are not resolved.
Nevertheless, the group of Art Padua still held the 54th FAMAS Awards on November 12, 2006 at the Main Hall of the National Broadcasting Network
Building in Quezon City
, despite the SEC ruling against holding an awards night. The awards night set a trend because it is the first awards night in Philippine history to be shown as a feature of another TV program (Pilipinas, Ngayon Na of NBN Channel 4) instead of being a television special
.
In 2007, just right before the 55th FAMAS Awards, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
finally resolved the leadership crisis of FAMAS and handed the leadership to Art Padua, who is currently the longest-reigning president in the history of the Academy. An appeal to the Court of Appeals
by Col. Tiu is still pending though.
The Gabi ng Parangal has been hosted by various locations such as the Manila Hotel, Araneta Coliseum
, the Cultural Center of the Philippines
and the Manila Hilton Hotel, to name a few. It has also been carried by different television networks such as RPN
-9 and ABS-CBN 2. It was televised live from the carrier station until the 21st century, when it was aired at delayed telecasts due to difficulties in airing the program live.
"Best Actress"
"Best Directors"
"Best Editing"
"Best Musical Score"
"Best Producer"
"Best Sound Recording"
"Best Supporting Actor"
Film awards bodies in the Philippines
Philippine movie award-giving bodies are institutions, academies and fellowships that are handing out awards, citations and recognitions to outstanding film achievements for a certain calendar year.-1950-1976:...
in the Philippines and one of the oldest in Asia (the oldest is the Kinema Junpo Awards in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
). The FAMAS Awards, from 1952 to 1982, was the highest Filipino film award a filmmaker or artisan could receive in the local movie industry.
In 1982, after the inception of the Film Academy of the Philippines
Film Academy of the Philippines
Established in 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines is the Philippines' official counterpart of the United States' Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The FAP was founded through Executive Order 640-A, signed by former President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos...
(Luna) Awards, the true Philippine equivalent of the Oscars (where academy members are film professionals who nominate and choose awardees of the year) was mandated by the Philippine government, FAMAS was unofficially relegated as secondary to Luna Awards. Nevertheless, winning a FAMAS Award is still held in high regard because of its age and prestige.
The FAMAS Award is one of the highly distinguished film award bodies
Film awards bodies in the Philippines
Philippine movie award-giving bodies are institutions, academies and fellowships that are handing out awards, citations and recognitions to outstanding film achievements for a certain calendar year.-1950-1976:...
in the country. Others included are the Luna Awards (Film Academy), the Gawad Urian Awards of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics), and the Star Awards for Movies and Television by the Philippine Movie Press Club. Winning all four of the awards in one category for the same work is considered as winning a "Grand Slam".
The Maria Clara Awards
The forerunner of the FAMAS Award was the Maria Clara AwardsMaria Clara Awards
The Maria Clara Awards is the first formal film industry award-giving body of the Philippines. It was established in 1950 by a group of writers from the Manila Times Publishing, Co., which included National Artist Dr. Alejandro Roces, regarded as the Father of the Maria Clara Awards...
, established by the Manila Times
Manila Times
The Manila Times is the oldest existing English language newspaper in the Philippines. It is published daily by The Manila Times Publishing Corp. with editorial and administrative offices at 371 A...
Publishing, Inc. under the tutelage of Dr. Alejandro Roces
Alejandro Roces
Alejandro Reyes Roces was a Filipino author, essayist, dramatist and a National Artist of the Philippines for literature...
in 1951. The first awards in the Philippine movie industry were doled out for the movies of 1950-1951 and for the year 1952. The award statuette, which bore the figure of Maria Clara
María Clara
María Clara, whose full name is María Clara de los Santos, Rizal also described her as Inang Pilipinas is the mestiza heroine in Noli Me Tangere, a novel by José Rizal, the national hero of the Republic of the Philippines...
, a character in Dr. José Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
's immortal novel Noli Me Tangere
Noli Me Tangere (novel)
Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino polymath José Rizal and first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany. Early English translations used titles like An Eagle Flight and The Social Cancer, but more recent translations have been published using the original Latin title.Though originally written in...
, was sculpted by National Artist for Sculpture
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
Guillermo Tolentino. For two years, the Maria Clara Awards honored the Philippine movie industry's cinematic achievements .
Establishment of FAMAS
Due to the complaints that the Maria Clara Awards were irrelevant because movie writers and not film artisans and filmmakers are the ones who are voting for the awards, six writers (Atty. Flavio G. Macaso, Vic Generoso, Mario Mijares Lopez, Paulo Dizon, Amado Yasoma and Eddie Infante) established the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences. The FAMAS Awards formally replaced the Maria Clara Awards. In its inception, FAMAS had movie writers, columnists and studio publicists as its voting members.The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestows the FAMAS Award of Merit to individuals who have used their skills and craftsmanship to the best of their abilities for the development and creation of a Filipino motion picture. FAMAS was somewhat designed after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
(AMPAS) of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was originally named Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the Philippines before AMPAS protested against the usage of their name.
The statuette
The FAMAS Award of Merit statuette was modeled from the great screen legend and FAMAS Award-winner Rosa RosalRosa Rosal
Florence Danon Gayda , better known as Rosa Rosal, is a FAMAS award-winning Filipino film actress dubbed as the "original femme fatale of Philippine cinema". She is also known for her work with the Philippine National Red Cross...
. The varnished gold-painted wood statuette boasts of a Balintawak-clad woman whose raised hands holds a four-spoke film reel. She stands on a black cylindrical pedestal, which is encircled with a thin gold leaf that bears the initials and full name of FAMAS in big black letters, the awards ceremony, the category in which it was won, the name of the winner, the place where it was given and the signature of the FAMAS President. The statuette design itself has never changed over the years.
The word FAMAS was coined by Filipino movie legends Jaime de la Rosa
Jaime de la Rosa
Jaime de la Rosa was a Filipino pre-war and postwar actor better known as Jimmy in Philippine showbiz.-Early life:Tommy de la Rosa was the first screen name he used, later changing it to Jaime...
and Rosa Rosal, who decided on naming the Philippines' equivalent to the Oscars as FAME. FAMAS is the Filipino version (not a translation) of the word FAME.
Prestige
The FAMAS was the sole award-giving body for film in the Philippines from 1952 until 1976. Within that period, FAMAS alone has awarded the most outstanding performers and craftsmen of Filipino films, from screen legend Rosa Rosal to master director Gerardo de LeonGerardo de León
Gerardo de León was a Filipino actor turned film director, who made his acting debut in the 1934 film Ang Dangal....
. Winning a FAMAS Award became the motivation for many film craftsmen, for it was, after all, the Philippines' only counterpart of the Oscars. The awards itself, then held mostly at the Manila Hotel
Manila Hotel
The Manila Hotel is a 570-room, five star hotel in Manila, Philippines, located in the heart of the Manila Bay area. The Manila Hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines, built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines, and opened in...
, the oldest premiere hotel of Manila, became the biggest annual event in the Philippine movie industry.
First major controversy
In 1960, Sampaguita PicturesSampaguita Pictures
Sampaguita Pictures was a Philippine film production company. It was named for the Philippine National Flower, Sampaguita. The company has been long-defunct since the 1980s with Mike de Leon's classic "Batch '81" being the last film released...
and Vera-Perez Productions withdrew their participation from the Academy because the agreement between producers on who receives the FAMAS Awards was not followed. The agreement was that each of the Big Four studios (LVN Pictures
LVN Pictures
LVN Pictures, Inc. is one of the biggest film studios in the history of Philippine cinema and its foremost establishment in motion picture post-production until 2005...
, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions and Lebran International) would receive the top awards. For example, if the Best Picture goes to one studio, the acting awards should go the other three studios and the directing award should go to another studio. The 1960 FAMAS Awards, nevertheless, failed to honor Sampaguita Pictures with an award, so Sampaguita Pictures and its sister company Vera-Perez Productions withdrew from the Academy. In addition, Sampaguita's mogul, Dr. Jose Perez, returned all of the FAMAS Awards that the studio have won so far by placing them on public view in his Vera-Perez Gardens. Other movie studios also withdrew from the Academy, though they did not return their statuettes. Because of this, in 1961, the FAMAS revamped its membership rules and removed studio representation membership, which left the FAMAS with solely movie writers and columnists.
Emergence of other awards
After a Best Actress tie controversy in 1973 which drew dissension from the public (see FAMAS Records below), FAMAS invited film critics as members of its nominating and awarding committee. These critics left FAMAS in 1976 to form the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) (or the Filipino Film Critics) and subsequently established the Gawad Urian Awards.The FAMAS's moniker, "Philippines' counterpart of the Oscars," was rescinded by the government in 1981, when it established the Film Academy of the Philippines
Film Academy of the Philippines
Established in 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines is the Philippines' official counterpart of the United States' Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The FAP was founded through Executive Order 640-A, signed by former President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos...
(FAP) under Executive Order No. 640-A. The FAP was patterned after the AMPAS. In addition, other award-giving bodies have sprung up over the years, among the most notable are the Star Awards for Movies in 1985, the Catholic Mass Media Awards of the Catholic Church, the Gawad Pasado of the Film Desk Critics' Circle and recently, the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press.
Restructuring of 2003
In 2003, the Best Actress Award of the 51st FAMAS Awards went to Aleck BovickAleck Bovick
Aleck Bovick is a Filipino actress.-Personal life:Her father is a Filipino and while her mother is Half German. She is married to actor Carlo Maceda....
for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie, Tampisaw, much to the chagrin of some people in the industry. Many people, including previous FAMAS winner Amalia Fuentes, felt FAMAS had killed itself when it gave a FAMAS to Bovick. Nevertheless, FAMAS did its own cleansing. FAMAS President Art Padua restructured the FAMAS by inviting more Palanca Award-winners (Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
of the Philippines) to the Academy and dismissing members who have gone AWOL.
Leadership Crisis and Revocation of SEC
On May 6, 2003, due to non-compliance with reportorial requirements, the corporate charter of the FAMAS was revoked by the Securities and Exchange CommissionSecurities and Exchange Commission (Philippines)
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission is a Philippine state commission responsible for securities laws and regulating the securities industry. The SEC is an agency within the Philippine Department of Finance....
(SEC). This move of the SEC gave FAMAS three years to wind-up its activities. This move also prohibited the staging of an awards night, which is the major activity of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, under the presidency of Art Padua, the FAMAS was able to stage the 52nd and 53rd FAMAS Awards.
In 2004, fifteen new members of the FAMAS were allowed by FAMAS president Art Padua to vote on the annual elections. This was questioned by some members of the FAMAS, some of which are lifetime members of the corporation, who then walked out of the election. FAMAS president Art Padua considered this as a resignation from the corporation, which sparked further unrest in the corporation.
On June 25, 2005, Col. Jimmy Tiu was elected unanimously by 34 of the 53 members of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, Art Padua did not acknowledge the results of the voting, and he considered the elected officers as the "FAMAS breakaway group." This leadership crisis would have a tremendous effect on the 54th FAMAS Awards.
In April 2006, the FAMAS, as represented by Art Padua, released the Official Nominees for the Awards, and on the next months had released the date and venue of the awards. On July 15, the day of the awards night, a 72-hour temporary restraining order was issued by Judge Felixberto Olalia of Manila Regional Trial Court against Art Padua and his set of officers from holding the 54th FAMAS Awards Night. The ruling favored Col. Tiu, the president of the breakaway group. The order was issued because, as presented by Col. Tiu, FAMAS ceased to exist as a registered organization of the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2003. As a SEC non-registered organization, all the FAMAS could do was to hold "winding-up activities" which does not include an awards night. This led to the postponement of the 54th FAMAS Awards night.
In order to go around the SEC restriction of holding the FAMAS Awards, FAMAS decided to resurrect the Maria Clara Awards in order to continue the long legacy of the still-beleaguered FAMAS and to continue awarding Filipino motion picture excellence. In holding the Maria Claras instead of the FAMAS, the FAMAS indeed does not hold its primary and only function, which is the holding of an awards night, which is not therefore a violation of the SEC ruling. The Maria Clara Awards were held on October 13, 2006 in a simple and humble event at Golden Fortune Restaurant in Manila. In retrospect, the FAMAS would not be awarded until the leadership crisis and the registration revocation issues of the corporation are not resolved.
Nevertheless, the group of Art Padua still held the 54th FAMAS Awards on November 12, 2006 at the Main Hall of the National Broadcasting Network
National Broadcasting Network
People's Television is the flagship government television network owned by the Philippine Government through People's Television Network, Inc. . Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City .-History:The country's government...
Building in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, despite the SEC ruling against holding an awards night. The awards night set a trend because it is the first awards night in Philippine history to be shown as a feature of another TV program (Pilipinas, Ngayon Na of NBN Channel 4) instead of being a television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
.
In 2007, just right before the 55th FAMAS Awards, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
finally resolved the leadership crisis of FAMAS and handed the leadership to Art Padua, who is currently the longest-reigning president in the history of the Academy. An appeal to the Court of Appeals
Philippine Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of the Philippines is the Philippines' second highest judicial court, just after the Supreme Court. The court consists of 68 Associate Justices and 1 Presiding Justice...
by Col. Tiu is still pending though.
Gabi ng Parangal (The Awards Night)
The FAMAS' Gabi ng Parangal (Awards Night) is the most colorful night of the Philippine motion picture industry. It is here where the bigwigs of the movie industry, the brightest stars and the most talented artisans of the industry gather together and showcase their best clothing finds right in front of their fans and televiewers. Various Filipino famous fashion designers have clothed the best of Philippine cinema during these events. This is also the night when movie kings and queens finally get their due for their artistry in the field of acting, and where the greatest minds of Filipino film finally get their own "Oscar," or in this case, their FAMAS.The Gabi ng Parangal has been hosted by various locations such as the Manila Hotel, Araneta Coliseum
Araneta Coliseum
The Smart Araneta Coliseum, known as The Big Dome is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena located in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines...
, the Cultural Center of the Philippines
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
and the Manila Hilton Hotel, to name a few. It has also been carried by different television networks such as RPN
Radio Philippines Network
Radio Philippines Network, Inc. is a broadcast television network in the Philippines co-owned by the Government Communications Group, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Far East Managers and Investors Inc., and private sectors. This station studios are located at Broadcast City, Old Balara, Capitol...
-9 and ABS-CBN 2. It was televised live from the carrier station until the 21st century, when it was aired at delayed telecasts due to difficulties in airing the program live.
FAMAS Awards of Merit
- Best PictureFAMAS Award for Best PictureThe FAMAS Award for Best Picture is one of the FAMAS Awards, awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Award, which are voted on by Palanca Award-winning writers and movie columnists and writers within the industry...
: since 1952- divided into Best Drama Picture, Best Comedy Picture and Best Action Picture in 1988
- Best DirectorFAMAS Award for Best DirectorThe FAMAS Award for Best Director is one of the major FAMAS Awards, given to the film director who has shown great artistic instincts, choices and excellence in assembling his or her motion picture. The FAMAS Best Director is chosen from the Filipino films shown in the previous calendar year that...
: 1952 to present - Best Screenplay: 1952 to present
- Best Story: 1952 to present
- Best Actor: 1952 to present
- Best Actress: 1952 to present
- Best Supporting Actor: 1952 to present
- Best Supporting Actress: 1952 to present
- Best Child Actor: 1955 to present
- Best Child Actress: 1963 to present
- both Child Performance categories are usually joined as "Best Child Performer" in some years
- Best Cinematography: 1952 to present
- divided into Black-and-White and Color categories before the 1970s
- Best Art Direction/Best Production Design: 1952 to present
- Best Editing: 1952 to present
- Best Sound: 1952 to present
- as Best Sound Engineering during the FAMAS' early years
- Best Musical Score: 1952 to present
- Best Theme Song: 1963 to present
- Best Visual Effects: 1984, 1997 to present
- Best Special Effects: 1997 to present
Special Awards
The FAMAS also awards thirteen special awards, the most for any award-giving body in the Philippines. These awards, except for the Hall of Fame, Circle of Excellence, Natatanging Alagad ng Sining and Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS awards, are awarded annually:- FAMAS Hall of Fame Award is bestowed to a person who has won five FAMAS Awards in a certain category.
- FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award is the highest award the FAMAS can bestow on an individual, given to a Hall of Fame inductee who had given a performance that was worthy of a FAMAS Award.
- FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Award is given to motion picture performers and artisans who have made indelible and lifelong contributions to the development of the Filipino motion picture industry, and first awarded in 1989.
- FAMAS Grand Award is given to an individual or an organization who have supported and helped the FAMAS throughout the years and was first awarded in 2005.
- Atty. Flavio G. Macaso Memorial Award is awarded to FAMAS members who have shown utmost loyalty and service to the Academy. Named in honor of the first president of the Academy, it was first awarded in 1998.
- Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award for Journalism is given to managers, public relations officers, entertainment columnists and starbuilders who have demonstrated great mastery and professionalism in handling the biggest stars of the Philippine movie industry, as well as advancing the state of the Filipino motion picture industry through the use of journalism. The award was named after the Sampaguita Pictures' mogul. It was first awarded in 1984, and from 1997 to present.
- Fernando Poe, Jr. Memorial Award is given to an outstanding action movie star whose overflowing charisma, great physique and loyal following in the action genre has made him a great icon of the genre. It was named in honor of the King of Philippine movies, Fernando Poe, Jr.
- German Moreno Youth Achievement Award is given to a pair of young male and female stars who have shown great promise as a motion picture artisan and actor in the past calendar year. Award is decided by German MorenoGerman MorenoGerman Moreno, also known as Kuya Germs or the Master Showman , is a Filipino television host, actor, comedian and Talent Manager popular during the 1980s...
, one of Philippine show business' best known talent discoverer and developer.
- Golden Artist Award is given to performers who have gained local recognition for their cinematic and/or artistic excellence.
- International Artist Award
- Posthumous Award gives recognition to recently deceased motion picture artisans' exemplary achievements in the motion picture industry. First awarded in 2007.
- Presidential Award gives recognition to an individual who has helped the cause of the FAMAS or of the motion picture industry as a whole greatly on a certain calendar year or any given time through any way possible.
- Special Citation Award: given to certain individuals' exemplary achievements in the performing arts and the motion picture industry, whose achievements may or may not be a contribution to the motion picture industry but to the arts as a whole
Retired Awards
- Best Featurette (1955)
- Best Short Film (1958)
- Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial AwardLou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award- Recipients of the Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award :*1998 Bobby Gonzales*1999 Romy Diaz*2000 Ramon Zamora*2001 Dolphy*2002 Metring David*2003 Enrique Arcega*2004 Don Pepot...
was given as a recognition to an exemplary comedic motion picture thespian who has established a great career and following through astounding comedic prowess onscreen. Awarded from 1998–2004.
- Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS AwardHuwarang Bituin ng FAMAS AwardThe Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS is an award given to a motion picture actor who has shown great charisma, incredible acting prowess, exemplary social skills - off and on camera - and loyal fan following over their long-spanning career filled with memorable and award-winning performances in Philippine...
honored a motion picture thespian who has shown great charisma, incredible acting prowess, exemplary social skills off-camera and loyal following over a long-spanning career filled with memorable and award-winning performances in Philippine Cinema's greatest screen classics and/or profitable releases. Awarded from 2002–2003,and in 2009.
- Dr. Ciriaco Santiago Memorial Award honored performers and directors of productions who have gained international recognition for their cinematic excellence. The award, named after the studio chief of Premiere Productions, was awarded in 1958, 1963, and from 1998–2000.
- International Prestige Award of Merit was given to Filipino film productions that have been recognized internationally for their superior cinematic quality and artistry. The award was given in 1957, 1958 and 1961.
- Gregorio Valdez Memorial Award
- Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Special Award was given to either honor the singular achievement of an individual in raising the standards of Philippine motion pictures or to recognize any achievement of an individual that was worth a worthy recognition from the Academy.
One-time FAMAS Awards
- Centennial AwardCentennial AwardThe Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestowed the Centennial Award in the 46th FAMAS Awards in 1998 to celebrate the centennial of Philippine independence...
was given in the 46th FAMAS Awards (1997) in 1998 to films that honestly reflected Philippine culture and traditions in its entirety and celebrated patriotism, in celebration of the centennial of Philippine independence. The winners of the award were Rizal sa Dapitan (1997) and Damong Ligaw (1997).
- Bukas Palad Award was given in the 47th FAMAS Awards (1998) in 1999 to honor the generosity and indelible contributions of the Philippines' original Queen of Talk, gossip columnistGossip columnistA gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine. Gossip columns are material written in a light, informal style, which relates the gossip columnist's opinions about the personal lives or conduct of celebrities from show business ,...
and TV host Inday BadidayInday BadidayLourdes Jimenez Carvajal , better known as Inday Badiday, was a Filipino host and journalist who was known as Philippine television's "queen of showbiz talk shows" and "queen of intrigues"....
, to the Philippine motion picture industry.
- Bituin ng FAMAS Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon Award was given in the 50th FAMAS Awards (2001) in 2002 as a part of its Golden Jubilee celebration. The was given to former FAMAS winner DolphyDolphyRodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr. , known by his screen name Dolphy, is a Filipino comedian-actor in the Philippines. He has appeared in a number of works on stage, radio, television and movies.-Biography:Dolphy was born on P. Herrera St...
, as a recognition of his almost six decades in show business, his indelible contribution to the Philippine motion picture industry and his status as the Philippine King of Comedy
- Natatanging Alagad ng Sining AwardNatatanging Alagad ng Sining AwardThe Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences awards the Natatanging Alagad ng Sining to honor the achievements of the King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr., who died just six months prior to the awards.- Background of Recipient :...
was given during in 2004 to honor the achievements of the King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr.Fernando Poe, Jr.Ronald Allan Poe y Kelley , better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipino actor and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration...
, who died just six months prior to the awards
FAMAS Hall of Famers
"Best Actors"- Joseph EstradaJoseph EstradaJoseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
(1983) - Fernando Poe Jr. (1988)
- Christopher De LeonChristopher De Leon-2007 Elections:In 2007, he decided to run as Vice Governor of Batangas. This claims that if her former on screen partner, Vilma Santos won the governorship, then he might win as Vice Governor. He became the running mate of former police officer Nestor Sanares...
(1993) - Eddie GarciaEddie GarcíaEddie Garcia popularly known as Manoy is a Filipino film actor and film director.- Biography :...
(2004)
"Best Actress"
- Charito SolisCharito SolisCharito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
(1985) - Vilma SantosVilma SantosMaria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto commonly known as Vilma Santos-Recto or Ate Vi is a multi-awarded actress and politician...
(1990) - Nora AunorNora AunorNora "Guy" Aunor is a multi-awarded Filipino actress, singer and producer. Aunor has also topbilled several stage plays, television shows, and concerts. She is regarded as the "Superstar in Philippine Entertainment Industry"...
(1992)
"Best Directors"
- Eddie GarciaEddie GarcíaEddie Garcia popularly known as Manoy is a Filipino film actor and film director.- Biography :...
(1991) - Lino BrockaLino BrockaCatalino Ortiz Brocka is known as one of the greatest film directors of the Philippines. Brocka was openly homosexual and many of his films incorporated LGBT themes into their often dramatic storylines....
(1992) - posthomously award [he died in 1991]
"Best Editing"
- Edgardo Vinarao (1994)
"Best Musical Score"
- George CansecoGeorge CansecoGeorge Masangkay Canseco was a Filipino song composer.Canseco studied liberal arts at University of the East...
(1989)
"Best Producer"
- Joseph EstradaJoseph EstradaJoseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
(1983)
"Best Sound Recording"
- Angel Avellana (1982)
"Best Supporting Actor"
- Eddie GarciaEddie GarcíaEddie Garcia popularly known as Manoy is a Filipino film actor and film director.- Biography :...
(1975)
FAMAS records
- In 1973, FAMAS awarded the first tie in the history of Philippine cinema. The tie was in the Best Actress category, with both Boots Anson-RoaBoots Anson-RoaMaria Elisa Cristobal-Anson or Boots Anson-Roa is an award-winning actress, columnist, editor, and lecturer.-Early life:She was born on January 30, 1945...
and Vilma SantosVilma SantosMaria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto commonly known as Vilma Santos-Recto or Ate Vi is a multi-awarded actress and politician...
sharing the honors. Because a tie was unheard of, the public dissented the vote.
- The longest FAMAS Awards telecast was in 2002 when FAMAS celebrated its golden jubileeGolden JubileeA Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
. The awards night, which was held at the FAMAS Awards' original home, the Manila HotelManila HotelThe Manila Hotel is a 570-room, five star hotel in Manila, Philippines, located in the heart of the Manila Bay area. The Manila Hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines, built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines, and opened in...
, was held from 9 PM to 3 AM.
- The first major acting award for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie was awarded in the 2003 FAMAS Awards to Aleck BovickAleck BovickAleck Bovick is a Filipino actress.-Personal life:Her father is a Filipino and while her mother is Half German. She is married to actor Carlo Maceda....
for the movie Tampisaw. (See Restructuring of 2003 above)
- For the 53rd FAMAS Awards (2004), FAMAS partnered with the ABS-CBN Channel 2ABS-CBNABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
for the production of the annual awards night on June 26, 2005. As a result, the show became the first awards night in the Philippines to be telecast all over the world through one of its international satellite stations, Pinoy Central TV.