Winners at MMFF’s Gabi Ng Parangal

"Sunday Beauty Queen" was named Best Picture at this year's Metro Manila Film Festival, besting seven other contenders in a lineup of independent films chosen to be shown in the metro area's cinemas during the holidays.

#MMFF2016 Best Picture is SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN! Congratulations! #GabiNgParangal2016 pic.twitter.com/wH9yMEIZ7D

— MMFF Official (@mmffofficial) December 29, 2016

Paolo Ballesteros won Best Actor for his performance as Trisha in "Die Beautiful," and Irma Adlawan won Best Actress for her turn as the Kapitana in "Oro."

Erik Matti won Best Director for "Seklusyon," which also won Best Screenplay, at the MMFF's Gabi ng Parangal, held at the Kia Theatre in Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City on Thursday evening..

"Oro" won the FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence, with the producer dedicating the award to the victims of Typhoon Nina in Bicol, the film's setting.

"Sunday Beauty Queen" also won the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, for its representation of Filipino culture and identity. The documentary, shot over several years by director Baby Ruth Villarama, follows Filipino workers in Hong Kong who hold beauty pageants on their day off every week.

"Die Beautiful" was the netizens' choice, winning in the My Most Favorite Film category.

Netizens have spoken! DIE BEAUTIFUL wins #MMFF2016's My Most Favorite Film! #GabiNgParangal2016 pic.twitter.com/SSNhIUU718

— MMFF Official (@mmffofficial) December 29, 2016

The other winners are:

Short Film, Best Screenplay - "Mitatang"

Short Film, Special Jury Prize - "Manila Scream"

Short Film, Best Picture - "EJK"

Best Float - "Die Beautiful"

Children's Choice - "Vince & Kath & James", "Saving Sally", "Sunday Beauty Queen"

Best Sound Design - "Seklusyon"

Best Musical Scoring - "Saving Sally"

Best Original Theme Song - "Dominus Miserere" by Francis De Veyra ("Seklusyon")

Best Production Design - "Seklusyon"

Best Editing - "Sunday Beauty Queen"

Best Cinematography - "Seklusyon"

Male Celebrity of the Night - Ronnie Alonte

Female Celebrity of the Night - Rhian Ramos

The #MMFF2016 Celebrities of the Night are Ronnie Alonte and Rhian Ramos @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Q4VnDQRMoR

— Bianca Rose Dabu (@biancadabu) December 29, 2016

FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence - "Oro"

Best Screenplay - "Seklusyon"

Best Director - Erik Matti, "Seklusyon"

Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award - "Sunday Beauty Queen"

Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bables, "Die Beautiful"

Best Supporting Actress - Phoebe Walker, "Seklusyon"

Best Ensemble Cast - "Oro"

Special Jury Prize - Rhed Bustamante, "Seklusyon"

Best Picture - "Sunday Beauty Queen"

Best Actor - Paolo Ballesteros, "Die Beautiful"

Best Actress - Irma Adlawan, "Oro"

LOOK: #MMFF2016 Best Actress Irma Adlawan (Oro) stands onstage with Kapitana Mercy @gmanews pic.twitter.com/k9cE5BMJSP

— Bianca Rose Dabu (@biancadabu) December 29, 2016

In a change from recent tradition, almost all  of the eight films chosen to be featured at this year's festival were independent.

On Thursday, Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Liza Diño appealed to cinemas to extend the MMFF screenings to January 7 from its original end date of January 3 to complete a two-week run. "The Filipino moviegoers have spoken, and their passion for cinema and for good stories told well has made all the difference," she wrote on Facebook. — with reports by Bianca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News