'Green Bones' wins Best Picture at Metro Manila Film Festival 2024

"Green Bones" is this year's Best Picture at the Metro Manila Film Festival, a two-peat for Kapuso director, Zig Dulay!

The drama film produced by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs bested nine other films gunning for the prestigious award during the Gabi ng Parangal on Friday at Solaire Resort in Parañaque City.

"Green Bones" also took home several awards, namely Best Actor (Dennis Trillo), Best Supporting Actor (Ruru Madrid), Best Screenplay (Ricky Lee and MMFF 2023 Best Screenplay winner Angeli Atienza), Best Cinematography (Neil Daza), and Best Child Performer (Sienna Stevens).

"The Kingdom" won second Best Picture, followed by "My Future You" and "Isang Himala" starring Aicelle Santos for third and fourth Best Picture.

During her speech, GMA Network Senior Vice President Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes thanked the people behind the MMFF, and shared the coveted award to the other nine films.

"We’d like to thank the 50th year of MMFF, Chairman Artes, the MMFF execom, all the jurors, for this Best Picture award. I also want to share this award to the other nine films in this Metro Manila Film Fest because to make a film, it takes blood, sweat, and tears and resources. And talagang we really risked it all because we want to tell a story and I hope that people listen to all these wonderful, outstanding stories of these movies," said Gozon-Valdes.

GMA Pictures Executive Vice President and GMA Public Affairs First Vice President Nessa Valdellon, for her part, called the Best Picture win "historic" for the Kapuso film studio.

"This is historic for us. This is a very big thing for GMA Pictures. It was really our aim to bring back the glory of the film studio. Twenty-five years ago, we won for ‘Muro-Ami,’ 26 years ago for ‘Jose Rizal.’ That was back to back. And this is back to back, ‘Firefly’ and ‘Green Bones.’ Congrats, guys!" said Valdellon.

As for Direk Zig, the award will serve as inspiration for them to create more films that will give hope to other people.

"Ang pagkilalang ito ay magsisilbing inspirasyon para sa amin para gumawa pa ng mas maraming pelikula, mga pelikula na hindi lamang magbibigay ng aliw kundi bubuhay sa pag-asa at magbibigay ng inspirasyon para sa lahat," said the award-winning director.

"Green Bones" is based on an original story by JC Rubio, senior documentary manager of GMA Public Affairs.

It follows prisoner Domingo Zamora (Dennis) who is notorious for the murder of his sister and her daughter. Now that Domingo is up for parole, newly assigned prison guard (Ruru) takes a personal interest in making sure that he remains behind bars no matter what.

"Green Bones" also stars Michael De Mesa, Alessandra De Rossi, Ronnie Lazaro, Kylie Padilla, Mikoy Morales, Gerhard Acao, Iza Calzado, Sofia Pablo, and more.

Direk Zig's "Firefly" also won Best Picture at the MMFF 2023.

Congratulations, "Green Bones!"

— CDC, GMA Integrated News