It must be awards fatigue, a bad case of awards overdose or a sudden "allergic" reaction to over-exposure on national television. Whatever the cause may be, we are all tired and weary and oh-so-bored with all the awards ceremonies these past weeks which have been occurring so frequently that, admit it, it has become difficult to distinguish which awards is which, what is what, and you try to identify what awards night an actor/actress winner has been to by the dress he/she's wearing.
So, last but not the least (although some showbiz-watchers would say it's "the least"), the 48th FAMAS Awards rounded up the awards season by handing out trophies to its own roster of winners ("Somewhat credible this time," said a bitchy showbiz-watcher) Friday night at the AFP Theater at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Like most awards night (even the recent Oscars was "guilty" of it), the FAMAS Night went on and on and on for six hours (starting at 9 p.m. on the RPN 9 TV coverage and stretching up to 2 a.m., would you believe!) that, I bet you, it wouldn't win the Best Editing Award in any contest.
At one point of the show, co-host Kris Aquino (with Pops Fernandez) commented between commercials, "Oh, my God, nag-alisan na ang kalahati ng audience! Abutin kaya tayo dito ng alas-kuwatro ng umaga?" The affair didn't last that long, thank heavens!
The FAMAS (non-)event was as starless as the skies that night. So lackluster was it that many of the winners were not around, with the presenters themselves accepting the trophies they were handing out "on behalf of" so and so, thank you!
And the FAMAS (for Best Actor) goes to... Albert Martinez! But Albert was nowhere to be found.
And the FAMAS (for Best Child Actress) goes to... Rebecca Lusterio! But Rebecca was nowhere to be found (she was in her native Bohol).
And the FAMAS (for Lifetime Achievement Award) goes to Fernando Poe, Jr.! But Da King was nowhere to be found.
And the FAMAS (for Best Story) goes to ... Rolando Tinio! It was understandable for Rolando being a no-show because he has gone to the Great Beyond (so Ricky Lee accepted the trophy for Rolando, the first posthumous winner, competition category, in the FAMAS history).
Was it, as I've just guessed, a bad case of awards-fatigue? Have the stars and us the public, too, had enough of winners going up the stage, clutching their trophies and shedding copious tears as they thanked God, family, friends, etcetera, again and again, making it all a veritable deja vu experience?
But I'm glad and happy for Elizabeth Oropesa (Best Actress, Bulaklak ng Maynila) and Glydel Mercado (Best Supporting Actress, Sidhi) for both scoring a grand slam. Their tears of joy were understandable, excusable.
Elizabeth and Glydel have just joined the grand-slam ranks of Vilma Santos (Relasyon), Lorna Tolentino (Narito ang Puso Ko), Nora Aunor (The Flor Contemplacion Story), Phillip Salvador (Kapit sa Patalim/Bayan Ko), Christopher de Leon (My Other Woman/Biktima) and Nida Blanca (Magdusa Ka).
Okay, Elizabeth and Glydel, take a double bow!
* Best Picture -- Muro-Ami (GMA Films)
* Best Director -- Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Muro-Ami)
* Best Actress -- Elizabeth Oropesa (Bulaklak ng Maynila)
* Best Actor -- Albert Martinez (Sidhi)
* Best Supporting Actress -- Glydel Mercado (Sidhi)
* Best Supporting Actor -- Raymond Bagatsing (Soltera)
* Best Child Actress -- Rebecca Lusterio (Muro-Ami)
* Best Child Actor -- Lester Llansang (Saranggola)
* Best Story -- Rolando Tinio (Sidhi)
* Best Screenplay -- Jun Lana/Jerry Sineneng (Soltera)
* Best Cinematography -- Marissa Floirendo (Muro-Ami)
* Best Editing -- Jessa Navarro (Sidhi)
* Best Sound -- Albert Michael Idioma (Muro-Ami)
* Best Musical Direction -- Nonong Buencamino (Dahil May Isang Ikaw)
* Best Theme Song -- Geneva Cruz (Soltera)
* Best Art Direction -- Tatus Aldana (Sidhi)
* Best Special Effects -- Erick Torrente (Alyas Pogi, Ang Pagbabalik)
* Best Visual Effects -- Raul Pedro Bulaong (Wansapanataym)
* Fernando Poe, Jr. -- Lifetime Achievement Award
* Carlos Arcega -- Flavio G. Macaso Memorial Award
* Virgilio Mateo -- Dr. Jose R. Perez Memorial Award
* Romy Diaz -- Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award
* Gary Valenciano -- Dr. Ciriaco Santiago Memorial Award
* Marvin Agustin/Ciara Sotto -- German Moreno Youth Achievement Award
* Nina Ricci Alagao and Dingdong Dantes -- Stars of the Night