And the third one is a charm!
“Manila’s Finest” has emerged as one of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival’s most acclaimed and thought-provoking work, winning eight awards including Third Best Picture.
The film took home Third Best Picture {co-shared with Call Me Mother}, 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 {co-shared with UnMarry}, and the Gatpuno J. Villegas Award.
“We have only started producing films three years ago and from “GomBurZa,” to “The Kingdom,” to now “Manila’s Finest,” we have the Filipino culture as part of our ethos,” said MediaQuest Ventures President and CEO Jane Basas in her acceptance speech for the Gatpuno J. Villegas 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.
Paulo Angeles, Dylan Menor, Tyke Sanchez, Cedrick Juan of Manila’s Finest at the Blue Carpet.
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,” said Basas. “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.”
We had the opportunity to attend the film’s grand premiere at Gateway Cineplex and after the screening we excitedly told Direk Raymond Red that his film is a contender for Best Production Design and Cinematography. True enough a few days later, the Universe granted it among many other accolades!
Congratulations Team Manila’s Finest and MQuest Ventures! Year 2026 is just as bright!
