Alipato at Muog and Vice Ganda Win Big at the 73rd FAMAS Awards

 

The 73rd Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards unfolded on August 22, 2025, at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel, celebrating excellence in Philippine cinema for the year 2024.

Major Winners at a Glance

Best Picture – Alipato at Muo
Best Director – JL Burgos (Alipato at Muog)
Best Actor – Vice Ganda (And the Breadwinner Is…) and Arjo Atayde (Topakk) (tie)
Best Actress – Marian Rivera (Balota)
Best Supporting Actor – Jeric Raval (Mamay: A Journey to Greatness)
Best Supporting Actress – Nadine Lustre (Uninvited)

Additional winners included:

Best Cinematography, Production Design, Musical Score, and Original Song (“Hamon”) – Mamay: A Journey to Greatness
Best Sound – Topakk
Best Editing – The Hearing
Best Visual Effects – Espantaho
Best Screenplay – Green Bones

Special Recognition Awards

Beyond competitive categories, FAMAS also bestowed a range of honorary accolades—recognizing celebrated artists, promising youth, media contributors, and lifetime achievers:

Bida sa Takilya Actress Award – Kathryn Bernardo (Hello, Love, Again)

Bida sa Takilya Actor Award – Alden Richards (Hello, Love, Again)

FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award – Vilma Santos

German Moreno Youth Achievement Award – Atasha Muhlach and Andres Muhlach

Susan Roces Celebrity Award – Lorna Tolentino

Nora Aunor Superstar Award – Judy Ann Santos

FPJ Memorial Bida Award – Manny Pacquiao

FPJ Memorial Kontrabida Award – Dindo Arroyo

Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award for Journalism – PEP.ph

FAMAS Presidential Award – Marcos Mamay FAMAS Loyalty Award – Brian Lu (also listed as Brian James Lu)

Film Producer of the Year – Mentorque, Inc. (also credited as Mamay Production in some sources)

These awards underscored not only artistic excellence but also cultural influence, box-office impact, and lifetime contributions to Philippine cinema.

While Alipato at Muog secured the top honors (Best Picture and Best Director), the biggest winner in sheer volume was Mamay: A Journey to Greatness. It walked away with four trophies—Best Supporting Actor plus three technical awards for Cinematography, Production Design, Musical Score, and Original Song. 

So while Mamay may not have won Best Picture, its impressive haul made it the most awarded film of the night—demonstrating a strong command over visual storytelling and audiovisual craftsmanship.

Alipato at Muog is a documentary centered on the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos. Directed by his younger brother JL Burgos, this film became only the second documentary since Aswang (2020) to win Best Picture. Its dual win in Best Picture and Best Director underscores both its artistic and sociopolitical weight—highlighting a raw, real-life issue through cinematic brushstrokes, and perhaps, signaling the industry's embrace of cinema with purpose. 

Vice Ganda shared the Best Actor award with Arjo Atayde (Topakk), but his win carried a special resonance as a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ representation. Vice Ganda's win for Best Actor in And the Breadwinner Is… wasn't just a trophy—it became a cultural moment. Reports describe the victory as “the ‘biggest clapback’ after the backlash he experienced” , and note that Vice Ganda dedicated the accolade to queer kids, marking a powerful representation and affirmation within mainstream Filipino cinema.

Performing in a gown, makeup, and wig, Vice Ganda's presence and win underlined the evolving landscape of inclusivity and visibility in the entertainment industry. It was more than an award—it was visibility, validation, and celebration.

The 73rd FAMAS Awards were notable for how they merged artistry with advocacy. Alipato at Muog broke documentary ground in FAMAS history while promoting a vital human rights narrative. Mamay: A Journey to Greatness proved technically exceptional. And Vice Ganda's win wasn't just a triumph in acting—it was a declaration of LGBTQ+ pride and resilience in Filipino cinema.