“Ang Panday,” which topped the Dec. 25 opening day gross of the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) with P16.9 million, also copped the most awards – seven, including Best Picture – in a glitzy ceremony held on Dec. 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love” was a close second with six awards plus a special citation for being the most gender-sensitive movie among the seven official entries.

“I Love You, Goodbye” got four nods including 2nd Best Picture while “Ang Darling Kong Aswang,” which fights neck and neck with “Ang Panday” for box office supremacy, collected two trophies, one of which was for 3rd Best Picture.

“Nobody, Nobody but Juan” failed to win any awards, but it didn’t go home empty-handed because its star and co-producer, Dolphy, received the Lifetime  Achievement Award for his 65 distinguished years in show business.

Festival tail-ender “Wapakman” failed to impress the jurors and the crowd at the awards night because Bianca King was the only cast member who participated in the program as a presentor.

Manila Bulletin’s entertainment editor Crispina Belen – who was revealed to be a member of the Board of Jurors during the awards night – had written in her column that judging was based on the following: (A) Artistry, creativity and technical excellence, innovativeness and global appeal (40%); (B) Box-office earning on the first three days, December 25-27 (50%); and (C) Filipino, Cultural and/or Historical Value (10%).

The emphasis on box-office performance was underscored even more by honoring the cinemas from the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that sold the most number of tickets on the film fest’s opening day.

The 35th MMFF officially ends on Jan. 2.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

• Best Festival Production Designer – Richard Somes (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Film Editor – Manet Dayrit and Efren Jarlego (“I Love You, Goodbye”)
• Best Festival Musical Score – Von de Guzman (“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”)
• Best Festival Sound Recording – Albert Michael Idioma (“Ang Darling Kong Aswang”)
• Best Festival Visual Effects – Jay Santiago of Riot Inc. (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Makeup Artist – Noel Flores (“Shake, Rattle and Roll 11”)
• Best Festival Original Theme Song – “Tanging Ikaw Lamang” by Ogie Alcasid (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Cinematography – Lee Meily (“I Love You, Goodbye”)
• Best Festival Child Performer – Robert “Buboy” Villar (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Supporting Actor – Philip Salvador (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Supporting Actress – Heart Evangelista (“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”)
• Best Festival Original Story – Vanessa Valdez, Kriz Guzman and Karen Ramos (“I Love You, Goodbye”)
• Best Festival Screenplay – Roy Iglesias (“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”)
• Best Festival Director – Joel Lamangan (“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”)
• Best Festival Actor – Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. (“Ang Panday”)
• Best Festival Actress – Sharon Cuneta (“Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”)
• Best Festival Picture – “Ang Panday”
• 2nd Best Festival Picture – “I Love You, Goodbye”
• 3rd Best Festival Picture – “Ang Darling Kong Aswang”
• Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award – “Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love”
• Most Gender Sensitive Film – “Mano Po 6 – A Mother’s Love”
• Posthumous Award for Film Service and Excellence – Atty. Espiridion Laxa
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Dolphy