DWEIN BALTAZAR’S romantic comedy Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus bagged the Filipino Academy for Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards’ top categories including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, beating Filipino auteur Lav Diaz’s rock opera Ang Panahon ng Halimaw for Best Picture and Best Director.

The awards nights was held on April 28 at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

The FAMAS Award is the oldest existing film industry award-giving body in the Philippines and one of the oldest in Asia having been established in 1952.

The award is given by FAMAS, an organization composed of writers and movie critics.

Mr. Diaz’s film won the Grand Jury Prize which he shared with Whammy Alcazaren’s Never Tear Us Apart a.k.a Fisting. Halimaw also won Best Sound while Fisting won Best Musical Score.

For the top acting awards, Nadine Lustre took home the Best Actress trophy for her work in Antoinette Jadaone’s romantic drama, Never Not Love You.

In her acceptance speech, Ms. Lustre revealed that there were many times when she wanted to not do the film because of her personal struggles.

“But even though I was at the lowest point of my life, I managed to do the film with flying colors,” she said.

Veteran actor Eddie Garcia shared the Best Actor trophy with Victor Neri. Mr. Garcia starred in Benedict Mique’s thriller ML and Mr. Neri starred in Keith Deligero’s A Short History of a Few Bad Things.

Anne Curtis-Smith was given the Fernando Poe, Jr. Memorial Award for her work in Erik Matti’s BuyBust. She is the first actress to be given the award. In her acceptance speech, she said she hopes there would be more films with “kick-ass female leads.” Ms. Curtis-Smith played a police officer conducting a drug bust in a Manila slum.

Three female directors and actresses were given the night’s Lifetime Achievement Award: actress/director Laurice Guillen, actress/producer Charo Santos-Concio, and posthumously, director Marilou Diaz-Abaya.

Below is the complete list of winners:

• Best Picture: Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus

• Grand Jury Prize: Ang Panahon ng Halimaw and Never Tear Us Apart a.k.a Fisting

• Special Grand Jury Prize Short Film: Balai

• Best Short Film: Siyudad sa Bulawan, directed by Jarell Serencio

• Best Documentary Film: All Grown Up, Wena Sanchez

• Best Director: Dwein Baltazar (Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus)

• Best Lead Actress: Nadine Lustre (Never Not Love You)

• Best Lead Actor: Eddie Garcia (ML) and Victor Neri (A Short History of a Few Bad Things)

• Best Supporting Actor: Joem Bascon (Double Twisting Double Back)

• Best Supporting Actress: Adrienne Vergara (Dog Days)

• Best Adapted Screenplay: Tanabata’s Wife by Charlson Ong, Choy Pangilinan, Mao Portus, and Juan Carlos Tarobal

• Best Original Screenplay: Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus by Dwein Baltazar

• Best Cinematography: Oda Sa Wala, Neil Daza

• Best Editing: Kung Paano Siya Nawala, Lawrence Ang and Pag-ukit sa Paniniwala, Hiyas Baldemor Bagabaldo

• Best Musical Score: Never Tear Us Apart a.k.a. Fisting by Erwin Romulo, Malek Lopez and Juan Miguel Sobrepeña

• Best Production Design: Oda sa Wala, Maolen Fadul

• Best Visual Effects: GOYO: Ang Batang Heneral, Blackburst, Inc.

• Best Sound: Ang Panahon ng Halimaw, Corine de San Jose

• Best Original Song: “Buhay Teatro” from Paglisan, music by Teresa Barrozo, lyrics by Christela Marquez, Aica Ganhinhin, Carl Papa, and Erika Estacio

• King of Comedy Dolphy Memorial Award: Maricel Soriano

• FPJ Memorial Award: Anne Curtis-Smith

• Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Laurice Guillen and Charo Santos-Concio

• German Moreno Memorial Youth Achievement Award: Maymay Entrata and Bianca Umali

• Dr. Jose R. Perez Memorial Award: Ali Sotto

• FAMAS President Award Atty. Vince Tañada Arturo Padua Memorial Award: Jobert Sucaldito — Zsarlene B. Chua

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