MELAKA: Dramedy Spilt Gravy: Ke Mana Tumpahnya Kuah won Best Film at the 32nd Malaysian Film Festival (FFM32) which was held in the historical city of Melaka last night.
"We've waited for 10 years, it feels like a dream. Oh the emotions.
"This award is for all the industry players, everyone from the crew to all of you," said director Datuk Zahim Albakri during his acceptance speech.
The Best Film won a trophy and RM500,000 from the Digital Content Fund of the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).
Zahim who also won Most Promising Director and Best Screenplay (with Jit Murad and June Tan) added: "This award is also for the late Jit Murad."
The film, which tells the moving story of an elderly father who is planning to have a dinner with his dysfunctional adult children, garnered four other awards, namely Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Editing and Best Supporting Actress (Juliana Ibrahim).
Another big winner was Small Town Heroes which won Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Child Actor (Phua Chandler), Most Promising Actress (Layla Sania Khairuzikri) and Best Poster.
The dramedy about two orphaned boys who embark on a meaningful journey also garnered Best Director and Best Original Story for Ryon Lee Eng Keong.
Datuk Adi Putra won Best Actor and Beto Kusyairy received Best Supporting Actor, both for Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan.
The historical action drama garnered the Box Office Film Award as well.
The Best Actress title went to Tan Chui Mui for Barbarian Invasion, while Wira Hatiku from the movie Juang won Best Theme Song.
The two Lifetime Achievement trophies went to Mat Sentol and Datuk Sarimah Ahmad for Male Artiste and Female Artiste respectively.
Indonesian drama Ranah 3 Warna took home Best International Film, while the three Special Jury Awards went to Juang, Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan and Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa.
A total of 55 films were submitted for competition, consisting of 28 feature films, six digital films, 10 short films and 11 International films.
More than 1,400 people attended FFM32, which was held at Encore Melaka and broadcast live on TV2 at 9pm.
Hosted by Awal Ashaari and Che Puan Sarimah Ibrahim, the three-hour awards ceremony also featured a constellation of celebrities who presented the 31 awards.
They included Datuk Seri Shah Rezza, Syafiq Yusof, Maya Karin, Ummi Nazeera, Liyana Jasmay, Azira Shafinaz, Hairul Azreen, Nadiya Nisaa, Fify Azmi, Tunku Mona Riza, Sharifah Aryana, Fabian Loo and Pauline Tan.
Others were Sangeeta Krishnasamy, Jasmine Suraya, Namron, Raja Mukhriz, Adrian Teh, Hanis Zalikha, Faizal Hussein, Zul Ariffin, Intan Ladyana, Nadhir Nasar, Farah Ahmad, Ashraf Muslim and Jason Chong.
Audiences were also entertained by performances from Siti Nordiana, Azlan & The Typewriters, Ernie Zakri, Datuk Zainal Abidin, Marsha Milan, De Fam, Han Byul, Amir Masdi and Hazama.
Organised by Finas, FFM32 was attended by Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, Finas chairman Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa and Finas chief executive Professor Dr Md Nasir Ibrahim.