The Maria Clara Awards

The forerunner of the FAMAS Award was the Maria Clara Awards, established by the Manila Times Publishing, Inc. under the tutelage of Alejandro Roces in 1951. The first awards in the Philippine movie industry were doled out for the movies of 1950-1951 and for the year 1952. The award statuette, which bore the figure of Maria Clara, a character in José Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere, was sculpted by National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino. For two years, the Maria Clara Awards honored the Philippine movie industry's cinematic achievements.

Establishment of FAMAS

Due to the complaints that the Maria Clara Awards were irrelevant because movie writers and not film artisans and filmmakers were the ones voting on the awards, seven writers (Flavio G. Macaso, Vic Generoso, Mario Mijares Lopez, Clemente Roxas, Paulo Dizon, Amado Yasoma and Eddie Infante) established the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences. The FAMAS Awards formally replaced the Maria Clara Awards. In its inception, FAMAS had movie writers, columnists and studio publicists as its voting members.

The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences bestows the FAMAS Award of Merit to individuals who have used their skills and craftsmanship to the best of their abilities for the development and creation of a Filipino motion picture. FAMAS was somewhat designed after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) of the United States and was originally named Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the Philippines before AMPAS protested against the usage of their name.

First major controversy

In 1960, Sampaguita Pictures and Vera-Perez Productions withdrew their participation from the academy because the agreement between producers on who receives the FAMAS Awards was not followed. The agreement was that each of the Big Four studios (LVN Pictures, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions, and Lebran International) would receive the top awards. For example, if the Best Picture goes to one studio, the acting awards should go the other three studios and the directing award should go to another studio. The 1960 FAMAS Awards, nevertheless, failed to honor Sampaguita Pictures with an award, so Sampaguita Pictures and its sister company Vera-Perez Productions withdrew from the academy. In addition, Sampaguita's mogul, Jose Perez, returned all of the FAMAS Awards that the studio has won so far by placing them on public view in his Vera-Perez Gardens. Other movie studios also withdrew from the academy, though they did not return their statuettes. Because of this, in 1961, the FAMAS revamped its membership rules and removed studio representation membership, which left the FAMAS with solely movie writers and columnists.

Emergence of other awards

After a Best Actress tie controversy in 1973 which drew dissension from the public (see FAMAS Records below), FAMAS invited film critics as members of its nominating and awarding committee. These critics left FAMAS in 1976 to form the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) (or the Filipino Film Critics) and subsequently established the Gawad Urian Awards.

The FAMAS's epithet, "Philippines' counterpart of the Oscars", was rescinded by the government in 1981, when it established the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) under Executive Order No. 640-A.^[3] The FAP was patterned after the AMPAS. FAP created awards which aims to counter FAMAS' which was embroiled back then in vote-buying and campaigning scandals.^[4] Other award-giving bodies have sprung up over the years, among the most notable are the Star Awards for Movies in 1985, the Catholic Mass Media Awards of the Catholic Church, the Young Critics Circle Film Desk in 1990, and recently, the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press.

Restructuring of 2003

In 2003, the Best Actress Award of the 51st FAMAS Awards went to Aleck Bovick for a role in a "bold" (soft-porn) movie, Tampisaw, much to the chagrin of some people in the industry. Many people, including previous FAMAS winner Amalia Fuentes, felt FAMAS had killed itself when it gave a FAMAS to Bovick. Nevertheless, FAMAS did its own cleansing. FAMAS President Art Padua restructured the FAMAS by inviting more Palanca Award-winners (Pulitzer Prize of the Philippines) to the academy and dismissing members who have gone AWOL.

Leadership crisis and revocation of SEC

On May 6, 2003, due to non-compliance with reportorial requirements, the corporate charter of the FAMAS was revoked by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This move of the SEC gave FAMAS three years to wind-up its activities. This move also prohibited the staging of an awards night, which is the major activity of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, under the presidency of Art Padua, the FAMAS was able to stage the 52nd and 53rd FAMAS Awards.

In 2004, fifteen new members of the FAMAS were allowed by FAMAS president Art Padua to vote on the annual elections. This was questioned by some members of the FAMAS, some of which are lifetime members of the corporation, who then walked out of the election. FAMAS president Art Padua considered this as a resignation from the corporation, which sparked further unrest in the corporation.

On June 25, 2005, Col. Jimmy Tiu was elected unanimously by 34 of the 53 members of the FAMAS. Nevertheless, Art Padua did not acknowledge the results of the voting, and he considered the elected officers as the "FAMAS breakaway group". This leadership crisis would have a tremendous effect on the 54th FAMAS Awards.

In April 2006, the FAMAS, as represented by Art Padua, released the Official Nominees for the Awards, and on the next months had released the date and venue of the awards. On July 15, the day of the awards night, a 72-hour temporary restraining order was issued by Judge Felixberto Olalia of Manila Regional Trial Court against Art Padua and his set of officers from holding the 54th FAMAS Awards Night. The ruling favored Col. Tiu, the president of the breakaway group. The order was issued because, as presented by Col. Tiu, FAMAS ceased to exist as a registered organization of the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2003. As a SEC non-registered organization, all the FAMAS could do was to hold "winding-up activities" which does not include an awards night. This led to the postponement of the 54th FAMAS Awards night.

In order to go around the SEC restriction of holding the FAMAS Awards, FAMAS decided to resurrect the Maria Clara Awards in order to continue the long legacy of the still-beleaguered FAMAS and to continue awarding Filipino motion picture excellence. In holding the Maria Claras instead of the FAMAS, the FAMAS indeed does not hold its primary and only function, which is the holding of an awards night, which is not therefore a violation of the SEC ruling. The Maria Clara Awards were held on October 13, 2006, in a simple and humble event at Golden Fortune Restaurant in Manila. In retrospect, the FAMAS would not be awarded until the leadership crisis and the registration revocation issues of the corporation are not resolved.

Nevertheless, the group of Art Padua still held the 54th FAMAS Awards on November 12, 2006, at the Main Hall of the National Broadcasting Network Building in Quezon City, despite the SEC ruling against holding an awards night. The awards night set a trend because it is the first awards night in Philippine history to be shown as a feature of another TV program (Pilipinas, Ngayon Na of NBN Channel 4) instead of being a television special.

In 2007, just right before the 55th FAMAS Awards, the Supreme Court of the Philippines finally resolved the leadership crisis of FAMAS and handed the leadership to Art Padua, who is currently the longest-reigning president in the history of the academy. An appeal to the Court of Appeals by Col. Tiu is still pending though.

Present

In 2017, FAMAS partnered with MEGAVISION, headed by Donna Sanchez, to uplift the aging award-giving body. The challenge was to reinvent and rebrand FAMAS to fit into the 21st century.

Award-winning screenwriter Ricardo "Ricky" Lee, agreed to be the jury chairman. Under his leadership, an independent jury of respected film practitioners and academicians was created. There were separate juries for feature-length movies, short films and documentaries, totaling to sixteen (18) juries previewed almost two hundred films.

The nominees were feted at a Nominees' Victory Celebration held on May 22, 2018. Each nominee received a personalized citation and made them all feel like winners. The FAMAS thus became a celebration (and not a competition) of Filipino film artists for cinematic excellence.

The 66th FAMAS Gabi ng Parangal hosted by Piolo Pascual, Kim Chiu and Robi Domingo was held on June 10, 2018, at the Theater at Solaire. Among the highlights and memorable moments included: Lav Diaz, the internationally renown director for more than two decades, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Charo Santos, the independent film "Balangiga: Howling Madness" winning Best Picture, the announcement of the First Place Grand Jury Prize for "Tu Pug Imatuy" and the Second Grand Jury Prize for "Respeto;" the introduction of the Best Adapted Screenplay category, won by "Changing Partners,".

The 67th FAMAS Gabi ng Parangal was hosted by Xian Lim and was held on April 28, 2019, at the Meralco Theater, Pasig. This year marked the celebration of 100 years in Philippine cinema. This momentous occasion in the film industry called for a special edition FAMAS trophy entitled "Centum Maria". Moreover, recognition of female icons in the film industry, in line with the worldwide "We Too" movement, such as Lifetime Awardees: Charo Santos-Concio,Laurice Guillen, Marilou Diaz-Abaya. Other highlights of the awards night were the winners of Best Picture, Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus and Special Jury Award Ang Panahon ng halimaw ; Best Documentary Film All Grown Up ; Best Short Film Siyudad sa Bulawan (City of Gold) and Special Jury Award Balai ( Home ) ; Best Director, Dwein Baltazar of Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus ; Best Actor Eddie Garcia of ML &Victor Neri of A Short History of A Few Bad Things and Best Actress, Nadine Lustre of Never Not Love You.

Current Awards

Retired Awards

• Best Featurette (1955)
• Best Short Film (1958)
• Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award was given as a recognition to an exemplary comedic motion picture thespian who has established a great career and following through astounding comedic prowess onscreen. Awarded from 1998 to 2004.
• Huwarang Bituin ng FAMAS Award honored a motion picture thespian who has shown great charisma, incredible acting prowess, exemplary social skills off-camera and loyal following over a long-spanning career filled with memorable and award-winning performances in Philippine Cinema's greatest screen classics and/or profitable releases. Awarded from 2002 to 2003, and in 2009.
• Dr. Ciriaco Santiago Memorial Award honored performers and directors of productions who have gained international recognition for their cinematic excellence. The award, named after the studio chief of Premiere Productions, was awarded in 1958, 1963, and from 1998 to 2000.
• International Prestige Award of Merit was given to Filipino film productions that have been recognized internationally for their superior cinematic quality and artistry. The award was given in 1957, 1958 and 1961.
• Gregorio Valdez Memorial Award
• Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Special Award was given to either honor the singular achievement of an individual in raising the standards of Philippine motion pictures or to recognize any achievement of an individual that was worth a worthy recognition from the academy.

One-time FAMAS Awards

• Centennial Award was given in the 46th FAMAS Awards (1997) in 1998 to films that honestly reflected Philippine culture and traditions in its entirety and celebrated patriotism, in celebration of the centennial of Philippine independence. The winners of the award were Rizal sa Dapitan (1997) and Damong Ligaw (1997).
• Bukas Palad Award was given in the 47th FAMAS Awards (1998) in 1999 to honor the generosity and indelible contributions of the Philippines' original Queen of Talk, gossip columnist and TV host Inday Badiday, to the Philippine motion picture industry.
• Bituin ng FAMAS Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon Award was given in the 50th FAMAS Awards (2001) in 2002 as a part of its Golden Jubilee celebration. This was given to former FAMAS winner Dolphy, as a recognition of his almost six decades in show business, his indelible contribution to the Philippine motion picture industry and his status as the Philippine King of Comedy
• Natatanging Alagad ng Sining Award was given in 2004 to honor the achievements of the King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr., who died just six months prior to the awards ceremony.

Superlatives