MANILA, Philippines—Anne Curtis was sure the Best Actress Award in the recent 34th Metro Manila Film Festival would go to Dawn Zulueta. Or Maricel Laxa. Or Ai-Ai de las Alas. Anyone but herself.

Well, Anne’s name was called on awards night for her work in Mark Meily’s period movie “Baler,” which also won Best Picture.

The Fil-Aussie actress said she did not have a thank-you speech prepared. Actually, neither did the other winning performers.

Best Actor Christopher de Leon, star of Jose Javier Reyes’ “Magkaibigan,” described the film as “really very simple, [so] I didn’t think the jury would give the award to me.”

De Leon’s toughest competitors were Jericho Rosales for “Baler” and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who co-starred in “Magkaibigan.”

Phillip Salvador, who bagged the Best Supporting Actor trophy, also for “Baler,” said he was happy enough to have been given a “second look” by Viva Films head Vic del Rosario. Winning, he stressed, was “a bonus.”

Manilyn Reynes, declared Best Supporting Actress for Reyes’ “One Night Only,” was not even around to accept her award. Reyes, who did so on her behalf, said Reynes was, in fact, a “last-minute replacement.”

“This victory is not just for me, but for all the people who worked hard to make this film,” Salvador told Inquirer Entertainment shortly after the awards rites at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City. “I feel fortunate to [have been] part of a great period movie.”

He was very impressed with Curtis’ work, Salvador added. He plays the role of Daniel Reyes, a Filipino rebel leader and father to Curtis’ character Feliza. “Malayo pa ang mararating n’ya,” he said of the actress. “She’s very fortunate to have had the chance to work with Mark Meily, [who] can motivate an actor to do [well] kahit pagod na pagod na.”

Meily was named Best Director.

On awards night, Curtis said she was very nervous. Later, she said winning “made my 2008 complete.”

She had competed with Zulueta and Laxa (“Magkaibigan”) and De las Alas (“Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat”).

De Leon, who had won five awards from the MMFF, said he would not mind if the jurors had picked another actor, preferably Estrada.

He told Inquirer, “I’ve not seen Jericho in ‘Baler’ but I know that Jinggoy, who did well in ‘Saudi’ last year, did a better job in ‘Magkaibigan.’”

Last year, Estrada bagged the top acting plum in the festival for his role as a distraught overseas Filipino worker in “Katas ng Saudi,” also written and directed by Reyes.

Email mcruz@inquirer.com.ph