The Grand Slam in the Philippine movie industry refers to people who have won all four major film awards in the same category in the same year. The four major organizations that evaluate all Filipino films released in the country and hand out awards for best cinematic output in various categories in a calendar year are the: Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) – It is the country's oldest movie award-giving body and was established in 1953. It is the successor of the Maria Clara Awards. Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) – It is the country's premier film critics group composed of 10 esteemed film scholars and National Artists as members and was established in 1976. It is the country's counterpart of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC). It hands out the annual Gawad Urian Awards, the only awards that uses Filipino language. Its first awards were given in 1977. Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) – It is the country's counterpart of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It was established in 1981 as the official film industry organization. It hands out the Luna Awards (formerly known as FAP Awards), equivalent of the Oscars. Its first awards were given in 1983. Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) – It was established in 1985 and hands out the Star Awards for Movies. It also hands out television awards, starting in 1987. This made the PMPC as the country's counterpart of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and made Star Awards the equivalent of the Golden Globe Awards but it holds the movie and television awarding ceremonies separately rather than as a whole.
Background The term "grand slam" was coined in 1983, when Vilma Santos won the Best Actress award from FAMAS, Urian, FAP and the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) for her performance in Relasyon. The Catholic Mass Media Awards were created in 1978 and beside movies, they also honor television, radio, print, advertising and music. This awards were part of the original four major awards. When Star Awards were created in 1985, there were five major awards. Ever since the CMMA ceased giving out acting awards sometime in the 1990s, this awards had been relegated as a minor award. Today, "grand slam" has been generally used to refer to winning awards in FAMAS, Urian, Luna and Star in the same year for the same category. In FAMAS Awards, people who had won five awards in a certain competitive category are given Hall of Fame awards and cannot be nominated anymore in any subsequent ceremony. These people can still get a "grand slam" if they win in the other three major awards.
There are rare instances in which an actor/actress won awards for the same role but was placed in different categories because the four organizations mixed up whether a role should be a lead or a supporting. Nevertheless, they still win a "grand slam". For example, Dennis Trillo almost won a "grand slam" for his role in Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita. He was placed in Best Supporting Actor at the FAMAS and Urian while being placed in Best Actor at the Luna (FAP) and Star. This also can occur when an actor/actress is placed in child categories while being placed in lead or supporting categories in other awards. Only FAMAS and Star give out the child categories. For example, Jiro Manio won Best Child Actor at the FAMAS for his role in Magnifico but won Best Actor at the other three awards.
Nevertheless, it still very rare that a "grand slam" happens, especially now with the boom of independent films in the country. Since 1983, there have been only 19 instances when a "grand slam" occurred.
A further achievement is winning awards given by other award-giving bodies such as the Young Critics Circle, Golden Screen, Gawad TANGLAW, Gawad PASADO and others.
Modern Era of Philippine Cinema post 2020
Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award
The Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award is a special distinction presented by the Philippine Arts, Film and Television Academy (PAFTA) to recognize exceptional achievement in Philippine cinema during the modern era. The award is conferred upon an actress who wins at least four major Best Actress awards from recognized Philippine film-awarding institutions for a single performance within an awards cycle.PAFTA Awards
The distinction is based on the concept of a "Grand Slam" in Philippine cinema, a term commonly used to describe performers who receive multiple Best Actress honors from major award-giving bodies for the same role. The Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award seeks to recognize contemporary achievements that demonstrate broad critical and industry acclaim.Modern Grandslam Best Actress
Criteria To qualify for the Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award, an actress must win at least four Best Actress awards from the following major Philippine film institutions:Philippine film
Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards Box Office Entertainment Awards (GMMSF) Gawad Urian Awards Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards PMPC Star Awards for Movies Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival Awards EDDYS Awards Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)
Purpose The award recognizes outstanding artistic achievement, critical excellence, and industry recognition in Philippine cinema. It is intended to honor performances that receive widespread acclaim across multiple award-giving organizations and represent a significant contribution to contemporary Filipino filmmaking.Artistic Excellence
Notable Recipient
Marian Rivera Marian Rivera was recognized as a recipient of the Modern Grand Slam Best Actress distinction for her performance in the film Balota.Marian Rivera winning four major best actress
Her qualifying Best Actress victories included:
FAMAS Award for Best Actress (2025) Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival Best Actress Award (2024) EDDYS Award for Best Actress (2025) GMMSF Box Office Entertainment Award for Best Actress (2025)
By securing four major Best Actress awards for the same performance, Rivera satisfied the established criteria for the Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award. Her achievement is regarded as a notable accomplishment in the modern era of Philippine cinema and reflects broad recognition from both critics and industry organizations.Philippine Actress
Significance The Modern Grand Slam Best Actress Award is considered a recognition of excellence in contemporary Philippine filmmaking. It highlights performances that achieve distinction across multiple major award-giving institutions and serves as a benchmark for artistic achievement among actresses in the Philippine film industry.Philippine Filmmaking
Winners
Best Actress Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.1983 Vilma Santos Relasyon Yes Yes Yes Not yet instituted 1991Nora AunorAndrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina?YesYesYesYes1993Lorna TolentinoNarito ang Puso KoYesYesYesYes1994Vilma SantosDahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story)Hall of FamerYesYesYes1996Nora AunorThe Flor Contemplacion StoryHall of FamerYes; tied with Helen Gamboa, Bagong BayaniYesYes1997Sharon CunetaMadrastaYesYes; tied with Nora Aunor, Bakit May Kahapon Pa?YesYes1999Vilma SantosBata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?Hall of FamerYesYesYes; tied with Nida Blanca, Sana Pag-ibig Na2000Elizabeth OropesaBulaklak ng MaynilaYesYesYesYes2003Vilma SantosDekada '70Hall of FamerYesYesYes
Best Actor Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.1986 Phillip Salvador Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim Yes Yes Yes Yes 1991Christopher de LeonBiktima and My Other WomanYes, for My Other WomanYes, for My Other WomanYes, for BiktimaYes, for Biktima2004Jiro ManioMagnificoYesYesYesYes
Best Supporting Actress Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.1987 Nida Blanca Magdusa Ka Yes Yes; tied with Anita Linda, Takaw Tukso Yes Yes1997Gina AlajarMulanay: Sa Pusod ng ParaisoYesYesYesYes2000Glydel MercadoSidhiYesYesYesYes; tied with Rufa Mae Quinto, Dahil May Isang Ikaw
Best Supporting Actor Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.1994 Ronaldo Valdez May Minamahal Yes Yes Yes Yes2003Piolo PascualDekada '70YesYesYesYes
Best Director Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.2004 Maryo J. De los Reyes Magnifico Yes Yes Yes Yes
Best Sound Year NameFilm/sFAMASUrianLuna (FAP)StarRef.1992 Gaudencio Barredo Hihintayin Kita sa Langit Yes Yes Yes Yes
Year is based on when the Grand Slam was received, not the year when the film was released. Won the Grand Slam, including the CMMA. Was placed in Best Child Actor at the FAMAS while being placed in Best Actor at the other three majors.
Failed bids