‘The movie got awards for Best Film, Best Actress for Morissette Amon, Best Supporting Actress for Rachel Alejandro and Best Supporting Actor for Noel Comia, Jr. and a special award.’
Song of the Fireflies,” a musical film based on the inspiring journey of the Loboc Children’s Choir, won five awards at the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF). The movie got awards for Best Film, Best Actress for Morissette Amon, Best Supporting Actress for Rachel Alejandro and Best Supporting Actor for Noel Comia, Jr. and a Special Award.
The MIFF is a Hollywood-based filmfest that began in 2024 to showcase, promote and uplift Filipino films, and celebrate the connections that Manila has with Hollywood. The 2025 edition was originally set last January but was rescheduled to March 4 to March 7 due to the wildfires that occurred across Southern California. Aside from the filmfest winners, outstanding Filipino filmmakers and the first responders of the fires were also honored by MIFF.
Rachel and Morissette were present to personally receive their trophies at the MIFF Gala held on March 7 (US time), at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
“It feels very different to be up here receiving an award that’s not for my voice and for my singing,” said Morissette.
“Song of the Fireflies” is her acting debut.
The singer thanked the producers at Culturtain Musicat Productions, namely: Girlie Rodis, Rachel Alejandro, and Celeste Legaspi for trusting her to play the role of Loboc Children’s Choir (LCC) founder Alma Taldo.
Morissette also expressed gratitude to the MIFF “for giving a platform to premiere our film.”
She also said she was sharing the award with everyone in production team headed by director King Palisoc and cinematographer Pong Ignacio. She made special mention of her acting coach Bombi Plata “for helping me out so much for the role”.
In a very heartfelt gesture, she dedicated her win to the current Loboc Children’s Choir who portrayed the first generation LCC in the movie. During the principal photography in Manila and Bohol in 2023, Morisette had grown close to the choir members on and off camera. “(They) are the real lead actors and actresses… They deserve this award as well. I am so honored to have shared this experience with them,” Morissette said of the LCC.
Rachel, likewise, expressed gratitude to the entire “Song of the Fireflies” team, from her co-producers Girlie, Celeste and screenwriter-producer Sarge Lacuesta; to co-stars Morissette, Noel Comia Jr., and Krystal Brimner, to director King Palisoc, and Victor Harry Hartman whose company Hartman Communications is giving PR support to the film.
“Song of the Fireflies” features several original songs sung by Morissette, Rachel and the LCC. In her speech, Rachel made special mention of the Filipino musicians who composed these songs: National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, Louie Ocampo, Raimund Marasigan, Krina Cayabyab, Jazz Nicolas.
“This movie is about the superpowers of Filipinos – our singing voices and our resilience,” Rachel underscored. Before she ended her speech, she singled out a very special person, perhaps the greatest inspiration and influence in her singing career. Raising her trophy, Rachel said, “Dad… Hajji Alejandro, this is for you.”
The victories at MIFF are very meaningful to the creators as they have struggled for almost six years to bring the musical film to fruition, persevering through the pandemic, a typhoon in Bohol and the LA wildfires to share the remarkable story of the LCC.
“What a journey it has been!” producer Girlie Rodis wrote on Facebook.
Girlie shared, “’Song of the Fireflies’ from 2018 to 2025. We finally had our world premier in Hollywood at the TCL Cinema… The screening was everything I had hoped for. They loved our little film. Even the Americans in the audience were moved. We had quite a full audience and an attendance of enthusiastic Filipino American film enthusiasts.”
Hopefully, the audience in the Philippines need not wait long to see “Song of the Fireflies” as producer MQuest Ventures is eyeing a summer release.
