The 9th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in 1983, with only eight films presented.
Cine Suerte's Karnal won the Best Picture and four other awards. The major individual awards, however, was garnered by Lea Productions' Bago Kumalat ang Kamandag including Best Actor and Best Actress for Anthony Alonzo and Coney Reyes respectively, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Willie Milan among others. Other awardees include the films Hot Property and Tengteng de Sarapen.
RVQ Productions' Tengteng de Sarapen was the top grosser of the festival.
Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
In August 1983, American political advisor Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), requested that the festival be moved from December to November, lest the MPAA refrain from attending the 1984 edition of the Manila International Film Festival. His request was criticized by members of the Philippine film industry, with one producer arguing that November is often a time when film attendance is at its lowest in the country.
During the awards night, many were surprised after Coney Reyes won the Best Actress award for the film Bago Kumalat ang Dugo and Anthony Alonzo is given the Best Actor award for the same film, besting acting greats Charito Solis, Phillip Salvador, and Vic Silayan, who were all in the film Karnal. In addition, juror's standards of giving Willie Milan the Best Director award against Lino Brocka is questioned.