The 49 th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival is all set to unfold December 25 2023 with ten films vying
for assorted festival prizes and awards.
It used to be limited to eight entries but the flood of submissions was such the MMDA which manages the
festival decided to add two more entries.
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman and MMFF concurrent chair Don Artes
announced there were a total of 26 total entries. “It’s a record number for script submissions.”
Lawyer Artes is elated that the chosen films featured the country’s top actors.
This year’s selection committee is headed by veteran industry practitioner Jesse Ejercito (she replaced veteran actress Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo who begged off as she was in the cast of one of the entries) and screenwriter and director Roy Iglesias.
And the lucky ten are: 1. Becky and Badette (The Ideafirst Company directed and written by: Jun Robles);
- Broken Hearts Trip by Smart Films Productions directed by Lemuel Lorca; 3. Firefly by GMA Pictures
directed by Zig Madamba; 4. Gomburza produced by Jesuit Communications Foundation, Inc. and directed by Pepe Diokno 5. Mallari by directed by Derick Cabrido; 6. When I Met You in Tokyo by JG Productions directed by Conrado Peru, Rommel Penesa and Christopher de Leon; 7. Family of Two — A Mother and Son’s Story by Cineko Productions, Inc. 9. K(Ampon) by Quantum Films; 9. Penduko by Sari Sari Network and (10) Rewind by ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., APT Entertainment, Inc. and Agostodos Pictures, Inc.
As film promotions begin, let’s rewind how the festival came to be before its 1975 edition.
The idea for Metro Manila film festival actually started in 1966 when then Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas
inaugurated the Manila Film Festival in summer just in time for the celebration of the city’s foundation day in June. Its main objective was to get Filipino films screened in first-run theaters which at that time only catered to American films.
The modest yet exceptional films of Manila Film Festival included Daigdig ng Mga Api (1966), Dahil sa
Isang Bulaklak (1967), Manila, Open City (1968), Patria Adorada (1969), Dimasalang (1970), Cadena de Amor (1971), Elias, Basilio at Sisa (1972), Nueva Vizcaya (1973) and Alaala mo Daigdig Ko (1974).
The Metro Manila Film Festival in 1975 with other Metro Manila cities participating opened on Christmas
day and extended up to first week of the first month of the new year.
The first few years of the festival yielded gems of cinema with film watchers calling the festival output as
the “second golden age of Filipino cinema.”
Indeed, the most awarded films lived up to the standard of seasoned cineastes with such entries as “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag,” “Insiang,” “Burlesk Queen,” “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon,” “Rubia Servios,” “Langis at Tubig,” “Karma,” “Kisapmata,” “Ang Panday,” “Atsay,” “Himala,” “Bona” and “Ina Ka ng Anak Mo,” among others.
The MMFF also brought out the best output of the now National Artist for Film Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Jose
Rizal, Muro-ami and Bagong Buwan).
The various editions of the festival also unearthed a rare gem of cinema from Eddie Romero (Ganito Kami
Noon, Papano Kayo Ngayon?) winning top prizes in the 1976 MMFF (Best Film, Best Actor (Christopher de Leon), Best Director (Eddie Romero) and Best Music (Lutgardo Labad).
But as quality films remained top newsmakers of the festival, the need for commercial income outshone the
artistic consideration A keen observer of the festival goings-on put it bluntly: “But like all endeavors where politicians and their numerous cohorts are involved, the MMFF’s reason for being was too good to last. Through the years, the event gradually evolved into a purely moneymaking venture. Quality became an afterthought starting in the mid ’80s, as the festival’s screening committee put more emphasis on a film’s potential to make money.”
Just when you thought the Metro Manila Film Festival couldn’t go any lower, it did with a top-grosser that, in the word’s reviewer Philbert Dy, is “an insult” and “shows pure contempt for its audience.”
The film was “My Little Bossings,” and what’s terribly disappointing about it, as many others have also pointed out, is that it was barely even a movie and more like an extended advertisement for the roster of products its producers (Kris Aquino, Vic Sotto) and stars (Bimby Aquino, Ryzza Mae Dizon) endorsed.
“It doesn’t even attempt to hide the product placement within the context of a plot-driven scene,” said Dy.
Lourd de Veyra wrote in a hilariously pained open letter to “Bossing” Sotto on Spot.ph: “Hanggang ganito
na lang ba?… Hindi kami nagbayad ng P220 para bentahan ng pancit canton, tinapay, sabong panlaba,
cough syrup, at kung ano-ano pang produkto ang ine-endorse ninyong dalawa ni Kris Aquino. Ganoon na ba kayo ka-desperado? Hindi naman siguro.”
This year, the summer edition of the MMFF continued and it lured far superior entries than its Christmas edition namely (About Us but Not About Us directed by Jun Lana, Apag by Brilliante Mendoza) with fairly entertaining movies (Here Comes the Groom, Pagputi Na Ang Buhok Ko).
The most talked about and most widely reviewed entry was Lana’s About Us but Not About Us.
By a stroke of excellent writing and direction, Lana produced a masterpiece exploring the characters’ past and present without flashbacks thrown in.
There is no doubt About Us but Not About Us is the best entry in the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film
Festival.
Best director and best screenplay awardee Jun Lana reflected on how the film came about: “In the past, I
always try to think of my audience every time I make a film. Not with this one. My only goal was simply to save myself. I was going through a lot and was severely depressed to the brink of suicide. Ashamed to ask for help from anyone, I turned to the one thing that has always given me comfort: writing. For three straight days, I wrote without a break, remembering and acknowledging many traumas that stifled me much of my life, including being molested repeatedly as a child. Part fiction, and part confessional, the film allowed me to expunge my demons, come to terms with my dark past, and take full control of my narrative.”
Last year’s 48th Metro Manila Film Festival started with a bang with the eight lucky entries making a pretty
strong showing at the box office. Which means live audiences are back with a vengeance.
The lucky eight entries were: Deleter (Viva Communications), Family Matters (Cineko Productions),
Mamasapano Now It Can Be Told (Borracho Film), My Father, Myself (3:16 Media Network), Labyu With An Accent (ABS CBN), Nananahimik Ang Gabi (Rein Entertainment Productions), Partners in Crime (ABS
CBN Film) and The Teacher (Ten17 Film).
But on the fifth day before the new year, the less profound and the inane lorded it over the box office.
The initial unofficial box office results were in favor of Vice Ganda and Coco Martin starrers (Partners in
Crime and Labyu With an Accent) with Mikhail Red’s Deleter and Nuel Naval’s Family Matters following
closely.
Last year’s most widely reviewed by both seasoned and layman critics was no doubt Family Matters which
added 140 more theaters due to its strong box office clout.
It has taut and well-fleshed out screenplay by Mel del Rosario and sensitive direction by Nuel Naval.
And what a cohesive acting ensemble! Why the film was not even nominated for best film and its acting ensemble totally ignored was a big question mark.
This is a perfect example of the film fest jurors totally isolated from the viewing public’s choice and with
critics in perfect agreement with audiences.
But as they as they say, each according to juror’s taste. In the end, audiences will have the final say.
How will this year’s MMFF edition turn out?
Will it get better income lost during the pandemic?
Will it yield another cinematic gem?
In 2011, the MMFF yielded 5 billion revenue when it ended its two-week run.
Despite the bigger earnings, the number of quality entries nosedived with comedians lording it over the
awards night for films that gave comedy a tired, old, if embarrassing, image.
Whatever happened to the past editions of MMFF that turned out cinematic gems like Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s
“Jose Rizal” and “Muro-Ami,” which made the Filipino filmmaker at par with the world’s best?
Abaya caught the tailend of the era of Filipino auteurs (or film directors with a distinctive style), represented by Brocka, Romero, Gerry de Leon and Ishmael Bernal and Eddie Romero, among others.
Of that period of Filipino filmmakers, Abaya had this to say: “They had creative autonomy from their producers for as long as they could collaborate on one thing that was of common interest which was casting. Then the director was pretty much left to execute a film according to their creative judgment and those directors were very well respected.”
Quo vadis MMFF?