MANILA – This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) will be different. No longer will commercial viability be a consideration for entry or commercial success part of the criteria for awards. For the first time, producers were required to submit finished films to the screening committee, not screenplays.
Instead, the criteria was composed of: 40% for story, audience appeal, and overall impact; 40% for cinematic attributes or technical excellence; 10% Global Appeal; and 10% Filipino sensibility.
This year’s entries include:
- Saving Sally directed by Avid Liongoren and starring Rhian Ramos and Enzo Marcos.
- Seklusyon directed by Erik Matti and starring Rhed Bustamante, Neil Ryan Sese, Ronnie Alonte, Lou Veloso, Phoebe Walker, Dominic Roque, Elora Españo, John Vic De Guzman, and JR Versales.
- Kabisera directed by Arturo San Agustin and Real Florido and starring Nora Aunor, Ricky Davao, JC De Vera, Jason Abalos, RJ Agustin, Victor Neri, Ronwaldo Martin.
- Oro directed by Alvin Yapan and starring Irma Adlawan, Joem Bascon, Mercedes Cabral.
- Die Beautiful directed by Jun Lana and starring Paolo Ballesteros, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes, Luis Alandy, and Albie Casiño.
- Vince & Kath & James directed by Theodore Boborol and starring Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia, and Ronnie Alonte.
- Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNotEnough directed by Marlon Rivera and starring Eugene Domingo, Jericho Rosales, Kean Cipriano, Cai Cortez, Khalil Ramos, and Joel Torre.
- Sunday Beauty Queen directed by Babyruth Villarama Gutierrez and starring Rudelyn Acosta, Cherrie Mae Bretana, Mylyn Jacobo, Hazel Perdido, Leo Selomenio.
Other changes include the scrapping of a separate New Wave category for independent films, the scrapping of cash prizes, and the formation of separate short film category.
There was even an entry in the short film category by Bor Ocampo entitled EJK—“EJK” being the acronym for the systematic and nationwide campaign of extrajudicial killings currently ongoing in the incumbent Duterte regime—in a roster that included: Birds by Christian Paolo Lat; Manila Scream by Roque Lee and Blair Camilo; Mga Bitoon sa Siudad by Jarell Serencio; Mitatang by Arvin Jezer Gagui; Momo by Avid Liongoren; Passage of Life by Renz Vincemark Cruz and Hannah Daryl Gayapa; and Sitsiritsit by Brian Spencer Reyes.
The traditional Parade of the Stars will be on December 23. From December 25, 2016 until January 7, 2017, only the entries of MMFF will be show in movie houses across Metro Manila.
Long-awaited changes
For the first time in years, there were no films by either Vice Ganda and Vice Sotto. Their films, The Super Parental Guardians and Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers, respectively, were denied entry into this entry. Also absent this year were long-running franchises such as Shake, Rattle & Roll (the 15th was in 2014), Mano Po (the 6th was in 2009), and Panday (Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako was a 2012 veiled crossover with the Enteng franchise).
The MMFF had long been derided for coddling derivative, and creatively bankrupt movie franchise from mainstream producers.
Taking advantage of the annual festival’s ban on all foreign competition during the peak viewing season between Christmas and New Year, local mainstream film producers had no financial incentive to produce quality work for the festival.
Previously, 50% of the festival’s criteria was box office success—rendering the award superfluous since profit was reward by itself. The strong opening of Vice Ganda’s The Super Parental Guardians, released prior to this year’s film fest, proves that such mainstream fare need no festival support.
Equally dubious was the MMFF—organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, a government agency with no artistic competency—had jurors that were composed by religious leaders, beauty queens, politicians, and ordinary citizens, none of whom had any credentials in filmmaking.
