, a pet project of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA),){kind=link}
FOR THE LAST six years, the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), a pet project of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), has been performing dismally at the box-office.
Worst, it had altogether ceased to report publicly concrete estimated—at least—figures of its overall earnings, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when its entries were screened digitally.
In 2019, when the viral rush was still on the sideline, the festival had failed to reach its one-billion-peso target when it only grossed P955M, as per MMDA press release, as compared to the P1.060B mark in 2018.
In 2020, the online edition of the fest gathered only P31M, according to the official announcement from seemingly unofficial results.
Meanwhile, the succeeding years saw an uphill battle of recapturing the bailiwick of the film fiesta—the return of moviegoers to cinemas amid a hybrid of online screening and theater exhibition during selective seasons although the last two or three years, the festival has found a setting of a full showing in cinema houses.
‘Will this year’s film festival finally gain momentum to its optimum maximizing its potential on the quality entries selected by the committee? Banking on the eclectic lineup, the 51st MMFF is touted to be among the bests in the current local filmmaking that combines, again, “art” and “business.” ‘
ENERGY AND MONEY
Still, MMFF and MMDA have to grapple with the gradual increase—with no exact and concrete figures released—in the rise of higher receipts at the cashier.
After all, the success of the event is perennially and typically gauged in the income generated by it.
Or to toe the line of the usual suspect—so that it can sustain the program and the producers are inspired to pump in energy and money the next time around.
Mostly, the pronouncements were safe and customary like “this year’s box-office records are higher than last year” or “MMFF performed better than the combined results during the pre and post-pandemic atmosphere” or “Hollywood movies had overtaken the prospects of the local titles” etc.
Will this year’s film festival finally gain momentum to its optimum maximizing its potential on the quality entries selected by the committee?
Banking on the eclectic lineup, the 51st MMFF is touted to be among the bests in the current local filmmaking that combines, again, “art” and “business.”
GLORIOUS DAYS
Offhand, the names of the projects might be in the mold of independent filmmaking especially the employ of English titles and their directors are mostly coming in from the cutting-edge indie spirit, and although the outfits are the usual commercial movie manufacturers, the effort to bring back the glorious days of the fest is palpably felt.
Here are the eight chosen few of the post-golden years of the annual fest:
“Call Me Mother” (Jun Robles Lana, dir., Star Cinema, IdeaFirst Company and Viva Films), a family drama starring Vice Ganda, Nadine Lustre, Carmi Martin etc.
“Rekonek” (Jade Castro, dir., Reality MM Studios), a family drama featuring Carmina Villaroel, Gerald Anderson, Gloria Diaz, Zoren Legaspi, Alexa Miro etc.
“Manila’s Finest” (Raymond Red, dir., Cignal TV Inc.), a crime thriller showcasing Piolo Pascual, Rica Peralejo, Enrique Gil, Ashtine Olviga etc.
“Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins” (episodes “1775”: Shugo Prako; “2025”: Joey de Guzman; “2050”: Ian Lorenos, dirs., Regal Entertainment), a horror, supernatural anthology headlining an ensemble cast headed by Carla Abellana, Janice de Belen, Luisa Andallo, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Richard Gutierrez, Ivana Alawi, Manilyn Reynes, Fyang Smith, JM Ibarra, Dustin Yu etc.
“I’m Perfect” (Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo, dir., Nathan Studios), a social romance presenting Down syndrome actors Krystel Go and Earl Amaba with other performers etc.
“Loe You So Bad” (Mae Cruz-Alviar, dir., Star Cinema, GMA Pictures, Regal Entertainment), a romance drama top billing by Bianca de Vera, Will Ashley, Dustin Yu etc.
“Bar Boys After School” (Kip Oebanda, dir., 901 Studios), a drama featuring Carlo Aquino, Kean Cipriano, Enzo Pineda. Rocco Nacino etc. and
“Unmarry” (Jeffrey Jetiruan, dir., Quantum Films, Cineko Productions), a drama starring Angelica Panganiban, Zanjoe Marudo, Eugene Domingo, Solenn Heussaf etc.
MMFF 2025 opens on Christmas day, December 25 in cinemas nationwide with a Parade of Stars on December 19 in Makati City.
Good luck!