Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officer in charge Tim Orbos has called on the film industry to unite and support the 42th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) after some producers and actors questioned the movies that made it as the festival’s 2016 entries.
“I fully support the decision of the selection committee and, even without looking toward the revenues na maaring dumagdag o mawala, we don’t even know, the mere fact na ito ’yung decision nila, ito’y ikakabuti ng movie industry given the fact na, tawag nga nila renaissance of Filipino films. We have to support it. Ngayon, I’m not also saying that the likes of those films that were not included are not of good quality. It’s not that. Maybe now there are indeed changes in so many things and this is just one example, one area,” Orbos, who is also the concurrent head of the MMFF, said in an interview.
It may be noted this will be the first time in many years that there’s no Vic Sotto or Vice Ganda movie, or one produced by Lily Monteverde of Regal Films that made the cut of the filmfest’s entries. In reiterating his support, Orbos said it’s about high time “to show movies with social relevance,” even likening it to the task of President Duterte’s war against illegal drugs and all the traffic schemes they are bent on implementing to ease the daily gridlock in the streets.
“It’s all about changing the norms, going against what we believe is normal. Anything we need to do to develop to become better, to change, would require some adjustments,” he added.
The MMFF 2016 Executive Committee earlier announced the eight entries that will be screened in the annual film festival, which opens on December 25 and runs until January 7, 2017.
They are as follows:
- Die Beautiful (October Train Films and The Idea First Company), directed by Jun Robles Lana and starring Paolo Ballesteros
- Kabisera, directed by Arturo San Agustin and Real Florido, and starring Nora Aunor, Ricky Davao, JC de Vera, Jason Abalos, Victor Neri and RJ Agustin
- Saving Sally, directed by Avid Liongoren, and starring Rhian Ramos and Enzo Marcos
- Seklusyon (Reality Entertainment), directed by Erik Matti, and starring Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, Elora Espano, Neil Ryan Sese, Ronnie Alonte, Lou Veloso, Dominique Roque, John Vic de Guzman and JR Versales
- Sunday Beauty Queen, directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, and starring Hazel Perdid, Maylyn Jacobo, Cherry Bretania and Leo Selomenio
- Vince & Kath & James (Star Cinema), directed by Ted Boborol, and starring Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia and Ronnie Alonte
- Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: Forever is Not Enough (Martinez Rivera Films and Quantum Films in association with TBA), directed by Marlon Rivera, and starring Eugene Domingo and Chris Martinez
- Oro, directed by Alvin Yapan and starring Joem Bascon
The so-called Magic 8 entries were selected based on the following criteria: story, audience appeal and overall impact (40 percent); cinematic attributes or technical expertise (40 percent ); global appeal (10 prcent); and Filipino sensibility (10 percent).
Meanwhile, here are the short film entries for MMFF 2016:
- Birds by Christian Paulo Lat
- EJK by Bor Ocampo
- Manila Screen by Roque Lee & Blair Camilo
- Mga Bitoon sa Siyudad by Jarell Serencio
- Mitatang by Argin Jezer Gagui
- Momo by Avid Liongoren
- Passage of Life by Renz Vincemark Cruz and Hannah Daryl Gayapa
- Sitsiritsit by Brian Spencer Reyes