I'M CALLING on all Cebuanos to support this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which will showcase eight full-length films from the latest crop of talented filmmakers.
These will be showing in your nearest theaters starting on Sunday, Christmas Day.
To those who are fond of comedy, they can pick between the Eugene Domingo-starrer “Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2” and the movie that garnered international awards for Paolo Ballesteros, “Die Beautiful.” Millennials have “Saving Sally” and “Vince & Kathy & James” to choose from, or they can watch both.
Those who want their movies with social relevance can pick among “Kabisera,” a Nora Aunor vehicle about extrajudicial killings; “Sunday Beauty Queen,” a documentary about the lives of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong and their annual beauty pageant; and “Oro,” a film about the clash between the environment and man's fight to survive.
And finally, for horror buffs, there's “Seklusyon,” a period film about novice priests facing their inner demons.
I know. Many of you are scratching your head. Where are the films of MMFF regulars Vic Sotto, or Vice Ganda, or Kris Aquino?
The lineup was met with more than just incredulity by Regal matriarch Mother Lily, producer of the “Shake, Rattle & Roll” and “Mano Po” franchises. Mother Lily, Lily Monteverde in real life, was reportedly so disappointed when she found out that independent films dominated this year's festival that she “literally” cried. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her entry “Mano Po 7: Chinoy” not being picked.
She said this year's films are not for the Christmas Season “when a lot of moviegoers are families,” whatever that means. Because I thought that the festival focuses on FILIPINO films, not FAMILY films. Anyway, this year's entries are all for general patronage. So there.
However, I do understand her lament. After all, during the course of the festival, only MMFF films are shown in movie theaters (although foreign movies can be shown in 3D and IMAX theaters).
In other words, with a captive audience the festival is a sure cash cow for big studios like Regal. And it had been. For many years.
So don't give me that spiel about worrying about the children because, come on, who's kidding who, it all boils down to box office sales. Otherwise, why would Monteverde bring up the bonuses that people who make up class C, D, E “like the carpenters (her words, not mine)” receive during this time of the year?
With that said, Dr. Nicanor Tiongson shouldn't have said, “Let us not dumb down the audience,” in defense of this year's entries. There was no need for the chairman of the eight-member MMFF screening committee to be condescending.
But hey, at least the festival has gotten a lot of press as a result, which should be good news for the entries.
After all, I thought this year's MMFF is about giving little players a chance to play in the big leagues.