Metro Filmfest announces 8 official entries

For the first time in its 34-year history, the annual Metro Manila Film Festival has included an animation film as one of its official entries. Cutting Edge Productions’ Dayo, directed by Robert Quilao with Artemio Abad Jr. and Eric Cabatug, was chosen as one of the eight official entries in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines, which kicks off on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

Other official entries, as announced by Julie Borje, chair of the Selection Committee yesterday, are Baler (Viva Communications), Desperadas 2 (Regal Entertainment, Inc.), Shake, Rattle & Roll X (Regal Entertainment, Inc.), Magkaibigan (Maverick Films,  Inc.), One Night Only (Canary Films); Escaleras and Ungasis (20 years After) (OctoArts Films) and Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat (Star Cinema).

 Unlike last year which had nine official entries, this year’s entries are down to eight since all of them will be shown simultaneously as one batch during the 10-day run of the filmfest. Last year, the entries were spread out into two batches: The first shown on Dec. 25 and the second on Jan. 1 early this year.

This year’s official entries were chosen on the basis of the following criteria: Story, creativity, innovativeness, global appeal, commercial viability, Filipino cultural/historical value, and the production outfit’s capacity to produce the film in time for the December filmfest.