Metro Filmfest tribute to indies

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair and Metro Manila Filmfest (MMFF) executive committee over-all chair, lawyer Francis Tolentino said five independent films were chosen by a Selection Committee from among the nine independent film producers who submitted their entries in this year’s festival. These films will be shown a week before the actual MMFF playdate on Dec. 25.

He said that the event intends to promote quality independent films and to encourage filmmakers with limited budget. “This is our way of helping new filmmakers to showcase their movies and to increase public awareness on these kind of films which are not commercially shown in local theaters but are internationally acclaimed in foreign film festivals,” he added.

Dubbed as a Tribute to the Indie Films-Philippine Premier, the exhibition of five independent films will serve as a prelude to the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival where each of the following titles will be shown one at a time from Dec. 16 to 20 at SM Megamall: Senior Year by Jerrold Tarog; Nasaan si Hefte by Jonnah Lim; Presa by Adolf Alix Jr.; Slow Fade by Rommel Sales; and Rindido by Noriel Jarito.

By supporting the indie films, the MMFF in effect calls the attention of the movie-going public to take notice and patronize the new breed of filmmakers whose pictures are attuned and relevant to the present times. This will also introduce the indie filmmakers to the viewers outside Metro Manila, which comprise 45 percent of the movie market in the country.