The days of whine and MMFF

It is called fearless forecast. However, I’d rather call mine fearful forecast (scary if I get it wrong). Even in an awards race like the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) with only seven entries, you can never tell for sure.

For the second time around, the composition of the board of judges is a cross-section of society. From the most learned to school dropouts, who probably are watching movies for the first time (“Ohhh! Pictures that move  dazzling!”).

Or dropouts who are hopeless movie fans (“my screen idol can’t go wrong”) to the learned who find local flicks yucky  beneath their level (“Tagalog movies are kadiri!”).

But thank heavens there is still a section there that understands film and literature. They are the only hope for this year’s filmfest to hand the trophies to the truly deserving.

Unfortunately, this annual film festival that makes so much money for the government (being run by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or MMDA) keeps changing rules. One time in the early ’80s, the MMFF decided to give extra points to the entries with wholesome family values in the Best Picture category.

But what else is wholesome in today’s modern world? Even Justin Bieber gets (falsely) accused of getting some crazed woman pregnant.

Movies are supposed to reflect life where crime exists  like murder, rape and corruption (but only if you are a small fry, otherwise you are addressed as Hon.). Life is unpredictable and the flow of great movies is supposed to be like that  viewers cannot be several steps ahead of the story.

But going back to that infamous ’80s MMFF period that encouraged the entries to push for wholesome family entertainment (the idea was noble, but unrealistic). In the end, no thanks to the extra, undeserved points, the best picture turned out to be a senseless comedy that didn’t annex any award to its grand prize. Its overall result caused a lot of embarrassment to the organizers. You can Google the title, but it’s not worth the effort. The film  if you can call it that  is forgettable.

Or what about that year when the MMFF imposed an environmental theme? Except for one, the rest of the entries did not follow. The judges simply ignored the rules and the obedient one lost not only in the awards derby, but also at the box-office.  

At least, during the time when Bayani Fernando headed the MMFF (being the MMDA chairman), it was easier to guess the Best Picture winner after he required the entries to have commercial viability. The crappiest one that was devoured by the masses went home as the Best Film.

In due fairness to Fernando, he was able to put money back to the MMFF coffers with that decision. Movie attendance was already dwindling prior to that. All Fernando had to do was press the tried-and-tested formula: Feed the public trash and they savor it.

This year, there is again democratization in the selection of winners. That makes it difficult to predict the winners. But I will try anyway. If I get it wrong, don’t hunt me down. I will skip town.

And so here goes my fearful forecast:

Best Indie Film  Pintakasi. With producer Imee Marcos pumping P20M into the project, its budget is no different from those intended for commercial run.

Best Supporting Actress  Eugene Domingo (in My Househusband). But don’t be surprised if Solenn Heussaff (in Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow) suddenly grabs the award from Eugene, who also won it last year for Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na ‘to!).

Best Supporting Actor  John Regala (Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story).

I think that’s a done deal. It’s his and his alone.

Best Actress  This is a contest between two M’s: Maricel Soriano (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow) and Maricar Reyes for playing the blind woman in the Tamawo episode of the last installment of Shake, Rattle & Roll. But most likely, it’s going to be Maricel.

Best Actor  Kris Aquino will get her Christmas wish: The Best Actor trophy for Dingdong Dantes, her leading man in Segunda Mano. His possible runner-up: Jericho Rosales (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow).

Best Picture  Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story.

It is actually even harder to determine if the director, Tikoy Aguiluz, who had disowned the movie after it was supposedly edited behind his back will be happy with the Best Picture win.

 This proves once again that in this world, you cannot please everyone. And this saying is always so true after the filmfest awards night. The losers rant and complain.

Tomorrow, Dec. 28, is the awards night and don’t even bother to know where it is since it is invitational (if you are invited, you get an invite and it’s there). Don’t tune in to the TV set either. The telecast won’t be until Jan. 1  very late in the evening  on ABS-CBN.

As you read this, we are still in the thick of the filmfest excitement and every participant is anxious about tomorrow’s results. By Thursday, expect a different mood as we usher in the Days of Whine and MMFF.