Mother Lily: I don’t take it against them

MANILA, Philippines - Regal matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde didn’t deny her disappointment over the non-inclusion of her film Mano Po 7: Chinoy in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

She admitted to reporters in a presscon this week that she felt “so sad” and even cried over the MMFF rejection. The perceived snub came as a shock to several members of the press as well as industry insiders. After all, Regal Entertainment — one of the country’s biggest film studios — has fielded entries year in year out, becoming one of the “regulars” at the long-standing holiday film festival that opens every Christmas Day.

It was announced that the MMFF Magic 8 are Jun Robles Lana’s Die Beautiful, Erik Matti’s Seklusyon, Arturo San Agustin and Real Florido’s Kabisera, Baby Ruth Villarama’s Sunday Beauty Queens, Marlon Rivera’s Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNotEnough, Alvin Yapan’s Oro, Avid Liongoren’s Saving Sally and Ted Boborol’s Vince & Kath & James, the only big studio-produced film (Star Cinema) in the line-up.

The other MMFF “regulars” that failed to make the cut are the Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto starrers.

Mano Po 7: Chinoy lead cast members (from left) Enchong Dee, Richard Yap, Jean Garcia and Janella Salvador in between takes during the film’s shoot in Taiwan. The film will be a pre-Metro Manila Filmfest treat, showing in cinemas on Dec. 14.

In reaction to comments that indies are dominating this year’s roster of official entries, Monteverde said, “There’s a proper time for the indies and there’s also a proper time for the mainstream (movies) like the MMFF. As I said, yung mga kids and the C-D-E crowd, talagang nag-iipon sila to watch GP (general patronage) movies like that of Tito, Vic and Joey (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon), and Vice Ganda.”

The veteran film producer added, “If we continue to come out with this set-up, I think that the Filipino movie industry will fall because as I said, Christmas season is for the children and for families.”

Monteverde also said that during a meeting, they were told by the executive committee that four indies and four mainstream films will be chosen for the final line-up “pero di nila na-fulfill.”

She clarified though she’s not taking it against the selection or the executive committee. “For me, I don’t think they have a bad intention. Meron naman silang magandang intention which they have to have a proper audience with the movie producers. Iba ang set-up ng indie, iba naman ang set-up ng mainstream.”

“They’re trying their best (to improve the festival). I don’t take it against them,” she continued. “This is the time for them to see if that’s going to work. We’ll see.”

Nevertheless, Monteverde hopes that she will have an opportunity to talk to the MMFF executive committee regarding the changes in this year’s selection process. “How I wish we can still organize for next year. How I wish we can talk to them.”

While there are no plans of making any formal complaints, she said she has a lot of questions. “I also don’t understand why this is happening.”

Mano Po 7 director Ian Loreños (leftmost) with the star-studded cast (from left) Jessy Mendiola, Enchong Dee, Jake Cuenca, Jean Garcia, Richard Yap, Janella Salvador, Marlo Mortel, Eric Quizon and Rebecca Chuaunsu. Photo from Regal Films’ Instagram

The selection committee had earlier said in a presscon that they favored entries that exhibited quality and represented different genres over commercial viability and star-studded casting.

On the part of Monteverde’s daughter Roselle, who is now at the helm of the family-owned business, she maintained that Chinoy, the seventh installment of the Mano Po franchise, is quality with commercial value.

“Mano Po is really for Christmas. There’s a demand (from people) that’s why we produced Mano Po. It was a surprise to us that it wasn’t chosen. Among all the Mano Po, I think this is the best Mano Po. It’s very authentic; the story itself is nothing similar to the Mano Po films before. The acting, inalagaan talaga, so we were just surprised (over its non-inclusion).”

Roselle also confirmed that they were earlier informed that the Magic 8 will be equally divided between mainstream entries and indies. “I don’t know why bigla nag-shift,” said Roselle, who surmised that an execom member must have aggressively pushed for alternative cinema. “Parang na-snub talaga eh. Tinanggal nila lahat ng in-expect ng mga tao to be there on Christmas Day.”

She, nevertheless, said that if these changes bring good to the annual filmfest, she will support it.

Chinoy’s award-winning director Ian Loreños also confessed to feeling disappointed but it was more for the cast and crew. He said that prior to the MMFF announcement, they were all very excited and pouring energy and effort into their film.

But the results are now out, and with the selection committee saying that the decision is “final and unanimous,” Loreños said they will respect it. “All I can say, we all need to move on.”

Mano Po 7: Chinoy will be a pre-MMFF offering instead and will premiere on Dec. 14. A family drama that was partly shot in Taiwan, Chinoy boasts of a star-studded cast, namely Richard Yap, Jean Garcia, Janella Salvador, Enchong Dee, Jessy Mendiola, Jake Cuenca, Kean Cipriano, Marlo Mortel and Eric Quizon.