MANILA, Philippines — The official lineup for the 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is now complete with the announcement of the final five entries.
It’s poised to be an even star-studded event with A-listers and former MMFF acting winners lending their star power to the films.
MMFF 50 and MMDA chairman, lawyer Romando Artes, noted that this year’s edition drew a “record” number of submissions.
“We have mixed emotions. I’m happy because we received a record-breaking 70 submissions — 39 scripts and 31 finished films. Makikita po natin yung passion ng mga taga-industriya na kahit mahirap ay patuloy gumagawa ng pelikula,” he said.
“At the same time, I’m sad because out of the 31 finished film entries, we had to choose only five… We talked to the team earlier and they said that to be able to still give a venue to the films that are not able to participate in the 50th edition, we’ll see if we can still mount another summer film festival.”
The summer filmfest edition was cancelled this year to direct energies and resources into the staging of the festival’s 50th anniversary.
During the special announcement of the final five entries on Tuesday, different sectors from the industry expressed their full support.
Film Academy of the Philippines head Paolo Villaluna called on audiences to “support Philippine cinema and support the MMFF.”
“It’s not just any festival. It’s a festival of our shared spirit,” he said.
Directors Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) president Mark Meily, on the other hand, highlighted how the event coincides with two major milestones in the Philippine movie industry. That is the passage of two major laws that directly benefit the movie industry and its workers. These are the Philippine Creative Industries Act and the Eddie Garcia Act.
The director behind “Crying Ladies,” the award-winning MMFF entry way back in 2003, also touted MMFF as “the most important event of the film industry” not just because the industry comes alive during this time, but also because it has opened doors of opportunities for filmmakers and storytellers like him over the years.
“Let’s make it the biggest film festival in the country ever,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Film Producers Guild of the Philippines, producer and director Perci Intalan noted the challenges the industry is currently facing, stating: “It’s not easy to be a producer during this time but there are so many who believe that this is worth doing.”
“People say MMFF is a tradition, but these days, it’s not just a tradition. It’s a lifeline. In these uncertain times, MMFF has become a beacon of hope for the industry because (through it) we are seeing that Filipino films have an audience,” he said.
Intalan pointed out that the fact that last year’s MMFF became the highest-grossing edition of all time was “a sign to the whole industry na buhay na buhay (that it’s very well and alive).”
“Kelangan lang talaga bigyan ng dahilan and event so that the audiences will feel excited again,” he said.
Meanwhile, these are the films that complete the 2024 roster of entries:
“My Future You” is directed and written by Crisanto Aquino with cast led by the young love team of Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin. The romantic comedy is produced by Regal Entertainment, Inc., marking the major studio’s MMFF comeback.
“It’s really for the whole family,” said Regal’s big boss Roselle Monteverde.
The story is about two strangers from different timelines who get strangely connected via a dating app. As they try to change the past to alter their futures, the two have to face consequences.
Another entry is the thriller “Uninvited,” which is megged by Dan Villegas and written by Dodo Dayao. It is topbilled by past MMFF Best Actress winners, Vilma Santos and Nadine Lustre, with Aga Muhlach rounding up the powerhouse cast. Mentorque Productions and Project 8 Projects are the producers.
According to the synopsis, the film is about a woman seeking revenge for the murder of her only daughter 10 years ago. Disguised as a socialite, she shows up at the birthday party of the billionaire who is believed to have committed the crime while stalking everyone else who are “involved” in her child’s death.
After making its rounds in international festivals, like Locarno, Nathan Studios’ “Topakk” is coming home for the MMFF this year. Directed by Richard Somes, it stars Arjo Atayde, Julia Montes and Kokoy De Santos.
The action-thriller tells the story of a security guard who was previously discharged from the military due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A young woman, however, asks for his help and protection from a corrupt police death squad.
Viva Films’ “Hold Me Close” is a romantic fantasy that reunites Julia Barretto and Carlo Aquino under the direction of Jason Paul Laxamana.
Set in Japan, it’s the story of a man named Woody who encounters a woman with the gift to foresee whether a person will bring her pain or joy. Woody will still try to win her heart after being seen as a person who will eventually hurt her.
Quantum Films’ “Espantaho” is topbilled by Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino. Director is Chito Rono with a screenplay from Chris Martinez. As per teaser, the film is about a dysfunctional family who attempts to uncover a string of disappearances in their town.
Asked how big of a factor was “star presence” in the selection of the films, MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer told The STAR, “Forty percent is commercial viability so, I guess, that is where the stars are factored in. But remember, there are other points in the criteria — equally compelling is the film’s quality or artistic excellence at 40 percent, then Filipino cultural appeal 10 percent and global appeal at 10 percent.”
“So far, everyone is excited and upbeat about MMFF 50. There’s a good movie for every member of the family. The producers and the stars, along with the MMFF execom and its partners, will do everything to make people go back to the cinemas again and make this a landmark year for Filipino films,” Ferrer added.
This year’s MMFF trophy by Filipino-American visual artist Jeffrë was also unveiled. The Parade of Stars will happen on Dec. 15, while the Movie Premiere week will run from Dec. 15 to 20 with the MMFF Sponsors’ Night on Dec. 21. The festival officially opens on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, with the Gabi ng Parangal taking place on Dec. 27.
The initial lineup for the 50th MMFF featured the movies of Vice Ganda (“And The Breadwinner Is”), Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual (“The Kingdom”), Enrique Gil (“Strange Frequencies”), and Dennis Trillo and Ruru Madrid (“Green Bones”).
Expectations are high that the 2024 MMFF will surpass last year's record-breaking box-office earnings of over P1 billion.