It is time for the Metro Manila Film Festival once more.
A post-COVID-19 pandemic has welcomed a new, dynamic and more interesting local film festival with not a few combined commercially and artistically projects on the menu.
A more eased up health situation is in place and conducive for crowd gathering, one of them, movie watching inside the cinemas so the local movie community is happy about the developments.
A total number of ten official entries are slated to hit screens on Christmas day nationwide.
Last year, the top grosser was Star Cinema. APT Entertainment and AgostoDos Pictures’ “Rewind” which starred real-life couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. It earned a whopping P900M including international sales, making the film the highest grossing among MMFF projects.
Which of the Magic 10 lineup surpass or be at par with “Rewind”’s earnings?
How would they fare in the awards and box-office results?
The 2024 MMFF promises to be above the rest of all MMFF editions in the past except for some years that had shown a highly qualified and meticulously curated lineup like in the 1977 festival which featured several no-nonsense entries like Celso Ad. Castillo’s “Burlesk Queen,” Lino Brocka’s “Inay,” Gil M. Portes’ “Sa Piling ng mga Sugapa,” Ishmael Bernal’s “Walang Katapusang Tag-araw,” Mario O’Hara and Romy Suzara’s “Mga Bilanggong Birhen,” Eddie Romero’s “Banta ng Kahapon,” Augusto Buenaventura’s “Bakya Mo Neneng,” Joey Gosiengfiao’s “Babae…Ngayon at Kailanman” and Mike de Leon’s “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising.”
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In 2016, an impressive list of official entries was praised by experts in the film industry and discriminating moviegoers as well as pursuits in the enhancement of art and business. During this edition, Nick Tiongson, the Chairman of the Selection Committee chose mostly non-traditional films as Theodore Boborol’s “Vince & Kath & James,” Babyruth Villarama’s “Sunday Beauty Queen,” Erik Matti’s “Seklusyon,” Alvin Yapan’s “Oro,” Marlon Rivera’s “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2 #ForeverIsNotEnough,” Arturo San Agustin and Real Florido’s “Kabisera,” Avid Liongorin’s “Saving Sally and Jun Robles Lana’s “Die Beautiful.”
There were other MMFFs that showed considerable festival quality outputs but they were eclectic, far and between.
Anyway, here’s the complete lineup of the 50th MMFF: Star Cinema and The IdeaFirst Company’s “And the Breadwinner is…” directed by Jun Lana; GMA Pictures’ “Green Bones” by Zig Dulay; Kapitol Films and USX’s “Isang Himala” by Pepe Diokno; M-Zet Productions, APT Entertainment and MediaQuest’s “The Kingdom” by Michael Tuviera; Reality MM Studios’ “Strange Frequencies; Taiwan Killer Hospital” by Kerwin Go; Quantum Films, Cineko Productions and Purple Bunny Productions’ “Espantaho” by Chito S. Rono; Viva Films and Ninuno Media’s “Hold Me Close” by Jason Paul Laxamana; Regal Entertainment’s “My Future You” by Crisanto Aquino; Nathan Studios, Strawdog Studios and FUSSE\s “Topakk” by Richard Somes and Mentorque Productions’ “Uninvited” by Dan Villegas.
May the best wins.
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