KNOW AND CARE – Glad to know that people who really know and care for Filipino movies are in charge of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. The likes of Papa Jesse Ejercito, Ate Vi (Santos), Manay Ichu (Maceda), Sen. Grace Poe, Boots Anson-Roa Rodrigo, Ricky Lee, MTRCB Chair Arenas, Liza Diño, among others.
Last year, those “know-it-alls” made MMFF an all-indie affair, something like tayo-tayo, kanya-kanya. The only possible exception was “Die Beautiful,” which was “maindie,” mixture of mainstream and indie cinema.
MMFF 2016 was a box-office disaster, making less than P400 million, as compared to more than a billion gross of previous Metro Manila filmfests.
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EXCUSES, EXCUSES – Those indie diehards claimed the box-office take was much smaller because, among other factors, many provincial theaters refused to exhibit MMFF entries last year. But of course, those theater owners knew they would lose money on those indies.
Only Metro Manila theaters were obliged to show filmfest entries. Outside Metro area, theaters have the option to show or refuse filmfest entries.
Another excuse, entries last year were not well promoted. Then blame the indie producers for that. And even if a film is well promoted, there’s no guarantee it will make money.
Excuses, excuses. The fact is indies’ market is limited…certainly not the MMFF.
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INDIE FILMFESTS – There are so many indie filmfests. To name some CineMalaya, Sinag Maynila, Cinema One Originals, QCinema.
International filmfests are also indie-friendly. Ask Brillante Mendoza and Lav Diaz of Cannes and Venice-Berlin fame, respectively.
Indies do well there, so continue joining and winning.
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BENEFICIARY – In the mid-‘70s, then San Juan Mayor Joseph Estrada and other movie stalwarts (FPJ, Dolphy, Atty. Expiridion Laxa among others) initiated MMFF to raise funds for Mowelfund, then the lone beneficiary.
But then, other movie groups in no time partook part of the Mowelfund pie, reducing its share drastically. Perhaps it’s time to give Mowelfund full subsidy, just like before.
How about it, MMFF?
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AGELESS – That’s Cory Quirino, beauty and wellness icon and brand new endoser of Novuskin Lift, an anti-aging supplement. The info comes from Mel Caparas, who reminds that under Cory’s watch, the Philippines produced the very first Miss World in 2013, Megan Young.
Cory’s the granddaughter of one of the country’s greatest Presidents, Elpidio Quirino. And that she used to co-host with Joseph Estrada in a public service TV program.
She no longer holds the franchise of Miss World-PH, taken over by Arnold Vegafria. Now Cory has more time for herself. What’s the next endorsement?
