BY NESTOR CUARTERO
*
JUST A THOUGHT: “Everything you can imagine is real.” –
Pablo Picasso
*
FIRST FOUR: The Executive Committee behind Christmas MMFF 2020 recently released the first four official entries to the annual film festival.
Based on screenplay submission, they are:
“Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan,” a horror film starring Joshua Garcia and Angie Ferro.
“Magikland” (fantasy-adventure) starring Bibeth Orteza and Migs Cuaderno.
“Praybeyt Benjamin 3” starring Vice Ganda.
“The Exorcism of My Siszums” starring Toni and Alex Gonzaga.
*
CONFIDENT: Well and good.
Officials behind Christmas MMFF 2020 seem confident that around December, COVID-19 will have been arrested, in part at least, and that should make people more confident about going to the movies.
It’s still a dream at this point when cases continue to rise, and the forecast isn’t bright at all. Take note that entertainment ranks among the lowest, if not the lowest, together with the arts, in the list of priority industries allowed to reopen by government.
MMFF officials, however, seem confident that winds of change shall prevail in December. We certainly share that same dream and hope that all shall be well, so that people will be brave enough to get out of their homes and flock to the malls, as usual.
The MMFF is the biggest moneymaker in the movie industry. In 2019, MMFF’s eight entries earned a total of P995 million gross sales in the box-office.
*
SUMMER 2021: The Execom also announced that Summer MMFF 2020 entries will have an official slot in the Summer MMFF 2021.
However, they will lose that reserved slot should they want to take their chance and be part of the selection for the finished film submission for the Christmas MMFF 2020.