“The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, the Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Years Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on Filipino films. During the course of the festival, only films approved by the jurors of the MMFF are shown in movie theaters. No foreign movies are shown except in 3D theaters and IMAX theaters.
The annual event began with the 1975 Metro Manila Film Festival, during which Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa (“Water the Thirsty Earth with Dew”) by Augusto Buenaventura won the best film award.
One of the festival highlights is the parade of floats at the opening of the festival. The floats, each one representing a movie entry with their respective stars, parade down Roxas Boulevard. On the awards night, a Best Float award is also announced along with the major acting awards.”
Now, on its 42nd year, the Metro Manila Film Festival hopes to reinvent its all-blockbuster films image and put quality first with its eight full feature and short film entries that will start screening on Christmas Day, December 25.
Here are the Eight Short Film Official Entries that will play before the feature films:
1. MANILA SCREAM by Cinema Regla (PG)
attached to Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2
2. MITATANG by DLS College of Saint Benilde (PG)
attached to Die Beautiful
3. EJK by Ikot Productions (PG)
attached to Kabisera
4. MGA BITOON SA SIYUDAD by Main Overboard Productions (PH)
attached to Oro
5. PASSAGE OF LIFE by DLS College of Saint Benilde (G)
attached to Saving Sally
6. SITSIRITSIT by Emjei Films and Photographs (PG)
attached to Seklusyon
7. BIRDS by Miracle Productions
attached to Sunday Beauty Queen
8. MOMO by Rocketsheep Studio
attached to Vince & Kath & James
Here are the eight feature films (Click the titles to view the trailer):
1. ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK 2 #ForeverIsNotEnough – PG
Running Time: 1hr 33min
Directed by: Marlon Rivera
Starring: Eugene Domingo, Jericho Rosales, Kean Cipriano, Cai Cortez, Khalil Ramos, Joel Torre
Synopsis: Eugene Domingo is back as “Eugene Domingo” in this much-anticipated follow-up to the independent box-office hit movie, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. Together with her director/writer (Rainier), her line producer (Jocelyn) and their rookie production assistant (Lennon), Eugene prepares for her comeback vehicle after a long sabbatical from moviemaking. Rainier proposes “The Itinerary,” a heartbreaking anatomy of a crumbling marriage as told through a couple’s trip to Baguio, their former honeymoon location. Eugene Domingo is excited by the project but she has other ideas in mind. In the film-within-the-film, we see Eugene’s absurd suggestions and recommendations — changing Rainier’s script by employing the poetics of the Pinoy romantic comedy genre into what is supposedly a realistic portrayal of love and marriage.
2. DIE BEAUTIFUL – R-13
Running Time: 1hr 59min
Directed by: Jun Robles Lana
Starring: Paolo Ballesteros, Christian Bables, Luis Alandy, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes, Albie Casino, Inah de Belen
Synopsis: Trisha, a Filipino transgender woman, suddenly dies while being crowned in a beauty pageant. Her last wish was to be presented as a different celebrity on each night of her wake, but her conservative father wants to bury her as a man. Trisha’s friends are left with no choice but to steal her body and hold the wake in a secret location. And as Trisha is transformed to look like different celebrities, they also look back at the colorful and extraordinary life that she has led – being a son, a sister, a mother, a friend, a lover, a wife, and ultimately, a queen.
3. KABISERA – R-13
Running Time: 1hr 49min
Directed by: Real Florido, Arturo San Agustin
Starring: Nora Aunor, Ricky Davao, JC De Vera, Jason Abalos
Synopsis: A Filpino family deals with hooded people who are involved in extra-judicial killings and other abuses in Philippine society.
4. ORO – PG
Running Time: 1hr 35min
Director: Alvin Yapan
Starring: Irma Adlawan, Joem Bascon, Mercedes Cabral, Sandino Martin, Sue Prado
Synopsis: ORO is about the lives of simple folk caught between the crossfire of Kapitana (Idlawan) accused of political patronage, and Patrol Kalikasan using the environment as a front for their own political and economic interests on the small mining community. As the provincial government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) fight over the jurisdiction over small-scale mining operations, Elmer (Bascom) and Linda (Cabral) suffer the devastating consequences of the legacy of violence and corruption of the country’s turbulent political and ideological history.
5. SAVING SALLY – PG
Running Time: 1hr 34min
Director: Avid Liongoren
Starring: Enzo Marcos, Rhian Ramos, TJ Trinidad, Shamaine Buencamino
Synopsis: SAVING SALLY tells the story of Marty, an aspiring comic-book artist who is secretly in love with his best friend, Sally, the gadget inventor. Like every love story, there are complications: Sally has monsters for parents and a literal dick for a boyfriend, while Marty has the innate ability to do nothing about everything despite his vivid fantasies of defending the love of his life from the big bad world.
6. SEKLUSYON – R-13
Running Time: 1hr 26min
Director: Erik Matti
Starring: Rhed Bustamante, Ronnie Alonte, Dominic Roque, Neil Ryan Sese, Lou Veloso
Synopsis: In 1947 those aspiring to be priest, are sent to a remote convent to live in seclusion(Seklusyon) on the last day of their training. The purpose is to shield them from evil of the world. The plot thickens when a mysterious young girl comes to the convent but the question is whether she is really sent by God or by the Evil. This is the challenge awaits the candidates.
7. SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN – G
Running Time: 1hr 33min
Director: Baby Ruth Villarama
Starring: Hazel Perdid, Maylyn Jacobo
Synopsis: A Filipina maid dreams to become Hong Kong’s most beautiful queen not for self-worth but to save lives, change the abusive system and be happy inside out.
8. VINCE & KATH & JAMES – G
Running Time: 1hr 56min
Director: Theodore Boborol
Starring: Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, Ronnie Alonte
Synopsis: A Love Triangle about a guy named James (Alonte) who has a crush on Kath (Baretto). Being inarticulate in expressing his feelings, he asks his friend Vince (Garcia) to send her sweet text messages. Kath is touched until they finally meet and they hit it off. One day, James could not meet Kath and asks Vince to fill in for him. This is when things become complicated.
The Metro Manila Film Festival will run from December 25, 2016 to January 3, 2017. 30% discounts will be given to students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Join the discussion by using the hashtag #MMFF2016 in your social media posts.