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Entertainment => Film & TV Talk => Pinoy Entertainment => Topic started by: lee1009 on Jul 06, 2010 at 12:09 PM
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Eight entries have been chosen by the screening committee of this year’s Metropolitan Manila Film Festival-Philippines. This was announced at
a press conference at the Club Pilipino in Greenhills Commercial Center in San Juan City last Tuesday, June 29.
The 8 entries are the following (listed alphabetically):
Ang Agimat ni Enteng of Imus Productions Inc. and M-ZET Films, starring Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and Vic Sotto and directed by Tony Y. Reyes and Rico Gutierrez.
Dalaw of Cinemedia Films Production, Inc., starring Kris Aquino, Coco Martin and Diether Ocampo and directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng from the script of Joel Mercado.
Father Jejemon of RVQ Productions Inc., starring Dolphy, Erich Gonzalez and Maja Salvador and directed by Frank Gray Jr. from the script of Bibeth Orteza.
Rosario of Cinemabuhay International Inc., starring Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis Trillo and Yul Servo and directed by Albert Martinez from the script of Elmer Gachalian.
RPG (animation) of ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. and Ambient Media and directed by Luis C. Suarez.
Shake, Rattle & Roll 12 of Regal Entertainment Inc., starring Andi Eigenmann, Carla Abellana, Shaina Magdayao and Rayver Cruz and directed by Don Michael Perez and Topel Lee from the script of Onay Sales, Maribel Ilag, Jules Catanlag and Aloy Adlawan.
Super Inday and the Magic Bibe of Regal Entertainment Inc., starring Marian Rivera, Jake Cuenca and Vice Ganda and directed by Michael ‘Mike’ Tuviera from the script of Aloy Adlawan.
Ang Tanging Ina Mo Rin (Last na ‘To!) of ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc./Star Cinema, starring Ai-Ai de las Alas and Eugene Domingo and directed by Wenn V. Deramas from the script of Mel Mendoza-del Rosario.
Last year, eight film projects were selected but two of them eventually backed out. These were Ikaw na Nga of Star Cinema whose lead actress Kis Aquino begged off when her mother President Cory Aquino was hospitalized; and Nieves: The Engkanto Slayer, a Marian Rivera starrer of Regal Films and APT Productions whose director got sick.
Star Cinema fielded instead I Love You…Goodbye which eventually became the second top grosser with P94.3 million. There was no replacement for Nieves because of lack of time.
The other entries and their festival gross are as follows:
ANG PANDAY – starring Bong Revilla, Iza Calzado, Rhian Ramos, Geoff Eigenmann and Phillip Salvador, directed by Mac Alejandre and Rico Gutierrez for GMA Films and Imus Productions. P99.4 million
ANG DARLING KONG ASWANG – starring Vic Sotto and Cristine Reyes, directed by Tony Y. Reyes for Octo Arts and M-Zet Productions. P89.6 million
SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL XI – a horror film trilogy produced by Regal Films. P77.6 million
MANO PO 6: MY MOTHER – starring Sharon Cuneta, directed by Joel Lamangan for Regal Entertainment Inc. P42 million
NOBODY, NOBODY BUT JUAN – starring Dolphy and Willie Revillame, directed by Eric Quizon for RVQ Productions. P31.9 million
WAPAKMAN – starring Manny Pacquiao, directed by Toppel Lee and produced by Solar Films. P2.6 million
Source: http://filmacademyphil.org/?p=2007
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Super Inday and the Magic Bibe COMEDY FANTASY
-Marian Rivera
No one can replace the original Maricel Soriano / Aiza Seguerra movie.
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Jinggoy Estrada made an intelligent statement yesterday when he requested that the MMFF be removed from the MMDA and turned over to people in the movie industry. Maybe that will turn it into a proper festival again and not a cash cow filled with Shake Rattle and Roll, Ai ai, Vic and Bong Revilla movies!
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The only movie I'm forward to is the Dolphy flick. He makes everything watchable. And it's directed by Frank Gray, Jr (Omeng Satanasia, Dancing Master), whose last IMDB director credit is in 1982. I hope that it's old school Dolphy.
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Jinggoy Estrada made an intelligent statement yesterday when he requested that the MMFF be removed from the MMDA and turned over to people in the movie industry. Maybe that will turn it into a proper festival again and not a cash cow filled with Shake Rattle and Roll, Ai ai, Vic and Bong Revilla movies!
It's about time the MMFF gets a drastic revamp,and yes,turning it over to the industry professionals will be a move in the right direction. As the highlight of the local industry's annual calendar, it has been a success commercially all these years,yet in it's current state as (supposedly) a showcase of our film heritage,it leaves much to be desired. It should be done the way other festivals elsewhere does it: #1 a government body like,say,the NCCA should run it #2 a festival director assigned to oversee the whole event #3 film-makers and professionals should sit as judges #4 entries could be anything from the usual mainstream fare to the small indie projects, and categorised into "In Competition" and "Out of Competiton" #5 studios/producers/film-makers should be enticed to come up with "prestige" movies and field them as entries #6 "purely commercial" projects can be screened out of competition, as opening or closing film, or in galas #7 a percentage of proceeds from the event could be channeled to fund retrieval/restoration of classic films and have them shown on a "retrospective section" #8 rethink of the prizes to be given should be considered (ie is there a point in giving an award for "Best Float"?)
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^those are great suggestions, R2, especially the "out of competition" movies so that the organizers will still generate money but moviegoers will also have choices... but now that they've released the entries, wala nang pag-asa for this year?
i'd rather they screen na lang the best indies of the year so that a wider audience with no foreign movies options would get to see worthwhile pinoy movies.
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wala akoong alam sa mga techinicalities paano napipili ang mga entries natin...
napansin ko lang... ang oscars pumipili sa mga napalabas na na movies... dito sa atin on the making pa lang ang movies kasali na agad...
di ba dapat ipalabas muna bago makasali sa competition...???
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@dpogs, the Oscars refers to the awards given by AMPAS, the American counterpart of our own Film Academy or FAP (which just recently named theirs as Luna Awards). The prizes are given to productions and achievements of the previous year, and there are criteria and selection procedures. A film festival (like the MMFF),on the other hand,is a film event that showcases works which were pre-selected to join as entries either for competition or just for plain exhibition. The MMFF is the biggest and most well-known in our country,but others such as Cinemalaya and Pelikula at Lipunan has been going on for quite some time as well. There are hundreds of festivals around the world, but the most popular and prestigious are the ones in Cannes (France),Berlin (Germany),Venice (Italy),and Toronto (Canada). All of them are international in scope,though. The Toronto Festival doesn't have an In Competition category. Imelda Marcos aspired to come up with a similar event with the ill-fated Manila International Film Festival. Nowadays, Cinemanila (under Tikoy Aguiluz) is the nearest effort we have in staging an international showcase.
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hay nako ganun pa rin ang MMFF, walang pagbabago.. at leat wala na Mano Po pero elibs ako sa Shake, Rattle and Roll ha, anjan pa rin, hehehehhe.. I wonder what's new this time....
@dpogs, sir read this thread, to answer your question on criteria:
http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,105887.0.html
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It's about time the MMFF gets a drastic revamp,and yes,turning it over to the industry professionals will be a move in the right direction. As the highlight of the local industry's annual calendar, it has been a success commercially all these years,yet in it's current state as (supposedly) a showcase of our film heritage,it leaves much to be desired. It should be done the way other festivals elsewhere does it:
#1 a government body like,say,the NCCA should run it
#2 a festival director assigned to oversee the whole event
#3 film-makers and professionals should sit as judges
#4 entries could be anything from the usual mainstream fare to the small indie projects, and categorised into "In Competition" and "Out of Competiton"
#5 studios/producers/film-makers should be enticed to come up with "prestige" movies and field them as entries
#6 "purely commercial" projects can be screened out of competition, as opening or closing film, or in galas
#7 a percentage of proceeds from the event could be channeled to fund retrieval/restoration of classic films and have them shown on a "retrospective section"
#8 rethink of the prizes to be given should be considered (ie is there a point in giving an award for "Best Float"?)
Nice suggestions R2.
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The MMFF has begun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soZungOJaOI
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Albert Martinez directorial debut ROSARIO is creating buzz in terms of praise but MMFF always surprise us. Let's wait for the coming awards night.
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sino kaya ang gagawa ng eksena sa MMFF?
puro kasi magagaling e.. ;D
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sino kaya ang gagawa ng eksena sa MMFF?
puro kasi magagaling e.. ;D
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/294271/cebu-city-council-calls-ban-father-jejemon (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/294271/cebu-city-council-calls-ban-father-jejemon)
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moving my earlier post here:
Good news!
Box-office performance will not play a part in the selection of the Best Picture winner at the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival.
Bad news!
But that’s a break just for this year, organizers announced on Thursday. “We could revert to the old criteria in 2011, depending on how this works out,” said MMFF executive committee member Ric Camaligan, president of the National Cinema Association of the Philippines.
source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20101120-304365/MMFF-rules-modified-just-for-now
Good news!
This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) will highlight not only commercial and big-budgeted films, but also indie movies.
Bad news:
Last i heard, sa megamall lang ang screening.
source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20101025-299598/This-years-MMFF-to-highlight-indie-films
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Still waiting for box office results of the MMFF.
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The Metro Manila Development Authority might hit or even exceed its goal of grossing P.5 billion during the 10-day 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival from Dec. 25 to Jan. 3, judging from the P89.7-million nationwide opening day gross of the eight official entries, broken down as follows:
1. “Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote,” starring Bong Revilla and Vic Sotto, P31 million.
2. “Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last Na ‘To),” starring Ai-Ai delas Alas, P20 million.
3. “Dalaw,” starring Kris Aquino, P12.5 million.
4. Shake, Rattle & Roll XII, with an all-star cast,P11.8 million.
5. RPG: Metanoia, a 3D animated film, P5.1 million.
6. Super Inday and the Golden Bibe, starring Marian Rivera and John Lapus, P4.7 million.
7. Rosario, starring Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo, P3.2 million.
8. Fr. Jejemon, starring Dolphy, P1.4 million.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=642980&publicationSubCategoryId=63
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>:( Tanging Ina mo as best picture....
Wenn Deramas best director. Albert Martnez snubbed, not even nomnated.
Ai-ai wins over Jennylyn.
- T##* ina talaga!!! Ano yun?!!
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A crap film beats Rosario last night. I thought the jurors are credible this time?! And Albert Martinez was not even nominated for best director?!
Seconding blitz post......t.....ina tlga!
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They had 3 or 4 Average Juan De La Cruz Moviegoers as among the jurors. Average Juan De La Cruz Moviegoers generally do not have the best taste in film.
And I thought RPG would do better, quite frankly.
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now that's what you call fried. :o
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Si Agimat at Si Enteng Kabisote opened at P31 million and here's a film review
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=23410
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They had 3 or 4 Average Juan De La Cruz Moviegoers as among the jurors. Average Juan De La Cruz Moviegoers generally do not have the best taste in film.
And I thought RPG would do better, quite frankly.
The jurors include National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and also Maning Borlaza....how come that silly film emerged as the winner?!
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Personally I don't really get the fuss. MMFF hasn't exactly been a bastion of quality and credibility for more than a decade now. I don't really see this as being more insulting or suprising or silly as when Resiklo, Enteng Kabisote 3 or Ang Panday won the Best Picture.
I'd even argue that the same applies for when Magic Temple won (sorry,keats ;D) but then again looking at that year's entries, I can't see which of the seemingly crappy films it could've robbed. I've only seen Magic Temple but have a feeling it was a little better than Aring King King.
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poor manny pangilinan...he spent so much on his movie Rosario and few people are watching it...pampalubag loob na lang sana ang awards and this happens. it would have also helped a little in the box office.
while i like how they trimmed down the number of nominees per category, i am shocked that jennylyn mercado wasn't even nominated! the only "actresses" nominated along with ai-ai were Marian Rivera for super inday and carla abellana for shake rattle roll!!! to think that jennyln's role was the so-called acting piece/pang-award. what a slap in the face!
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The MMFF is more about making money than appreciating film art.
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@X44: agree with you about Magic Temple. Hahaha. Seriously I would prefer Rpg over Tanging Ina the latter which is just pure entertainment compared to Rosario which I believe had better technical craftmanship and much superior story telling compared to that Deramas flick. Mmff tried to change the rules on their system but still they come up with such mind-boggling winners. San kaya nakuha yung apat na outsider jurors and as Klaus said....they have no good taste in films.
Sana kayo tatlo na lang nina Chard and oggs ang kinuha jurors.
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I feel you,keats. Haven't seen Rosario so I can't weigh in but opinions have been mixed about it so I myself am not too sure if it was robbed, but I have a feeling that it's not half as good as most of the Cinemalaya or Cinema One films this year. I could be wrong, of course. But if you ask me, man, the MMFF isn't really worth the attention , the controversy or the fuss anymore. I think the last really good film to come out of it was . . . I don't know, Crying Ladies ba? Or Gagamboy? It's becoming less and less representative of so-called Philippine cinema with each year. And less and less a barometer of quality, too. it's a circus is what it is and something we shouldn't take seriously anymore, IMHO. And if a film like Magic Temple can win in 1996, what more in 2010?
And it's no loss, really. With Cinemalaya and Cinema One and Cinemanila and even the MMFF's own rather patronizing "indie" section, not to mention other random indies, having a relatively strong and prolific showing this year alone, mas maganda na lang tuunan ng pansin yung isang katerbang pelikulang lumabas during the major part of the year than the 8 that came out at the end of it. Those other films definitely need our attention and need to be discussed more thoroughly and extensively, I think . . at isama mo na diyan ang mga pa-tsamba-tsambang Star Cinema na lumalabas kagaya ng My Amnesia Girl na lahat ng nakausap ko ay puring puri.
Having said that,though. I just saw Shake Rattle & Roll 12. Jerrold's Punerarya episode is a doozy. A must. I might go watch RPG and Rosario this week if I can find the time. But I really wish I could still see the films in the "indie section". Too bad that I can't. Oh well.
Tsaka salamat sa pagrekomenda sa pagiging jurors. May bayad ba yan? Kung meron, game. Balak kong bumili ng bagong cellphone e. ;D
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Wish I could see Shake 12. I'll say this, tho--more interested in the MMFF nominees than in the Golden Doorstop nominees or winners. Just more interested, is all. ;D
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Since it's all about business, they should just stop the pretensions and drop the "award-giving" part of the festival, except maybe for the BEST FLOAT award. I don't see anything wrong with that!
For more the serious moviegoers, let's admit it that film festivals like Cinemalaya is today's MMFF!
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Paghawak ng sigarilyo ang isa sa naging basis ni Butch Francisco sa pagtimbang kay Jennilyn Mercado?Tsk Tsk >:( >:(
The part of Rosario is a role of a lifetime. It is a difficult one that called for a long preparation and a series of workshops. That required her to look coquettish and flirtatious. The judges didn’t see that on screen. For heaven’s sake, she doesn’t even know how to hold a cigarette — when the character is supposed to be ahead of her time and one who smokes and smokes like it’s second nature to her character.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=643161&publicationSubCategoryId=70
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Butch Francisco is an idiot....
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idiot at ayaw umaming ba??ng.....
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December 26, 2010
* 1.“Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote,” starring Bong Revilla and Vic Sotto, P27 Mllion
* 2. Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last Na ‘To),” starring Ai-Ai delas Alas P18 million.
* 3. “Dalaw,” starring Kris Aquino, P11 million.
* 4. Shake, Rattle & Roll XII, with an all-star cast,P8.1 million.
* 5. RPG: Metanoia, a 3D animated film, P4.8 million.
* 6. Super Inday and the Golden Bibe, starring Marian Rivera and John Lapus, P3.2 million.
* 7. Rosario, starring Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo, P2.5 million.
* 8. Fr. Jejemon, starring Dolphy, P1.2 million.
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idiot at ayaw umaming ba??ng.....
ang macho ni butch ;D
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2010 Metro Manila Film Festival Total Box-Office Gross
(December 25 – 28, 2010; 4 Days)
1. Si Agimat at Si Enteng Kabisote – P86.7 million
2. Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na ‘To! – P67.9 million
3. Dalaw – P40.6 million
4. Shake Rattle & Roll XII – P29.1 million
5. RPG: Metanoia – P15.3 million
6. Super Inday and The Golden Bibe – P10.9 million
7. Rosario – P9 million
8. Father Jejemon – P3.8 million
http://www.starmometer.com/2010/12/30/2010-mmff-box-office-update-tanging-ina-beats-si-agimat-at-si-enteng-on-day-4/
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RPG: Metanoia deserves to make more money. I heard they sold it in Japan for $1 million U.S. so that's good news, I guess.
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http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=643161&publicationSubCategoryId=70
nagpapatawa ba si papa butch?
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nagpapatawa ba si papa butch?
Read the article. It seems to me Butch Francisco thinks playing it safe and achieving your goal > ambitious but falling short of high expectations. He nitpicks Jennylyn Mercado's ambitious, complicated performance while trying to justify voting for Ai-Ai for playing a character that's been tailor-made for her and one she has been playing for 3 movies and a TV show. For me, that doesn't make any sense.
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thinks playing it safe and achieving your goal > ambitious but falling short of high expectations
Pretty much sums up the mindset of the mainstream Filipino film industry, we always fail to take chances and when we do, we retreat at the first chance when such a risk doesn't work out.
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sigurado ako sa ibang bansa pa makakakuha ng award ang rosario. hirap talaga magpaliwanag pag mali ka at ayaw mo umamin na nagkamali ka. no wonder philippine movies is at a mess dahil sa mga "critics" na ito.
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Final cut
LOCAL CINEMA—the mainstream one, at least, which has dominated the industry all these many decades—has never flagged in complaining about the lack of state support for its endeavors. It has a point. The industry is burdened with onerous taxes, whip-lashed by foreign competition, hamstrung by skewed business practices and at a loss for updated technology that would make it more competitive globally.
A chunk of every movie ticket sold still goes to a Marcos-era flood tax for Metro Manila. What do Pinoy movies have to do with a concern (more a failure, really, a colossal one—where has all the money gone, by the way?) best addressed by political leaders, engineers and urban planners?
But, as largesse goes, Filipino movies also have something no other industry in the country enjoys: a full two weeks with which to showcase its wares exclusively, without competition from Hollywood, by way of the Metro Manila Film Festival. The endowment comes with tax incentives for so-called quality entries, and the full panoply of government support by way of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s adoption of the annual hoopla as a pet project.
From MMDA-produced TV ads hawking the film fest to the use of traffic cops, rerouted roads and other public resources for its opening parade, the MMFF is, in fact, an institutionalized if barely acknowledged corrective to the notion that the government has all but abandoned Philippine movies.
Think about it: The resources of the state are put in service of a protectionist measure meant to ensure that the business interests of a particular group of people would yield a fail-safe return on investment via a captive market. “Captive” is the right word; by carving a non-compete space for local flicks, no matter how temporary, the MMFF essentially wrenches away the power of choice from moviegoers, forcing them to choose from pre-selected, cartelized choices for their cinematic enjoyment.
There is something to be said, of course, for protecting the country’s cultural work—and Pinoy movies are arguably part of that fabric. The MMFF was created at a time when, even as the Filipino film industry was still one of the most vibrant in the world, there was the ever-present fear of Hollywood imports swamping local theaters. The festival was designed as a breathing space for homegrown cinema to catch up with the foreign juggernaut. It had none of the gloss and hype of Hollywood; so, to level the playing field—for a few days, at least, and by way of a government-mandated policy of exclusivity and protectionism—the MMFF freed local movies from having to compete with imports on those blatantly commercial terms.
It was the state stepping up to do its share for Filipino cinema—a commitment it has stood by all these years, for all the circus grotesquerie the festival has devolved into.
It’s fair enough, then, to ask the local film industry: What has it given the state—the public whose taxes bankroll its annual extravaganza—in return? If the MMFF was meant to showcase the best that local film artists could come up with, how has it happened that the crop of entries year in and year out now have come down mostly to a sorry crop of tired, unfunny sequels, rehashes, retreads and regurgitations that, strangely, do manage—always—to make it to the final cut?
How many more dashed-off “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Enteng Kabisote” editions must the festival trot out before its organizers’ sense of fairness, good taste or plain common sense is breached—assuming they have such? These movies—given their reliance on the conventional, the fantastical, the tried-and-true; the fact that they’re pitched to the largest common denominator—are precisely the kind that does not need the extra backing of public resources to lure an audience. Vic Sotto’s legion of primetime fans will see him no matter the time of year; why cede his movie a slot in a festival ostensibly pledged to cinematic standards higher and more consequential than commercial viability?
Or is it because that pledge has turned to fiction long ago? In which case, the MMFF should say so, so this long-running national charade—built on an anachronistic anti-consumer, protectionist ordinance, remember, employing public funds and resources—can now be officially retired.
In the bargain between the state rearranging policy to help the local film industry, and the industry churning out better movies in return, the increasingly irrelevant MMFF makes it clear which side has come up monumentally short.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20110102-312074/Final-cut
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The problem of course is that the festival is primarily ran by the MMDA. I think if it was ran by say MOWELFUND, CCP or Direk Tikoy, we'd have a completely different festival. There were some excellent suggestions to be made: The inclusion of indies into the festival itself, some special showcase screenings of Pinoy classics, etc. The "special" screening and competing for a 100,000 peso-prize, I agree with someone here, is very patronizing. More of a "oh, eto na, ha? Tigilan niyo na ang mga reklamo niyo"-type of gesture. What they do is ghetto-izing indie films instead of trying to make them succeed as breakout hits on their own.
Sadly, this film festival is primarily about making money than showcasing the best of Filipino cinema.
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i hope that he would just shut up!
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=644976&publicationSubCategoryId=70
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In all fairness to Mr.Francisco, I think he's got valid arguments in favour of the board of judges' decisions on nominations and awarding of prizes. In fact, anyone could empathize with the situation he and the other reputable jury members got into: choosing what's supposedly outstanding achievements out of mediocre selections and doing so based on spurious judging criteria, imposed by organisers who knows nothing better.
The festival,admittedly,has a notoriously checkered history,and in its defense,is no more controversial than the world's most prestigious filmfests (ie Cannes,Venice,etc). Problem is, our so-called festival attracts controversy for the wrong (and definitely stupid,from all angles) reasons. In past editions however,even with the early ones,purely commercial and escapists fares (entries from FPJ and Dolphy back then, and Bong Revilla and Vic Sotto's movies of late) has always been showcased alongside the "prestige" ones (Insiang,Kisapmata,Himala,etc), and it's almost always the former that gets good box-office returns, despite the latter garnering critical acclaim and festival awards. Having said that, it will be instructive to note that some of those "commercial" entries in the past has actually bagged the Best Picture trophies, in addition to being the top-grosser (ie take a look at the 1979 edition, when "Kasal-kasalan,Bahay-bahayan" won over "Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo").
I guess the problem with the recent festivals is that the organisers has virtually institutionalised the primacy of commercial viability over artistic achievement in handing out the awards, by actually imposing such a criteria and in a very significant percentage at that. Again, it all boils down to politics and thus, the festival's prestige and cultural relevance suffers in the end.
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It's all about money.
COMBINED TICKET revenues from the eight official entries to the current Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) likely hit the P500-million target set by the organizers when the annual movie event was launched two months ago. SO FAR the Metro Manila Film Fest top grosser is Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis N. Tolentino, concurrent head of the MMFF’s organizing committee, expressed optimism that the current festival outdid the record box-office performance of the event last year, when gross revenues reached P437.6 million.
“If we will base our box-office predictions for the entire film festival on the opening day last Christmas, then we can say that we are confident that we can reach the P500-million target,” Mr. Tolentino told reporters.
He said that when the festival opened on Dec. 25, 2010, consolidated ticket sales reached P90 million, the best ever box-office performance of the festival on its opening day in its entire 36-year history.
The stellar opening day came on the back of the popularity of the eight official entries to the festival, led by Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote starring Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. and Vic Sotto. The movie grossed more than P10 million on Dec. 25, 2010 alone.
While the MMFF organizing committee declined to release official box office figures, unofficial reports from cinema owners showed that ticket sales reached P310 million as of Dec. 29, 2010.
Mr. Tolentino said the final box office tally will be determined only after the festival officially ends this Friday, Jan. 7. “Only then can cinema owners consolidate their reports for the entire duration of the MMFF,” he said.
The MMDA chairman said he is pleased with the box office results of the MMFF.
“The revenues that we got would help the institutions that help the movie industry,” he said.
Beneficiaries
The MMFF was organized in 1975 to primarily raise funds for the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (Mowelfund). The Mowelfund aims, among others, to financially support unemployed movie workers. For 10 years until 1985, Mowelfund, being the sole beneficiary, managed the MMFF.
In 1986, Jose D. Lina, then chairman of the Metro Manila Commission, took over and expanded the number of beneficiaries of the MMFF to include the Motion Picture Anti Film Piracy Council, Inc. (MPAFPC), and the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP).
In 2002, another beneficiary was added, the Presidential Social Fund, which initially received 10% of the total net proceeds of the festival.
Since 2006, two more agencies have shared in the MMFF’s profits -- the Optical Media Board (OMB), and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
Because of the growing number of beneficiaries, then MMDA chairman Bayani F. Fernando decided to change the criteria in selecting the festival’s Best Picture winner by putting more weight on the movie’s box-office appeal.
But that rule was repealed when Mr. Tolentino took over the reigns of the festival’s organizing committee last year.
Leo Martinez, FAP director-general, said that when Mr. Tolentino became the festival’s organizing committee head, he decided to remove the Presidential Social Fund from the MMFF’s list of beneficiaries.
The proceeds of the current film festival will be divided as follows: 40% will go to the Mowelfund; 20% to the FAP; 20% to the MPAFPC, 10% to the OMB, and P10% to FDCP.
“This is a very welcome development because in previous years, even if the festival’s box-office performance had steadily improved, the FAP was getting just 10% of the proceeds,” Mr. Martinez told reporters.
He said the FAP uses the share it receives to finance its operations, as well as its training activities for the members of its various guilds (e.g. acting, directing, editing).
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=23782
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Hey, if they cut ten percent out to seedroll new independent films a la Cinemanila or Cinemalaya or Cinema One Originals, then I for one will shut up. Some regard for the cambium layer and not just the profit margin, please...
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It's been days since the MMFF last gave a box office update.
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Tanging ina daw ang da best.
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Dynamic exception to the desultory rule
MOST OF the current MMFF entries are standard stuff—sequels and/or comedy, horror or action-adventure-fantasy formats.
One of the few exceptions to that desultory rule is “RPG: Metanoia,” a full-length animated feature made by Filipinos, produced by Ambient Media, Thaumatrope Animation and Star Cinema. For that reason, the film should be seen and discussed.
We’ve been encouraging Filipino animators for many years to come up with our own full-length features because we believe in their talent and potential. Having interviewed Fil-Am animators hired by big movie studios in the States, we know that we’ve got what it takes to challenge Japan’s lead in Asia in the field of animation.
Efforts
Most of the time, however, local production houses’ efforts fall short on point of weak or unfocused storytelling, garish or muggy coloration and undynamic editing.
The good news is that, despite some flaws, “Metanoia” is the best full-length animated feature produced in these parts to date. Its color palette is good, its characters are generally finely limned, its action-fantasy scenes are sometimes visually exciting, and its editing is dynamic.
The film focuses on a barkada of adolescents (voiced by Zaijian Jaranilla, et al) who are so addicted to playing computer games that it becomes the dominant “reality” in their young lives. At first, the film’s emphasis on “gaming” makes it difficult for us to follow its main characters as people.
Later, however, the production regains its proper focus and makes insightful and instructive points about some Filipino youths’ current over-absorption with technology, to the detriment of their development as “normal” young people with families, schoolwork and other less “exciting,” but more relevant concerns.
After “Metanoia” gets its bearings, its emphasis on the barkada and its local psychic resonances emerges as the movie’s strongest thematic suit, next to its young characters’ unreal view of “reality” as “lived” through the fantasticating computer-generated “world.”
Computer game
The boys and girls in its unfolding story may bicker and brawl, but when push comes to shove, they can be relied on to rescue each other—even if it’s only from a fantasy computer game’s “terrors.”
Also significant and empathetic is the movie’s occasional focus on young love—or crushes, at least— made even more appealing by the fact that the barkada’s group crush is an accomplished and confident young lady.
In terms of dramatizing its characters’ diverse relationships, the film is at its best when it limns its young protagonist’s family life, which is “so Filipino” because his dad (voiced by Aga Muhlach) works abroad, leaving his mother (Eugene Domingo) to put up and deal with their boy and his many confusing and even contradictory impulses.
In addition, the film has a lot of cogent things to say about Filipino life today, as seen from an adolescent’s occasionally confused and confounded perspective.
All told, therefore, despite its detours and other lapses, “RPG: Metanoia” “works”—making it, in our view, the best film showing at the MMFF. Now, if only its “export” possibilities will live up to their promise of global success, as well!
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20110107-313097/Dynamic-exception-to-the-desultory-rule