The 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) offers a diverse lineup of 10 films, ranging from romantic fantasies to thrillers and action-packed dramas.
The official line up of 10 entries in the 50th edition of the most popular and longest-running local film festival in the country — the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has been announced following the earlier choices in the script selection namely: “And the Breadwinner Is” (starring Vice Ganda and directed by Jun Robles Lana), “The Kingdom” (starring Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual and directed by Mike Tuviera), “Strange Frequencies” (starring Enrique Gil and Jane de Leon and directed by Kerwin Go, “Isang Himala” (starring Aicelle Santos and directed by Pepe Diokno), and “Green Bones” (starring Dennis Trillo and Ruru Madrid, directed by Zig Dulay).
This makes up for an interesting mix of films that will cater to all the members of the family during the holiday season. MMDA and MMFF Chairman Atty. Romando “Don” Artes noted that this year’s edition drew a record number of submissions, “We have mixed emotions. I’m happy because we received a record-breaking 70 submissions: 39 scripts and 31 finished films, makikita po natin ang passion ng mga taga-industriya na kahit mahirap ay patuloy na gumagawa ng pelikula.” Because of this, the MMFF team will talk about mounting another summer MMFF to still give a venue for the good films that are not able to participate in the 50th edition.
As far as the lucky finished film entries go, here are the five chosen movies based on the following criteria: Artistic Excellence 40%, Commercial Viability 40%, Filipino cultural appeal 10% and Global Appeal 10%.
These are the last batch of movies that made the cut:
“Hold Me Close” (Viva Communications, Inc.)
Directed & Written by Jason Paul Laxamana
Starring Julia Barretto and Carlo Aquino
The film is a romantic-fantasy, where Woody, played by Carlo Aquino, has spent the last seven years moving from one town to another in all corners of the world, searching for the best place where he can stay put. This time, he moves to a peaceful city of Karatsu in Saga, Japan, where he meets Lynlyn (Julia Barretto), a charming but mysterious squid vendor at the port market.
They immediately hit it off and Woody starts to believe he has found a permanent place he could call home. But Lynlyn has some sort of psychic ability, that is a person who is within a three-foot radius from her, she can foresee whether that person will hurt her or bring her joy. Such skill has prevented Lynlyn from being hurt be people, especially men.
However, it has also kept Lynlyn, in a life of isolation and hypervigilance.
Unfortunately, once Woodly enters the space within Lynlyn”s three-foot radius, he is deemed as a person who would hurt her in spite of everything going smoothly between the two. This results in Lynlyn, distancing herself from Woody. How can Woody convince Lynlyn that he’s the right one for her, if Lynlyn’s psychic ability dictates he is not the one? Will the power of Woody’s love be enough to defy Lynlyn’s romantic destiny? How will Woody win the heart of the psychic girl?
“Espantaho” (Quantum Films, Cineko Productions and Purple Bunny Productions)
Directed by Chito Rono
Written by Chris Martinez
Starring Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino
A horror film with Monet, her mother Rosa and son Keith form a dysfunctional family. They both ended up falling in love with married men. Monet with Jack and Rosa with Pabling.
The harvest from the riceland of Pabling helped them survive all these years. When drought reached them, they shifted to the buy and sell of antique products.
After the burial of Pabling, a painting appears on their doorstep. This was about the same time that the real wife of Pabling arrives along with her 2 children claiming the land that her family owns.
However, during the nine days of the “pasiyam,” people disappear one after another.
Fearing for their lives, Monet and Rosa do everything to find out the cause of the disappearances. In doing so, utmost betrayal is slowly unraveled.
“Topakk” (Nathan Studios Inc., Strawdogs Studio Productions and Fusee)
Directed by Richard Somes
Written by Richard Somes, Jim Flores and Wilfredo Manalang
Starring Julia Montes and Arjo Atayde
“Topakk” is a hard action film which is the story of a soldier named Miguel, played by Arjo Atayde, who is a platoon leader assigned in the Southern Philippines. In one encounter with an extremist group, the confrontation turns tragic when all his men are killed in the battle.
Witnessing the death of his men pushes Miguel to the edge and goes amok in fighting the enemy with bloodlust and vengeance until finally wiping up the enemies.
After his discharge from the army, Miguel is haunted by the carnage. He now works as a security guard and faces a different kind of war.
One evening, while on duty in a warehouse, two drug peddlers, played by Julia Montes and her brother enter the warehouse to hide from vigilantes who are pursuing them. Unaware of who the intruders are, Miguel turns the 2 to the squad.
When Miguel sees the intruders shot by the vigilantes, the memories of the bloodbath that befell his platoon come back to him.
Riddled with guilt, Miguel takes up the fight for the survival of the 2 drug peddlers. Armed with a rusty shotgun, he wades through a gauntlet of fire and bullets. All hell breaks loose in a night when a tormented soul, a sinner and a horde of demons collide.
“Uninvited” (Mentorque Productions)
Directed by Dan Villegas
Written by Dodo Dayao
Starring Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach
This film is a thriller, and is about Eva Candelaria, who has been waiting for this day for the last 10 years, the birthday party of Guilly Vega, the billionaire who brutally murdered her only daughter 10 years ago and got away with the crime.
Eva arrived at the party disguised as a socialite, navigating the party as she one by one stalks every single person involved with her daughter’s murder, going through the ranks one by one until she gets to her main target. Unarmed and with no plan, Eva’s options dwindle as the night wears on. Will she see her mission through or die trying?
“My Future You” (Regal Entertainment, Inc.)
Directed and written by Crisanto Aquino
Starring Francine Diaz and Seth Fedeline
This film is a magical story of two people, Lex and Karen, from different timelines – 13 years apart – connected by a mysterious comet through a dating app. As they grow close, Karen asks Lex to change key moments in her past to prevent her parents’ separation. But every change of the past brings unforeseen consequences, altering their futures in unexpected ways. In one last effort, Lex hopes to set things right, but some events may be beyond control.
As the president of the Film Producers Guild of the Philippines, Perci Intalan posed this challenge, “People say MMFF is a tradition, but these days, it is not just a tradition. It is a lifeline. In these uncertain times, MMFF has become a beacon of hope for the industry because (through it), we are seeing that Filipino films have an audience. The fact that last year’s MMFF became the highest-grossing edition of all time was a sign that the whole industry ay buhay na buhay. Kailangan lang talaga bigyan ng dahilan and event so that audiences will feel excited again.”
With this official 50th MMFF film line up, are you excited yet?
