MMFF returns to the big screen

A DARK comedy, a horror anthology, two dramas, two romances, an action film, and a comedy horror movie make the lineup of the 47th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) as it returns to actual cinemas from Dec. 25 to Jan. 8, 2022.  Last year’s festival had been held online.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the film festival’s organizer, has expressed its support for screenings in cinemas to help the local film industry recover after movie houses closed for 20 months because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions.

Now that the country is under Alert level 2, 300 movie theaters will be allowed to open their doors to those who are vaccinated, at 50% capacity.

“Despite the limited cinemas that will be operational, we are optimistic that the box office results will definitely be better than last year!” wrote MMFF spokespersonNoel Ferrer in a Facebook post. “With your help, let us make the 47th MMFF a success as it goes back to cinemas!!!”

“A lot of our theaters need to be fixed and upgraded after more than a year of not being used,” Mr. Ferrer told BusinessWorld via Instagram chat about the limited number of participating theaters.

In October, the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP) reported that the closure of cinemas in the country because of the pandemic led to the loss of an estimated 336,000 jobs in the movie industry. The Philippine box office lost P19 billion in potential revenue from March 2020 to Sept. 2021.

Mr. Ferrer said that the film festival earned less than P50 million in 2020 when it had been held online, compared to 2019 when it made P995 million. The MMFF’s box office record was in 2018, earning P1.060 billion.

“Amidst all the challenges that we are facing, COVID-19 and the natural calamities, let us help revive a sector that has been serving us really well and keeping our artistic and cultural well-being alive,” Mr. Ferrer said.

According to a press release about the MMFF on the MMDA website, the MMFF is held annually every Christmas “organized primarily to help promote and enhance the preservation, growth and development of local films.” — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

A HARD DAY

The action drama is an adaptation of the South Korean thriller of the same title. It follows a detective who accidentally kills a man in a road crash. This incident further complicates a day involving the funeral of his mother and a quarrel with a fellow cop. Directed by Lawrence Fajardo, the film stars Dingdong Dantes, John Arcilla, and Meg Imperial

MTRCB Rating: R-13

BIG NIGHT!

The dark comedy centers on a gay beautician, Dharna, who is falsely suspected of a crime as he finds his name on the Oplan Tokhang watchlist. He seeks help from the members of his community to clear his name. Directed by Jun Robles Lana, the film stars Christian Bables, Nico Antonio, Eugene Domingo, Soliman Cruz, John Arcilla, Gina Alajar, Ricky Davao, and Janice De Belen.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

HULING ULAN SA TAG-ARAW

Luis, a seminarian on leave, interrupts an entertainer/sex worker’s transaction with a client. To compensate, Luis pays her in exchange for her going on a trip with him to his parent’s house in Pagsanjan. Directed by Louie Ignacio, the film stars Rita Daniela, Ken Chan, Lotlot De Leon, and Richard Yap.

MTRCB Rating: PG

HUWAG KANG LALABAS

This is a horror anthology of three stories: “Kumbento,” which revolves around nuns in a convent; “Bahay,” a mother gets anxious when her uncircumcised son goes for his river-side ritual after boys were killed there by a river monster; and, “Hotel,” which follows an OFW who returns from Japan and encounters a creepy old man while in quarantine. Directed by Adolf Alix, Jr., the film stars Kim Chiu, Jameson Blake, Beauty Gonzalez, and Aiko Melendez.

MTRCB Rating: PG

KUN MAUPAY MAN IT PANAHON (WHETHER THE WEATHER IS FINE)

Set during and after Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, the drama follows a mother and a son who struggle for survival. Directed by Carlo Francisco Manatad, the film stars Daniel Padilla, Rans Rifol, and Charo Santos.

MTRCB Rating: PG

LOVE AT FIRST STREAM

The film follows four people: a streamer, a student, a breadwinner, and a heartthrob, as they find love and friendship online. Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, the film stars Kaori Oinuma, Jeremiah Lisbo, Daniella Stranner, and Anthony Jennings.

MTRCB Rating: PG

TELIA

The suspense drama follows a hospital nurse who attempts to uncover information about the mysterious deaths of patients in Room 009. Directed by Lester Dimaranan, the stars Wynwyn Marquez and Raymond Bagatsing.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

THE EXORSIS

The comedy horror film follows Gina, who must find an exorcist after her younger sister gets possessed by a dead woman’s spirit. Directed by Fifth Solomon, the film stars Toni and Alex Gonzaga.

MTRCB Rating: PG