MMDA chair: Indies stepped up to the plate
PERLA Bautista, right, with Basty Alcanses and Jenine Desiderio in “Ang Maestra”
Indies stepped up to the plate when mainstream producers backed out of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), said Francis Tolentino, chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), which spearheads the annual movie event.
LOUISE de los Reyes in “Island Dreams”
When two mainstream movies (“My Super Kap” and “Be Careful with My Heart”) pulled out of the main section, independently produced movies (“Boy Golden” and “Kaleidoscope World”) filled the slots, said Tolentino. “Now, there are three indies in the festival.”
The third indie in the main section is “Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir.”
Tolentino said he had always felt passionately about integrating indies into the festival. “In spite of their financial limitations, indie filmmakers win awards abroad,” he explained to the Inquirer. “Apart from the three indies in the main section, we expanded the New Wave competition.”
The New Wave category consists of three competitions—full-length features, student shorts and, starting this year, animated films.
WILLY Tadeo Layug in “Dukit.”
An additional venue for the category, SM Megamall, was added to the original theater, Glorietta, said Digna Santiago, head of the New Wave full feature section.
The playdate was also extended, said Santiago. “The 13 entries in all three categories (full feature, student shorts and animation) will be shown at Glorietta 4 and SM Megamall cinemas starting today until Dec. 24.”
There are five entries in the full feature section: Alvin Yapan’s “Mga Anino ng Kahapon,” Joven Tan’s “Ang Maestra,” Armando Lao’s “Dukit,” Aloy Adlawan and Gino M. Santos’ “Island Dreams” and Toto Natividad’s “Saka Saka.”
Tolentino noted that they were “films of different genres—drama, romantic-comedy and action.”
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EJAY Falcon and Joseph Marco in “Saka Saka.”
Santos told the Inquirer: “MMFF is usually associated with blockbuster flicks. The New Wave section adds variety and spark to the festival.”
Past festivals produced classics like “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon” and “Himala,” Santos pointed out. “Slowly, we are getting there [again], with the inclusion of Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s ‘Thy Womb’ in the main section last year, people have realized that it’s possible.”
Mendoza, producer of Lao’s “Dukit,” expressed as much optimism. “Distribution is a big problem that indie filmmakers need to overcome. At least, we are given the venue to screen our films now. Mainstream audiences will somehow get exposed to indie films.”
Lao agreed: “With this move by Chair Tolentino, general audiences will hopefully become more familiar with indies.”’
AGOT Isidro in “Mga Anino ng Kahapon”
“You used to need connection to get a break; now we are given the opportunity,” said Tan.
“We thought our film was just an advocacy film to create awareness on mental health issues,” said Ang, producer of “Mga Anino ng Kahapon.” “We didn’t expect that it would be seen and appreciated by a wider audience.”
Although “Saka Saka” have ABS-CBN’s Charo and Malou Santos as executive producers, Santiago said it rightfully belonged to the New Wave section.
Studio formula
She elaborated: “New Wave is not categorized by its producers but by its intent and content. ‘Saka Saka’ producer Cine Bro ventured outside the studio formula in producing an action film.”
Richard G. Reynante, “Saka Saka” executive producer, clarified that Cinema Bro is not connected to Star Cinema. He said “Saka Saka” was an attempt “to bridge 1980s Filipino action and current cinema trends.”
Santiago remarked: “The local action genre has been dead for the past two decades, as it cannot compete with big Hollywood films.”
“We would like to reinvent Filipino action,” Reynante said. “I cannot say we’ve done it. If we are successful with this movie, we can move on to bigger projects. Maybe then we can say we have reinvented action movies.”
