MERYLL Soriano
For Meryll Soriano, the contentious disqualification of “Honor Thy Father” from the best picture category in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) turned out to be a blessing in disguise, after the incident sparked discussions and became a catalyst for possible changes in the annual event.
“It was disappointing because we worked hard and were passionate about the project. We felt that there was injustice, but things happen for a reason—and in this case, perhaps because some things needed to be brought to light,” Meryll told reporters at a press conference for GMA 7’s new TV series, “That’s My Amboy,” which airs weeknights.
The exclusion of “Honor”—apparently due to its exhibition in other festivals prior to MMFF—prompted Rep. Dan Fernandez, also a cast member, to bring the matter to Congress.
“I’m happy that there was a stir, and I’m proud to be part of this movement. It’s high time to point out that something’s wrong,” Meryll said, adding that she feels heartened that a lot of her colleagues in the industry feel the same way.
“It was great to see that even people who weren’t part of our film trooped to Congress to show their support. We were very pleased with how things went,” related the 33-year-old artist, who also maintained that she wasn’t upset about losing the best actress award—for which she was touted as a strong contender—to Jennylyn Mercado of “#WalangForever.”
Food for the soul
“A trophy is an acknowledgment of your talent, but the only thing that saddened us was our film’s disqualification,” stressed Meryll, who has always made it a point to be part of independent movies “to feed my soul.” “It’s my goal to be part of projects that I can be proud of.”
Asked about her thoughts on some critics calling for the MMFF’s abolition, Meryll said: “To stop it completely would be sad, because many people look forward to the festival—it’s a great platform to see local films without competition from their foreign counterparts. An overhaul, however, is much needed.”
Despite the controversy, the actress remains optimistic that things would eventually turn out for the better. Personally, she said she’d love to see local movies in general get better distribution deals and given ample screening dates.
“We have to support our own. I’m hoping for more awareness among moviegoers about the different genres the industry offers,” she said.
Meanwhile, Meryll, who now plans to focus on acting after studying in London for the past four years, said she was thrilled to be back on TV and doing comedy, especially after working on such a dark and “heavy” film.
“The last time I did a lighthearted series (“I Love Betty La Fea”) was in 2008. Comedy is home to me, as I’m makulit in person. This is a refreshing change after doing drama,” she said of “That’s My Amboy,” which is topbilled by Barbie Forteza and Andre Paras.