Nora Aunor in MMFF entry “Kabisera”
Right after the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) announced late last month that “quality” productions had been chosen over “commercial” flicks for this year’s festival, a flurry of contentious and contradictory reactions hits the fan:
“Christmas is a time for fun family flicks, so screen the ‘serious’ stuff in an indie festival another time of the year!”
“The MMFF was intended to showcase the best Filipino films, so it’s only proper for it to go back to its original mandate.”
“The 2016 fest will be a flop at the box office compared to last year, when it made P1 billion for the first time ever—proving that the viewing public supported its ‘popular’ thrust.”
“Filipinos deserve to see the best that our film artists can come up with—it’s ironic that they win many awards abroad, but can’t find good playdates here.”
“The blockbuster ‘losers’ quickly found earlier playdates due to their commercial appeal and star value, proving that they don’t really need the MMFF!”
And so it’s been going. What are we to make of this fierce, feisty and sometimes even sneeringly nasty flurry of arguments, contentions, accusations and rationalizations being hurled by both sides of the “quality versus popularity” and “indie versus mainstream” divide?
First, it’s perfectly understandable that the previously entrenched “blockbuster producers” should feel so aggrieved, and suddenly left out in the cold. Also to be expected is the dreaded “flop scenario” that their media mouthpieces have been feeding the public in advance—a “self-fulfilling” prophecy that indie lovers should do their best to counter.
In connection with that last, cynical salvo, some indie buffs have decided to boost the “renewed and refocused” MMFF’s profitability prospects by urging each other to go out of their way to patronize the 2016 festival’s entries in a big, enthusiastic way—with some of them vowing to watch all eight films!
If enough people act decisively to prove a key point, the dreaded “flop” outcome could be avoided. Care to join them?
In any case, even if the new MMFF “underperforms” at the tills, it should be remembered that the festival was not originally intended to make the most money possible, but to showcase the best Filipino films.
If the 2016 fest does that, it’s home safe. Of course, if some of the chosen entries turn out to be too austerely “artistic” or “inaccessible” to viewers, that can more legitimately be seen to be a liability or case of poor or inappropriate judgment.
So, the screening committee, despite its best intentions, could have some explaining or “after the fact” reevaluation to do.
If memory serves, the first Manila film fest decades ago was a big, unexpected hit because it showcased good, well-made movies, not recondite, overly artsy and inaccessible films that few people could relate to, or “understand.”
That should be the standard to aim for from now on, so the best Filipino movies can increase in popularity and local acceptance, not just win awards abroad, but not be able to find playdates on the local scene.
Finally, we wish that the “indie versus mainstream” and “quality versus popularity” distinction and debate be permanently put to rest, because it’s deeply divisive.
Let’s celebrate all good Filipino movies of whatever color or persuasion, and make sure that the very best ones can find playdates—even outside of the year-ender MMFF!