The Metro Manila Film Festival logo (Image: Facebook/Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Official)
This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) will be screening its entries online this year amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer announced the decision to adopt a digital format on his Instagram page last Thursday, Oct. 8.
“TULOY ANG METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL 2020 (The Metro Manila Film Festival 2020 will push through)!” he said alongside a photo of a video conference with members of the MMFF executive committee.
He added that they will be partnering with a “worldwide streaming service,” which will be announced soon. Ferrer also said that the shift to an online format allows the festival to happen “everywhere” and “recreate happy traditions” with one’s family.
Along with the change, the committee has also moved the deadline for submission of finished films from Oct. 15 to Nov. 15. Meanwhile, the deadline for finished movies based on approved scripts was moved from Oct. 31 to Nov. 30.
“This will give producers and filmmakers more time na puliduhin pa ang kanilang mga (to polish their) entries,” Ferrer said.
He added that the entry fees from the MMFF Summer Festival have now been waived. Those who are interested will just need to fill out forms for resubmission.
“Tuloy ang Pasko at tuluy na tuloy ang MMFF ngayong Pasko (Christmas will go on and the MMFF will surely push through this Christmas)!!!” Ferrer stated.
MMFF announced this year’s first four official entries last July: “Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan,” “Magikland,” “Praybeyt Benjamin 3” and “The Exorcism of My Siszums.”
Prior to MMFF, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival screened its entries via online video streaming as well last August. /ra
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