Dingdong Dantes (left) in “A Hard Day”; and Daniel Padilla in “Whether the Weather is Fine”
“The lineup resonates with the problems, situations and circumstances of the times,” observed actress Boots Anson-Rodrigo, who is the newly appointed chair of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) selection committee, when asked to describe the eight official entries to be shown in December.
This year’s official entries are: Lawrence Fajardo’s action film “A Hard Day,” featuring Dingdong Dantes and John Arcilla, and produced by Viva Communications Inc.; Jun Robles Lana’s social drama “Big Night,” starring Christian Bables, and produced by Cignal Entertainment, The Ideafirst Company, Octobertrain Films and Quantum Films; Cathy Garcia-Molina’s romantic-comedy “Love at First Stream,” topbilled by Anthony Jennings, Jeremiah Lisbo, Daniela Stranner and Kaori Oinuma, and produced by ABS-CBN Film Productions and Kwentolabs Inc.; Carlo Francisco Manatad’s drama “Whether the Weather is Fine,” featuring Daniel Padilla, Charo Santos-Concio and Rans Rifol, and produced by Cinematografic, Plan C, House on Fire, iWant TFC, Globe Studios, Black Sheep, Quantum Films Inc., AAND Company, Kawankawan Media, Weydemann Bros., and CMB Films; Adolfo Alix Jr.’s horror trilogy “Huwag Kang Lalabas,” starring Aiko Melendez, Beauty Gonzales and Kim Chui, and produced by Obra Cinema; Fifth Solomon’s comedy-horror film “ExorSis,” topbilled by sisters Toni and Alex Gonzaga, and produced by TinCan; Louie Ignacio’s romantic film “Huling Ulan sa Tag-Araw,” starring Ken Chan and Rita Daniela, and produced by Heaven’s Best Entertainment; and Lester Dimaranan’s horror flick “Nelia,” featuring Winwyn Marquez and Raymond Bagatsing, and produced by A and Q Production Films Inc.
Screening in theaters
The MMFF will run from Dec. 25 to Jan. 7 and will now be screened in theaters nationwide while observing the required health protocols.
Details on the Parade of Stars still have to be decided by the MMFF executive committee, said Rodrigo.
Boots Anson- Rodrigo, Metro Manila Film Festival selection committee chair
The lineup was announced on Friday by Rodrigo and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Benhur Abalos.
MMDA is the overall organizer of the MMFF. Rodrigo replaced as chair National Artist for Film Bienvenido Lumbera who passed away in September. INQ